Bio
Thesis
See full thesis: From Terrorist to President in a Latin American Switzerland: Love and Hatred in a Fractured Land
Faculty Advisor: John French
Thesis Abstract
In the early twentieth century, Uruguay became known worldwide as the "Switzerland of Latin America", a democracy and welfare state to be admired. This rapidly became a part of the national narrative. The collapse of democracy came in 1973 —enveloping Uruguay into a 12 year civic-military regime—followed by a reconstructive period from 1985 onward, Uruguayans desperately attempted to find an explanation that would salvage their golden democracy. A "Two Demon" theory was introduced into the narrative blaming the MLN Tupamaros (leftist urban guerilla), and the Military for the collapse. In reality, these were symptoms of the problem, a Uruguay that had endured a crisis, a Uruguay with a lost identity, and a Uruguay that had thrived in an international scene that no longer existed. The collapse of democracy was swept under the rug, and no conversation was had about the recent past, nonetheless, two different histories of the past were being solidified. Those who viewed the Tupamaros as the real demon, and those who viewed the Military as the real demon. These unspoken histories are arisen when Pepe Mujica, an ex-Tupamaro, imprisoned for 12 years during the dictatorship, becomes president in 2010. The controversy that this figure generates, both because of his international representation, and what he symbolizes - an unresolved recent and painful past - clearly displays the hidden divide that has been present in Uruguay these decades.
