Under the Shadow

On December 20, 1989, the United States invaded Panama with tens of thousands of troops. It was the largest US invasion since Vietnam. The first US military action since the fall of the Berlin Wall one month before. The testing ground for the Iraq Wars. The US invading forces destroyed 20,000 homes and killed hundreds of innocent Panamanians, dumping bodies into mass graves.

And the United States government and the mainstream media ignored or whitewashed the violence. The story told to the American people was that of a tremendous success: The liberation of the people of Panama. All in the name of "democracy" and the so-called "war on drugs."

In this episode, host Michael Fox takes us to the working-class Panama City neighborhood of El Chorrillo, which received the brunt of the US attack. He meets with Panamanians who have long fought for justice, and visits a former US military barracks that was the first home of the US School of the Americas. This is Episode 13.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Guests: John Lindsay Poland, Olmedo Beluche, Celia Sanjur, Gilma CamargoGrahame Russell, Pedro Silva, Efrain Guerrero, Omar Gonzalez

Edited by Heather Gies.
Sound design by Gustavo Türck.
Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox. Monte Perdido's new album Ofrenda is now out. You can listen to the full album on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you listen to music.
Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Additional links/info:

• Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panama (Duke, 2003), is John Lindsay Poland’s expose on the U.S. military involvement in Panama.
• You can watch the documentary, The Panama Deception, here.
• Here are several links to Democracy Now! coverage, over the years, looking back at the U.S. invasion of Panama (here, here, and here).
• El Chorrillo Neighborhood Tour: You can find out more about Efrain Guerrero's work trying to protect the memory of El Chorrillo, plus his neighborhood tours, on his Instagram or TikTok. His organization is called Movimiento Identidad. Here's the website to set up a tour.

Support Under the Shadow:

• You can see pictures of host Michael Fox’s reporting in Panama City, here. 
• You can also listen to his new podcast, Panamerican Dispatch on his Patreon page. There, you can follow and support him and Under the Shadow: https://www.patreon.com/mfox

Help us continue producing Under the Shadow by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.

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In December 1823, US president James Monroe delivered his State of the Union address in which he coined what would become known as the Monroe Doctrine. It was a framework that would later be used to legitimize US intervention up and down the hemisphere. But in those early days, Monroe’s statements were applauded by Latin American leaders as supporting their independence struggles. They were even embraced at Simon Bolivar’s Panama Congress of 1826.

In this episode, host Michael Fox travels to see what’s left of the former site of the Panama Congress, and then dives in to the past and present with Yale historian Greg Grandin.
They look at Simon Bolivar’s Panama Congress, but also Monroe and the legacy of US imperialism in the region until today, including US-backed death squads, the Iran Contra Scandal, Manifest Destiny, and so much more.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox. This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Additional info: 

• You can see pictures of the Simon Bolivar monument, in Panama City, here.
• Follow and support Michael Fox and Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox
• You can follow historian Greg Grandin, on Twitter, here.
• Below are links to Greg Grandin's books mentioned in the episode:
• The Blood of Guatemala: A History of Race and Nation (2000, Duke University Press Books)
• Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Making of an Imperial Republic (Holt, 2006)
• The Last Colonial Massacre: Latin America in the Cold War (2011, The University of Chicago)
• Kissinger's Shadow: The Long Reach of America's Most Controversial Statesman (2016, MacMillan)
• You can find more of Greg’s books, here.
• Theme music by Monte Perdido
• Monte Perdido’s new album Ofrenda is out now. You can listen to the full album on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube, or wherever you listen to music.
• Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Help us continue producing Under the Shadow by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.

