Week 25: Latin American Consolidation IDs

Strongman

•  Caudillo can mean leader, chief, or dictator.  It is a spanish word that was used to talk aboput populist leaders by the people.
•  Caudillo is related to caudillismo.  Caudillismo is a cutural phenomenon that happened during the 19th centruy in South America.  Caudillismo comes from the Spanish colonial policy of making cadres full-time soldiers who were members of militiais forces that were employed by the local popultaion for order.  The leaders of these militias used their popularity to get sympathy from the people.
•  Caudillos also held normal jobs and received money from the Crown for their service in the military.  They did not have certain taxes taken out of their pay and were exempt from criminal persecution.
•  Caudillos were popular during the South American Wars of Independence when militias did most of the fighting and gain a nice reputation.
• The Cuadillos went to these newly independent countries and tried to rule there.  In some countries they were welcome and in other they were not.

Some famous caudillos are...

Juan Vicente Gomez--military leader and president in Venezuela.

Jose Gaspar Rodrigues de Francia--first leader of Paraguay after its independence from Spain (1814-1840).