The Truth about Chiquita Banana!

I was on my lunch break the other day, enjoying a sandwich and slightly entertained with some small talk with one of the Mexican cooks. When the conversation became slightly intriguing. He was flipping through one of the work manuals and trying to make sense of the English language. I could hear him mumbling to himself and occasionally he would stumble across a word he either didn't understand or couldn't pronounce and ask for my assistance. Through my mouthfuls of half eaten sandwich, I was able to help him with the right pronunciation. He mentioned to me that although he was taught the Spanish language in school, he was never really any good at reading, writing, or correct grammar. This was kind of a shock to me considering that his English wasn't too bad and that he could read the work manual fairly well. Another co-worker popped into the conversation and we began talking about illegal immigrants and the problems facing Mexicans at the moment. To be honest I am not very knowledgeable about Central or South American history. My assumptions are that the people are dissatisfied with their situation, and think that the U.S. will be able provide them with the means that they need in order to sustain themselves and their families. I have no idea what is going on in their country though, let alone the rest of Central or South America. And when I began to think about it they didn't really teach you much about the rest of the Americas in school...and you rarely hear about these countries on the news. The other co-worker who had become part of the conversation began talking about Chiquita Banana and the railway, and how the U.S ripped the land from the people in order to grow bananas so that they could be exported back to the U.S and throughout other parts of the world. She told me stories of how U.S trained, Guatemalan soldiers, were ordered to kill any civilians that posed a threat to U.S assets in Guatemala. Bullets were to be saved for the men and women, children an babies were to thrown against rocks...to save bullets of course. She spoke with passion and rage, and I listened to every bit of it, trying to absorb it all. Her last words were, "They raped the earth! Would you like it if your mother was raped?" Her last words stuck in my mind, and I have made it a point to become familiar with these forgotten lands. Through some of my studies this is what I have learned about Guatemala and our favourite banana brand. Guatemala consists of mostly indigenous Mayan people, with about 70% of the population living in poverty. This statistic has a lot to do with its early history of governing, mainly by Spanish conquistadors who dictated over the land. Placing wealth amongst the elite groups and leaving the natives with nothing. This is still happening today, but now U.S corporations are taking from these indigenous people, and wealthy men are profiting. The Boston Fruit Company teamed with (U.S based) Guatemalan railways in order to purchase a majority of Guatemalan land. After purchasing the land, the newly titled United Fruits Company began growing bananas to export to the U.S and other parts of the world. The banana business became a highly lucrative business in just a short amount of time and the demand for bananas skyrocketed. This started the beginning of the monopoly over Guatemalan land and its people. Many of the farmers who made a living by tilling the earth couldn't compete with this ever growing banana business and soon found themselves in poverty. Families were forced to leave their homes so that their land could be run by the banana company. A sadness swept over the country, one of hopelessness and despair. Until the government was overthrown and a new leader emerged, one who was encouraging reform and hope for the indigenous people. This new leader brought about several reforms, one which included giving some of the unused land owned by the United Fruits Company back to the natives. This period of reform is known to Guatemalans as the "10 Years of Springtime". A period of 10 years where the people lived in somewhat peace and happiness. This reform didn't sit very well with some of the U.S shareholders who had financial interests in Guatemala at the time. These shareholders went to the U.S government and convinced President Reagan that Guatemala was becoming communist. President Reagan set up death squads which were aided by the CIA to eradicate any person or groups of people that were supporters of the reform. Students, teachers, leaders, civilians, and even children were murdered, tortured, and made to disappear. Most of these atrocities were carried out by the Guatemalan Army, who were supported, aided, and even trained by the U.S government. A large majority of the Guatemalan men were killed, leaving many widows and orphans behind. Till this day, Guatemala still is in some ways monopolized by this corporate giant now known as Chiquita Brands. A feeling of sadness consumes me as I think of Guatemala and its people. Guatemala is not so far away, how could I close my eyes off to the rest of the world. This is just one example of how the self-interest of the U.S. uses greed, corruption, war, power, and control, to dominate over other nations. How can we trust our own nation when it is capable of doing such horrific things just for $$$? I will make a stand against Corporate U.S, and think twice next time I eat a Chiquita banana, that's for sure! Who is with me?