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 The
site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico
came under Spanish rule for three centuries before
achieving independence early in the 19th century.
A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw
Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst
recession in over half a century. The nation
continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing
economic and social concerns include low real
wages, underemployment for a large segment of the
population, inequitable income distribution, and
few advancement opportunities for the largely
Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the
first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that
the opposition defeated the party in government... Click
here to read more.
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 Ancient
Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas
whose empire was captured by the Spanish
conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was
declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces
defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military
rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in
1980, but experienced economic problems and the
growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto
FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade
that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and
significant progress in curtailing guerrilla
activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing
reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic
slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won
reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000,
but international pressure and corruption scandals
led to...
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 The
Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and
surrounding regions during the first millennium
A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish
colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821.
During the second half of the 20th century, it
experienced a variety of military and civilian
governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In
1996, the government signed a peace agreement
formally ending the conflict, which had left more
than 100,000 people dead and had created some 1
million refugees. Click
here to read more.
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