This company has been involved with guatemala since the twentieth century in the year 1870 when captain lorenzo dow baker of wallfeet, massachusetts landed his schooner in jamaica and saw that bananas were among the most popular products. It also owned guatemala s docks, railroads, and communications, so ubico exempted them. The united fruit company was, essentially, a state within the guatemalan state. It started in 1931 when jorge ubico became guatemala s president. During the disastrous bay of pigs invasion in 1961, it was the united fruit company that provided the us with several of its ships. A country for a company the 1954 us backed guatemalan. Crisis, banana industry, honduras, guatemala, costa rica, panama. Pdf the us multinational united fruit company has been considered the quintessential representative of american imperialism in central.
The united fruit company ufco, an extremely successful american owned and run company, profited greatly from investments it made in guatemala. The united fruit company and early radio development. With costa ricas comparatively small native population, the company could not rely on coercion of natives as they had done in guatemala and honduras. Not counting the workers themselves, the united fruit company ufco felt the biggest effects from the changes in guatemala. At the time united fruit, an american company, controlled a vast tract of land in guatemala, 85% of which the company had decided not to cultivate. Jacobo arbenz, soldier, politician, and president of guatemala 195154 whose nationalistic economic and social reforms alienated conservative landowners, conservative elements in the army, and the u. The united fruit company ufco was an american corporation infamous for exploiting latin american plantations in the tropical fruit trade, especially the banana trade. United fruit profited off the tropical fruit trade, growing fruit on plantations throughout latin america and selling to the western countries. The united fruit company ultimately owned or leased property in honduras, costa rica, guatemala, panama, colombia, cuba, jamaica, and numerous other central american, south american, and the west indian countries. Jacobo believed companies, such as the united fruit company, held too much power and influence in guatemala. A history of the united fruit company in guatemala, 19061953. Unifruitco, san jose, limon costa rica division limon, costa rica august 4th, 1922 h. The central intelligence agency launched a covert operation on june 18, 1954 to overthrow the leftleaning government in guatemala.
The poem united fruit company talks about the dreadful control of the powerful country, united states of america, to the economic system of some regions in the central america. Restoration of ancient maya buildings at zaculeu, guatemala. During this period, the united fruit company held press junkets in guatemala for prominent newspapers. From here it masterminded its empire and corrupted every level of government and politics in guatemala. President jacobo arbenz president jacobo arbenz worked to turn guatemala into a communist state and worked for agricultural reform as well. A history of the united fruit company in guatemala, 19061953 by and 1915 edmund joseph sullivan and 1915 edmund joseph sullivan topics. United fruit company, sullivan and cromwell, dulles, cia, guatemala. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app.
Guatemala and the united fruit company timeline preceden. A history of the united fruit company in guatemala, 19061953 item type text. The united fruit company, now chiquita brands international, was an american corporation that traded in tropical fruit primarily bananas grown on latin american plantations and sold in the united states and europe. On june 27, 1954, president jacobo arbenz guzman of guatemala resigned. Drawing on a wide range of archival sources in the united states, great britain, costa rica, and guatemala, colby combines topdown and bottomup approaches to provide new insight. After coming to power, jacobo extended political freedoms and proposed decree 900, which would redistribute undeveloped lands held by massive property owners to those who owned little to no land. United fruit, the cia, and counterrevolution the united fruit company first became an institution in guatemala under the reign of gen. Its most infamous period began with its role in the guatemalan coup of 1954.
Feb 10, 2012 united fruit company, sullivan and cromwell, dulles, cia, guatemala. The information was crafted carefully to reflect well on the company, while condemning the arbenz administration. Arbenz expropriated nearly a quarter of a million acres of the. For much of the 20th century, it dominated the exportation of bananas from latin america and maintained a virtual monopoly on the banana trade in certain regions. Photographs including a few photocopies of earlier prints. United fruit company is hired by the guatemalan government to run its national post office. Arbenz, the son of a swiss pharmacist who had immigrated. West indian workers and the united fruit company in costa rica, 18701940. The united fruit company also got rid of a government that seriously. The capital of the united fruit company empire was in guatemala, in the town of bananera, where it made its headquarters. Guatemala human rights commissionusa fact sheet banana. United fruit company wikipedia, a enciclopedia livre. In 1901, the government of guatemala hired the united fruit company to manage the countrys postal service and in 19 the united fruit company created the tropical radio and telegraph company. United fruit company, sullivan and cromwell, dulles, cia.
Manuel jose estrada cabrera and general jorge ubico general jorge ubico dictatorship for years in 1930s, ubico encouraged foreign investment in guatemala to strengthen economy united fruit company received particular favors. I had to produce something for university and it turns out uploading it to youtube is the best way of making it accessible quickly. United fruit company en guatemala archivos departamento. The united fruit company was formed in 1899 when the boston fruit company merged with several other companies that produced, imported, and marketed bananas from the caribbean islands, central america, and colombia. A history of the united fruit company in guatemala, 1906. The true issues between guatemala and the united states lay with central america of the united fruit company. In december 1909, black workers in the united fruit companys guatemala division rose up against their american supervisors. By then, ufc had a monopoly on the countrys coffee and banana trade. The united fruit company s sixtysix years in guatemala, published in 1994, that the negative perception of the company s influence in guatemala is largely undeserved, and could be due in. The united fruit company was dominant throughout latin america, particularly in guatemala. The case of the central america banana industry pdf. Bitter fruit the story of the american coup in guatemala, re. Images of the americanowned united fruit company in guatemala throughout the early 20th century. Mexico and central america scope and contents subjects depicted include banana cultivation and planting 19221928 and 1946, banana handling 19281929 and 19461949, blowdowns.
