Open Veins of Latin America

Section 1 Summary: “A Declaration of Independence Hailed by British Warships”

While Spain had an early presence in the exploration and initial colonization of Latin America, the British quickly rose to dominance. Britain’s Industrial Revolution coincided with the introduction of raw materials from Latin American exports that fueled the development of such technology as the internal combustion engine that modernized navigation and enabled ships to travel to farther territories. This expanded Britain’s colonial domain. The British celebrated when Argentina experienced a revolutionary junta in 1810. The junta permitted the British to preside over Argentina’s economy, forcing out Germany and France as competitors in the textile trade. Through British imposition, Argentina purchased textiles from Britain alone and stopped producing textiles domestically. Britain enforced its exports, such as textiles, upon Argentina, ultimately affecting the development of local artisans, skills, and labor in those affected industries.

Section 2 Summary: “The Dimensions of Industrial Infanticide”

In this section, Galeano observes how the British usurped the development of textiles and local artisanry from Latin American countries. While Bolivia was once a significant center of the textile industry, it quickly dissolved due to the takeover of British textiles. In Argentina as well, Britain replaced products once made locally with British-made materials to such an extent that the country “even received the stones for its sidewalks from Britain” (195).