Emilio Garrastazu Medici's 'Post-Amazonian Highway'
The Trans Amazonian
Highway
‘Nothing in my whole life has shocked and upset me so deeply.’
1970: The military ruler of Brazil, General
Emilio Garrastazu Medici traveled to the impoverished north-east where the periodic droughts had driven peasants off their small plots of land (minifundio) into the overcrowded cities. Suffering was rampant.
Medici thought he must do something, but what? He told reporters in Rio that “Nothing in my life,has ever shocked and upset me so deeply.
Never have I faced such a challenge.”
Mini Activity: What did Medici do?
Option 1:
Say to hell with fazendeiros--supporters of his regime--and elitist capitalist development.
&
Give each family an adequate plot of land, technical advice …show more content…
“das dumb”
Early Criticism
“The simple fact of building roads does not mean that we are creating conditions for the occupation of the demographic vacuum. As well as roads, we must pro-vide the settlers with technical and financial assistance so that they can produce and fix themselves on the land.”
-Jose Sergio de Paz Monteiro, director of the road department for the state of Amazonas
Some, however, were not as optimistic. Jose Sergio de Paz Monteiro was a fan of the radical land reform. He also said, “north-east consumes very little of what we produce and it produces very little of what we consume.” and thus the highway would provide no real benefit to the people of the regions. However, in true military regime fashion,
Medici forced Monteiro to retract his disapproval and even deny that he had be interviewed. Monteiro then had to show support for the highway, which was less than believable. Unfortunately for the people of the region, Monteiro was correct. Within a year, the hope of bringing millions to the sides of the trans amazonian highway was
Highway
‘Nothing in my whole life has shocked and upset me so deeply.’
1970: The military ruler of Brazil, General
Emilio Garrastazu Medici traveled to the impoverished north-east where the periodic droughts had driven peasants off their small plots of land (minifundio) into the overcrowded cities. Suffering was rampant.
Medici thought he must do something, but what? He told reporters in Rio that “Nothing in my life,has ever shocked and upset me so deeply.
Never have I faced such a challenge.”
Mini Activity: What did Medici do?
Option 1:
Say to hell with fazendeiros--supporters of his regime--and elitist capitalist development.
&
Give each family an adequate plot of land, technical advice …show more content…
“das dumb”
Early Criticism
“The simple fact of building roads does not mean that we are creating conditions for the occupation of the demographic vacuum. As well as roads, we must pro-vide the settlers with technical and financial assistance so that they can produce and fix themselves on the land.”
-Jose Sergio de Paz Monteiro, director of the road department for the state of Amazonas
Some, however, were not as optimistic. Jose Sergio de Paz Monteiro was a fan of the radical land reform. He also said, “north-east consumes very little of what we produce and it produces very little of what we consume.” and thus the highway would provide no real benefit to the people of the regions. However, in true military regime fashion,
Medici forced Monteiro to retract his disapproval and even deny that he had be interviewed. Monteiro then had to show support for the highway, which was less than believable. Unfortunately for the people of the region, Monteiro was correct. Within a year, the hope of bringing millions to the sides of the trans amazonian highway was