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Donate to support this podcast

On Sunday, July 28th, President Nicolas Maduro won reelection there. According to the country’s national electoral council, he took 51% of votes over 44% for his rival Edmundo González Urrutia.
But the opposition called fraud, claiming that they actually won the vote. Most international media have been on board with that narrative. In fact, the United States, and several other right-wing led Latin American countries have now recognized the opposition candidate as the victory. At the same time, more than 40 other countries have recognized Maduro.
To make sense of it all, and the media spin that’s influencing this story, we speak with Alan MacLeod, a journalist and the senior staff writer at Mint Press News, with a PhD focused on media coverage of Venezuela.
Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.
Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

Additional links: 

• This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.
• You can listen to the first episode of Michael Fox’s new podcast, Panamerican Dispatch, here.
• Follow and support him and Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox
• You can find Michael Fox’s book, Venezuela Speaks!, that’s mentioned in the podcast, here.
• Here is the link to a thread by Michael Fox about the Venezuelan elections.
• You can follow Alan MacLeod on Twitter for ongoing media analysis and coverage.
• Theme music by Monte Perdido
  .
• Monte Perdido’s new album Ofrenda is out now. You can listen to the full album on Spotify
  , Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube, or wherever you listen to music.
• Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Help us continue producing Under the Shadow by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.

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Like us on Facebook
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Donate to support this podcast

Panama is, perhaps, the country in Central America that has suffered under the longest US shadow, right from the very beginning. The country and its famous canal would grow to become the United States's most important asset in the region. During World War II, the US installed as many as 100 military bases throughout Panama, and it was the base of Washington’s Latin American military training apparatus. Panama became the heart of the United States in Latin America, and the US ripped apart the country to do it, clearing and flooding whole cities, installing its own walls and fences, segregating its new territory into an apartheid system on foreign soil.

In this episode, host Michael Fox walks us from present-day Panama to the very beginning, to the genesis of what was once the United States’s most important asset in Latin America. This is Episode 12 of Under the Shadow.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. 

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Guests:
John Lindsay Poland
Marixa Lasso
Olmedo Beluche
Celia Sanjur
Gilma Camargo
Claire Nevache-Weill

Edited by Heather Gies.
Sound design by Gustavo Türck.
Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox. 
Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Follow and support journalist Michael Fox and Under the Shadow, and listen to his new podcast Panamerican Dispatch at https://www.patreon.com/mfox

Help us continue producing Under the Shadow by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.

Sign up for our newsletter
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Donate to support this podcast

In this episode of Under the Shadow, host Michael Fox takes us to Costa Rica to examine the so-called peaceful and democratic beacon in a region beset by dictatorships and violence, and the myths surrounding the elimination of the country's military, along with how the United States did its utmost to encourage San Jose to do its bidding.

This is Episode 11.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. 

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Guests: 
Ciska Raventós
David Díaz
Ivan Molina
Rotsay Rosales
Gustavo Fuchs

Edited by Heather Gies.

Sound design by Gustavo Türck.

Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox. Monte Perdido's new album Ofrenda is now out. You can listen to the full album on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you listen to music. 

Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

You can see pictures of Costa Rica’s National Museum and Butterfly Garden here.

Follow and support journalist Michael Fox and Under the Shadow, and listen to his new podcast Panamerican Dispatch at https://www.patreon.com/mfox

Here’s the link for Kyle Longley’s book, Sparrow and the Hawk: Costa Rica and the United States during the Rise of Jose Figueres.

Help us continue producing Under the Shadow by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.

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Donate to support this podcast

Noam Chomsky needs no introduction. He’s a celebrated linguist, who has long denounced U.S. empire at home and abroad. And he has a long relationship with Latin America.

Chomsky’s 1985 book, Turning the Tide: U.S. Intervention in Central America and the Struggle for Peace, was formative for many academics and activists analyzing the U.S. role in the region.

In 2012, NACLA awarded him the Latin America Peace and Justice Award for his ongoing commitment to social justice in the Americas.

Chomsky’s wife, Valeria Wasserman, is from Brazil. That’s where he is now. Chomsky suffered a stroke last year and was recently in a hospital in São Paulo, though he has since been released. 

You can think of this as our small tribute to the great Noam Chomsky. 

