Latin American Studies

In the 1990s, thousands of Salvadoran nationals living illegally in the U.S. were deported to their homeland. Some took Los Angeles gang culture with them. This Wide Angle report documents six months spent inside the transnational gang known as 18"-a Salvadoran permutation of L.A.'s notorious 18th Street gang. Following teenage "homeboys" as they patrol their turf in the streets of San Salvador, the program details the inner workings of 18-initiating would-be members through violent beatings, organizing support for friends in need, orchestrating gang activity behind prison walls, waging endless warfare against its enemies, and putting El Salvador high on the list of the most violent and crime-ridden countries in the world. The program also features anchor Daljit Dhaliwal discussing U.S. anti-gang efforts and deportation policy with Anne W. Patterson, Assistant Secretary of State for Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. (57 minutes)"

Colombia's $5-billion-a-year cocaine trade has funded a brutal civil war involving leftist guerillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and a national government severely undermined by corruption. This Wide Angle report spotlights the efforts of Maria Cristina Chirolla, head of the Colombian attorney general's anti-money laundering office, to crack down on the drug lords. But the cost of her integrity is a life of almost constant fear as she evades drug barons plotting to assassinate her. This program also includes an interview with Marc Grossman, former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. (57 minutes)

A 36-year civil war has left over 150,000 dead and more than 1 million displaced in Guatemala. This program presents stirring portraits of three Mayan women and their efforts on behalf of peace. Adela, a widow, bravely sustains her refugee family. Justina tirelessly travels the countryside explaining the human rights movement to fellow villagers. Francesca, a Mayan priestess, reaffirms the cultural identity of her people. Stunning photography evokes the Mayan Popol Vuh creation story and punctuates the women's courageous struggle. (53 minutes)

Presented by sculptor Antony Gormley, this program was created to complement the 2002-3 exhibition of Aztec culture at London's Royal Academy. Many of the incredible works loaned to the exhibit are shown, along with sculptures and artifacts filmed in Mexico City and at important Aztec sites. Leading scholars and curators explore how the nomadic Aztecs drew inspiration from earlier cultures. The variety and sophistication of Aztec art are extensively illustrated, along with the exquisite craftsmanship of their manuscripts and their jewelry. (37 minutes)

The plight of women in this poverty-ridden nation is examined on varying social and economic levels. A congresswoman discusses her fight against cocaine production and use; a teacher struggles against government apathy toward education; a peasant women reveals the harsh details of her existence. Progress made by women in the area of home business, art, and music is examined, as well as the antiquated customs that keep women subservient. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English

Am I black or am I white?" New affirmative action quotas for higher education in Brazil-one of the world's most racially diverse nations-launch a controversial dialogue about race and identity as this Wide Angle report follows five college candidates from diverse backgrounds competing for a spot at the University of Brasilia. In addition, lawyers from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund visit Brazilian civil rights leaders to discuss the legal challenges of affirmative action. With nationwide surveys identifying more than 130 different categories of skin color, who will be considered "black enough" to qualify for the new racial quotas? (57 minutes)"

This program discusses the lives of two groups of women-the women of northern Bahia and the mulattos of Rio de Janeiro-both descendants of African slaves. In Bahia, voodoo religious practices are revealed, as well as the problems of prostitution and AIDS. In Rio, the program examines the tradition of carnaval and the role of female mulatto samba dancers as sex objects. Also available in Spanish. (57 minutes)English

This program examines Chile under martyred socialist President Salvador Allende, and the subsequent Pinochet regime that followed. Allende's niece and novelist, Isabel Allende, exile Hortensia Bussi, Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriela Mistral, and others discuss women's role in the eventual toppling of Pinochet, and the formation of the Latin American Federation of Associations of Families of Prisoners Missing Since 1981-a tracking organization that helps families discover the fate of relatives kidnapped during the Pinochet reign of terror. Also available in Spanish. (59 minutes)English

The rise of leftist leaders in South America has surprised the international community-and has resulted in some equally surprising alliances. This Wide Angle documentary focuses on populist leader Evo Morales, who has taken up the fight of coca farmers against the Bolivian establishment. Traveling to the stunning highlands of Bolivia, the program examines Morales' efforts to expand the amount of coca that can be legally grown and fend off the Bolivian military's drive to eliminate the crop. The program also profiles indigenous politicians working with Morales, a farming family dependent on coca for survival, and a coca-eradication commander on a slash-and-burn mission. In addition, Minister Jorge Castaneda discusses the power shift in Latin America with anchor Mishal Husain. (57 minutes)

A seldom-discussed dimension of the war on drugs is the plight of impoverished farmers in the developing world. This program tells the story of Peru's struggling cocaleros, whose livelihoods and ancient agricultural traditions have become a casualty of antidrug policies. Shot on the steep hillsides where Peruvian growers have produced the crop since pre-Columbian times, as well as in villages and town halls where a movement to protect their way of life is gathering momentum, the film interviews several self-described peasants who predict a dark future for their fragile economy. Global drug policy scholar Ricardo Soberon and legal coca grower Genaro Cahuana offer expert commentary. (26 minutes)

In Colombia, government and paramilitary forces are terrorizing the populace to deprive the FARC and NLF guerrillas of civil support. But far from stamping out the war, this policy has led to an escalation that threatens to destroy the country. This program combines newsreel and documentary footage of life and death in Colombia's rural districts, cities, and guerrilla camps with interviews to explore the roots and the results of the 20th century's longest guerrilla war. Members of Bogota's Institute of Political Studies, the Red Cross, and the Church; army officers; guerrillas; politicians; and some of the 1.5 million refugees air their views on the terror and the tragedy of a nation divided. (53 minutes)

This documentary reveals just how divisive the 40-year Colombian civil war has become. It ventures behind government spin and FARC guerilla secrecy to interview army commanders, public officials, Colombian journalists, drug cartel paramilitaries, and ordinary citizens who are literally caught in a crossfire. Testimonials from impoverished farmers-who have essentially no other options than to grow coca-clearly show that in a country producing 80 percent of the world's cocaine, peace will come only after radical social change and a major reduction in global consumption of the drug. (60 minutes)

This program examines the pros and cons of Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution through the eyes of women exiles in Miami and Castro supporters in Cuba. We hear from several women, including an avid anti-Castro exile and a Cuban television reporter, who tell stories of repression under the Castro regime. Health workers and educators discuss the benefits of Castro's policies, and the role of women in the revolution. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English

The program examines the Dominican Republic that tourists rarely see-a nation of sex markets, prostitution, poverty, and lack of educational opportunities. The current economic crisis and its effect on middle-class life are discussed, along with efforts currently under way to alleviate the social and economic problems. We hear from women on all levels of society, from prostitutes to the Vice President of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, who discuss rarely seen facets of Dominican life. Also available in Spanish. (60 minutes)English

This program contrasts indigenous, community-based culture with market economics driven by multinational corporations. The film assesses the growing conflict between Burlington Resources, an American oil company licensed to prospect in regions of Ecuador, and the self-sufficient Achuar people of that country, who believe the oil industry will destroy their environment and non-materialistic way of life. Underscoring the Ecuadorian government's tendency to accommodate U.S. interests, the video portrays a country divided by incompatible definitions of wealth and happiness. (Portions have English subtitles, 26 minutes)