That was not always this way, back in 17th and 18th centuries, the Latin America was a place to be. It was full of all sorts of valuable goods, tropical wood, cacao, coffee, sugar, tobacco, even tomatoes. All these things came from this part of the world and then gradually spread across the globe. People who found them and cultivated them made big money of it.
However, the biggest commodity that made Latin America the place it was, was Silver. Back in days silver was used to mint coins, so access to silver mines meant near literal ability to just print money as you need them. That is what Latin Americans literary did, they mined silver, mint coins out of them and then went on a crazy shopping spree, buying near everything money can buy. Spanish treasure galleons, filled with famous Spanish Silver Dollars, regularly left Spanish Main (modern Colombia and Venezuela) for Europe and brought back all sort of cool tech Italians made back then. Not even Caribbean piracy could put a significant dent in that never-ending money stream. Latins still had more money that they knew how to spend.
If you want a proof, it really was as good as I described, then look at how fancifully decorated buildings of their colonial architecture are. Surely nowadays they often look dilapidated or even derelict, but that is because Latin America was poor for the last 200 years. If you however can look past wear and tear, you can notice sophisticated decorations that often rival that of European palaces of kings and nobility. These were not homes build for cheap; these were homes build with no expenses spared. Because why spare when you can just dig out more silver to afford whatever you want.
Back during good times Latin Americans did not mind extravagant expenses, rip off prices, ridiculous rules and taxes imposed by Spanish crown or even pirates robbing treasure fleets. Because why bother with hard stuff when you can just mine more silver and mint more money. Problem solved. One of Latin American countries is even named after this metal that brought them this wealth and lavish lifestyle: Argentina means something of a Silveria or Silverland.
All that ended when silver ran out. Unwilling to be poor, Latin Americans started to look at those responsible.
First to get the hit was Spanish crown, Bolivar united Latin Americans under the banner of freedom, promising that after colonial yoke of Spanish crown and its taxes and tariffs are gone, Latin Americans could finally breather free and be great again.
Bolivar easily won. He is still celebrated as hero of Latin world. Bolivia is named after him, and Venezuela has Bolivarian in its official name and even its currency is named after him. Colombia is named after the name he proposed for the new freed former Spanish colonies.
Newly independent colonies adopted grand and elaborate symbols often depicting cornucopia and other symbols of wealth and opulence, clearly stating their hopes and aspirations. However, wealth did not come back. By now these fancy symbols look more like cheap decorations than statements of opulence and prosperity.
After war for independence came internal squabbles. Different groups within newly independent Latin nations started to think it's their peers who are hoggin up all the wealth. Bolivarian Grand Colombia split into 4 nations, Central American Republic into 6. Fighting did not stop there, as parts of new smaller states started fighting for either independence or more autonomy. It took 100 years before borders finally stabilised.
Even then however blame game did not end, it just shifted to ideological sphere, different groups now saw solution in different economic models. Communism, Socialism, Peronism, Capitalism and what not were tried at various times. Revolutions, coups, countercoups, civil wars and US interventions became new norm.
Now in 200 years later, Latin America is still divided between blaming the US for their poverty and thinking Socialism is the answer or trying to emigrate into the US or the broader west.
Fundamentally however nothing will work. None of these methods will bring back the silver into mines that fuelled Latin Golden Age (or Silver Age). All they can do is to divide and redivide what is left between those who still remain. Will the commies manage to eat the rich to feed the poor, or will Javier Milei manage to sacrifice the poor to Quetzalcoatl or Inca Sun God for prosperity to the rest. It's a sad thing to watch.
Any country that was rich and now poor is a very sad place to be. Most of the time there is no solution, only escape or slow death. Vain hope you are not the one thrown to Quetzalcoatl for continued comfort of the rest. Rats flee sinking ship not because they are stupid, but because they are survivals.
That is also a somber tale that money indeed buys happiness and everything else. You can have things while you have money. Without money it will all disappear sooner or later, and you will be left with nothing.
People who like my parents think that family or emotions are more important are but fools. When they had money, we had family and what not, once they lost money, it all disappeared and fell apart.
I do not look back towards my family, but only towards the wealth we had back then and lifestyle it could afford. Alas I cannot bring back the wealth, that I want back. I can only call my parents, but I do not want to. I do not want to listen to their annoying moralising pratting. A sad tale of a similar situation but on a personal level.
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