 In this second bonus episode of Under the Shadow, host Michael Fox takes us to a October 26, 1983 lecture by Noam Chomsky, at the University of Colorado, on the impact of U.S. military intervention in Central America. It’s fascinating to look into what we knew then, even as the events were still unfolding, and hear the historical context from someone like Chomsky.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world. 

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox. 

 This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA. Additional info/links:

• You can listen to the first episode of Michael Fox’s new podcast, Panamerican Dispatch, here.
• Follow and support him and Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox
• Theme music by Monte Perdido.
• Monte Perdido’s new album Ofrenda is out now. You can listen to the full album on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube, or wherever you listen to music.
• Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.
• Many thanks to PM Press for their permission to showcase the clip from Noam Chomsky’s 1983 talk in today’s bonus episode.
• You can find Noam Chomsky’s lectures, talks, and writings, through PM Press here and here.
• Michael Fox’s documentary films and book collaborations with PM Press are available here.

The Real News Network
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In the late 1980s, British film director Alex Cox spent several months in Nicaragua filming Walker, a movie about the U.S. filibuster who invaded and took over the country in the mid-1800s.

As Cox puts it, he was trying to make “a revolutionary film in a revolutionary context." That did not go over well in Hollywood. The movie would get him blacklisted. Even today, you still can’t find the movie streaming.

In this bonus episode for Under the Shadow, host Michael Fox speaks with Cox about his 1987 movie Walker and his filming of the movie in Nicaragua in the 1980s. They also look at U.S. intervention and the film industry.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened — a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

You can listen to the first episode of Michael Fox’s new podcast, Panamerican Dispatch, here.

Follow and support him and Under the Shadow, at https://www.patreon.com/mfox

Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox.

Monte Perdido's new album Ofrenda is now out. You can listen to the full album on Spotify

Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Here is the Trailer to Alex Cox’s movie Walker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XImi7fT7-J0

You can purchase the DVD to the movie Walker, here: https://www.amazon.com/Walker-Criterion-Collection-Marlee-Matlin/dp/B000ZM1MJ6

You can hear Joe Strummer’s soundtrack to Walker, here.

And, if you liked this episode, don’t forget to check out Episode 8 of Under the Shadow that looks back on William Walker.

The Real News Network
Donate: therealnews.com/uts-pod-donate
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Guests:Alex Cox

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/under-the-shadow--5958129/support.

In the early 1980s, U.S. President Ronald Reagan launched a covert war to destroy the fledgling Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua. It was brutal: Paramilitary war, CIA attacks, economic blockade, and more.

It would wreak havoc on the country, killing tens of thousands and ravaging the economy. But an international solidarity movement stood up in response. And the Reagan government's hubris, and drive to fuel its war on Nicaragua, would break U.S. laws and lead to a shocking scandal in Washington: Iran Contra.

In this episode, host Michael Fox walks back into the 1980s, to the U.S. response to revolution in Nicaragua and to the international solidarity that pushed back.This is Part 2 of Episode 10.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened — a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Guests:
Alex Aviña
William Robinson
Alex Cox
Marvin Ortega Rodriguez
Eline Van Ommen
Peter Kornbluh
Coleen Littlejohn
Grahame Russell
Jose Francisco Artola

Edited by Heather Gies.
Sound design by Gustavo Türck.
Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox.

Permanent links

• Follow and support journalist Michael Fox or Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox. You can also see pictures and listen to full clips of Michael Fox’s music for this episode.

