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In an interview with David Barsamian published in The Progressive in April 1999, Eduardo Galeano commented wryly that “las que más dañan son las que más ganan,” meaning “those that damage the most, gain the most.” From the very first sentence of Open Veins of Latin America, Galeano again calls on this simple idea in order to distinctly recognize the two groups of people for whom his book is written. ... ” In one account of the history of Latin America, Galeano seeks to demand recognition for five centuries of weary “losers” and to plead justice upon five centuries of ruthless “winners.” I believe that his opening statement, while it succeeds in heightening readers’ awareness of the gulf that exists between Latin America and the rest of the world, also reveals the most flawed aspect of his work. ... Or am I a traitor to my country for wondering how I can pledge allegiance to a flag under which the government has cheated, robbed, and raped Latin America for centuries? ...
The challenge of reading Open Veins of Latin America objectively is that it is in no way objectively written. ... As I continue to read, however, I begin to realize that in writing a history of Latin America, Galeano is relating something personal. ... Galeano shares a life-force with Latin America, and the blood that flows through the veins of this continent must also flow through him. ...
If Galeano is so laden with bias for the “losing” nations of Latin America, then who is left for the rest of us to trust? The collection of historical primary sources collected by Benjamin Keen of Northern Illinois University, entitled Latin American Civilization: History & Society, 1492 to the Present, seems to be a good place to start; however, before even finishing the first page I am aware that the words of this historian are colored as well. In the introduction to the collection, Keen writes, “Thanks to this unyielding spirit, and despite immense loss of life and inestimable suffering, the Indian communities in key areas of Latin America survived the storm of conquest and colonial oppression with their cultural identity largely intact.” Yet, the pages of chapter one of Galeano’s work resound with cries of the crushed culture and the lost identity that resulted from conquest and oppression. ... What history is this, which can be presented in such different ways, each one asserted with confidence and a factual basis? ... However, I also know that Keen is one of Galeano’s infamous “winners” who could not possibly understand events from a perspective so far-removed from the cultural experiences of a Latin American. ... I am beginning to realize that these two concepts will never be one and the same.
Approximate Word count = 2222
Approximate Pages = 8.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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