Additional links/info

• Monte Perdido's new album Ofrenda is now out. You can listen to the full album on Spotify
• Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.
• For declassified documents on the U.S. Contra war on Nicaragua and the Iran Contra affair, you can visit Peter Kornbluh's National Security Archives here and here.
• Brian Wilson's memoir, Blood on the Tracks: The Life and Times of S. Brian Willson, is available here. His interview on Democracy Now! is here.
• Eline van Ommen’s book, Nicaragua Must Survive: Sandinista Revolutionary Diplomacy in the Global Cold War (University of California Press, 2023), is available here.
• William Robinson's book, A Faustian Bargain: U.S. Intervention In The Nicaraguan Elections And American Foreign Policy In The Post-cold War Era about the U.S. role in Nicaragua's 1990 election is available here.
• For the 2007 documentary American Sandinista, you can visit the website of director Jason Blalock. jasonblalock.com
• Here are links to the 1980 documentaries about Nicaragua's literacy campaign that I mentioned in part 1: La Salida and La Llegada.
• For a deeper analysis of opposing views on role of the U.S. government today in Nicaragua I recommend the following resources:
  • This 2020 book was written by "a collective of historians, researchers and activists committed to finding and sharing the truth about US intervention in Nicaragua." The Revolution Won’t Be Stopped: Nicaragua Advances Despite US Unconventional Warfare
• This pair of NACLA articles from professor William Robinson, offers an opposing view, underscoring that "Washington's principal concern in Nicaragua is not getting rid of Ortega but preserving the interests of transnational capital."
  • "Crisis in Nicaragua: Is the Ortega-Murillo Government Leftist? (Part I)"
  • "Crisis in Nicaragua: Is the US Trying to Overthrow the Ortega-Murillo Government? (Part II)"

The Real News Network
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The 1979 Nicaraguan revolution that overthrew a brutal U.S.-backed dictator ushered in a wave of hope in the Central American country. The new Sandinista government launched literacy and healthcare campaigns, carried out land reform and promised to improving the lives of all.

But the United States, under president Ronald Reagan, feared the dominos would fall across Central America, and they unleashed assault on the country: paramilitary war, CIA attacks, economic blockade, and much more.

In this episode, host Michael Fox, walks by into the 1980s, to the overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza and the beginning of both the Sandinista government and the U.S. response.This is Part 1, of episode 10.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened — a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Guests:
Alex Aviña
William Robinson
Marvin Ortega Rodriguez
Eline Van Ommen
Peter Kornbluh

Edited by Heather Gies.
Sound design by Gustavo Türck.
Theme music by Monte Perdidoand Michael Fox
Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Follow and support journalist Michael Fox or Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox

You can also see pictures and listen to full clips of Michael Fox’s music for this episode.

For Declassified documents on the U.S. contra war on Nicaragua, and Iran Contra, you can visit Peter Kornbluh's National Security Archives here and here.

Eline van Ommen’s book, Nicaragua Must Survive: Sandinista Revolutionary Diplomacy in the Global Cold War (University of California Press, 2023), is available here.

For the 2007 documentary American Sandinista, you can visit the website of director Jason Blalock. https://jasonblalock.com/

Here are links to the 1980 documentaries about Nicaragua's literacy campaign that I mention in this episode: La Salida & La Llegada

The Real News Network
Donate: therealnews.com/uts-pod-donate
Sign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/uts-pod-subscribe
Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnews
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/under-the-shadow--5958129/support.

In 1912, the United States invaded Nicaragua and began what would become the longest US occupation in Latin American history. The occupation would birth both a dictatorship and one of Latin America’s most important revolutionary heroes: Augusto Sandino.

Sandino would wage a six-year-long guerrilla insurgency to rid Nicaragua of the US Marines. And he would win. The United States finally pulled out in 1933, the year before Sandino was assassinated by the forces of the man who would take power and rule for decades.

In this episode, host Michael Fox takes us on the trail of Augusto Sandino. We visit his hometown and then speak with University of Pittsburgh historian Michel Gobat about Sandino’s life, the US occupation, and how it set the scene for everything that would come decades later, including the 1979 Sandinista Revolution.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.

In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened — a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Guests:
Michel Gobat

Edited by Heather Gies.
Sound design by Gustavo Türck.
Theme music by Monte Perdido and Michael Fox
Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.

Follow and support journalist Michael Fox or Under the Shadow at https://www.patreon.com/mfox

For background, see Michel Gobat’s book Confronting the American Dream: Nicaragua under U.S. Imperial Rule (2005, Duke University Press)

The Real News Network
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/under-the-shadow--5958129/support.