Ubico gave ufco its two huge banana estates of tiquisate and bannanera, each covering hundreds of square miles, as a gift. Pdf one hundred years of united fruit company letters. During the early decades of the twentieth century, united fruit s. By 1950, united fruit was the largest landowner in guatemala, and had control over the main port to the atlantic ocean, puerto barrios, as well as the trains to get there. Central americas principal crop and in demand export product is banana. In guatemala, united fruit gained control of virtually all. Guatemala during the midtwentieth century was extremely stratified socially. May 27, 2005 examines the overthrow of president jacobo arbenz of guatemala in 1954 in a u. Examines the impact and role of united fruit in the. Over the previous half century, united fruit had built a large vertically integrated tropical fruit business that owned large banana plantations in the banana republics of central america, including guatemala.
Ubico secured the company s interests and had nothing but. Keith, who developed banana plantations in costa rica beginning in the 1870s. Brief summary of history of united fruit company for reference work america in the world. A country for a company the 1954 us backed guatemalan coup. The united fruit company came to represent what american companies do. Baker library special collections, harvard business school, harvard university collection. The story of the american coup in guatemala, revised and expanded.
By the 1930s, the ufco owned over 3 million acres of land in central america and the caribbean and was the largest landowner and employer in guatemala. United fruits guatemalan operation generated about 25 percent of the companys total production. A majority of guatemalans resented the united fruit company, believing the corporation had prevented the country from gaining economic independence. For much of the 20th century, it dominated the exportation of bananas from latin america and maintained a virtual monopoly on the banana trade in. In 1933, concerned that the company was mismanaged and that its market value had plunged, zemurray staged a hostile takeover. How the united fruit company shaped the world chapman, peter on. Cultural surveys of panamanicaraguaguatemalael salvadorhonduras. Seventyseven percent of all guatemalan exports went to the united states. Pdf brief summary of history of united fruit company for reference work america in the world. Though united fruit was compensated for the land, many people both within the company and with strong ties to the company began to. It engaged in the production, transportation, and marketing of bananas, sugar, cocoa, abaca, and other tropical products. End of page 1 of letter on letterhead, continued united fruit company general offices, 1 state street, boston, mass.
These junkets promoted favorable coverage of the united fruit company in guatemala. The company catapulted into financial success and proceeded to expand its operations. Banana workers and national revolutions in tiquisate, 19441954. The united fruit company, now chiquita brands international, was an american corporation.
Photographs show banana, sugar, and abaca culture in central america. The united fruit company ufc was once so powerful that the us government destroyed democracy in a country for it. During the first half of the twentieth century the united fruit company created a global network for producing. One hundred years of united fruit company letters banana wars. In 1901, the government of guatemala hired the united fruit company to manage the countrys. They used guatemala s banana production to their advantage and eventually owned 42% of guatemala s land. The contribution of the united fruit company to national economies of columbis, costa. Aug 08, 2011 american conference on the grounds that guatemala was in violation of the monroe doctrine. The company was formed in 1899, from the merger of minor c. Ubico exempted united fruit company from taxes and gave them 200,000 additional hectares of territoryincluding land held by rural communities. Cds, user manual, warranty cards, scratch cards, and other accompaniments in.
For years, ufco had freely operated with the support of a series of guatemalan dictators. Banana workers and national revolutions in tiquisate, 194. How a company caused a military coup united fruit company. On june 15th, 1954 the operation to unseat the jacobo arbenz officially. As the largest single employer and landholder in the country, ufco had to abide by the new labor code and had a large portion of its uncultivated lands expropriated under the agrarian reform. After reform in guatemala to give back some of the lands and profi. President arbenz viewed the presence of the powerful united fruit company as the main obstacle for his plan for land reform. Examines the overthrow of president jacobo arbenz of guatemala in 1954 in a u. May 22, 20 bright red, in which a thinly fictionalized version of united fruit supports a military coup in a thinly fictionalized guatemala. Jacobo believed companies, such as the united fruit company, held too much power and influence in.
Under previous governments united fruit had managed to acquire fortytwo 42 percent of the nation and had been granted exemption from all taxes and duties on both imports and exports. President jorge ubico, a dictator who ruled guatemala from 19311944, was among the most devoted to united fruit. Oct 03, 2012 notable people minor cooper keith vice president of united fruit company signs contract with guatemalan president manuel estrada cabrera which gives tax exemptions, land grants, and control of the atlantic side of the country jorge ubico allows american owned united fruit company to gain control of 42% of guatemalan land united fruit company. Transnational firms such as the united fruit company represent an earlier stage of the economic and cultural globalization now taking place throughout the world. Ubicos favorable attitude toward outside investment prompted ufco to become thoroughly involved in guatemala. With davila out of with davila out of power the rebels designated francisco be rtrand as provisional president 19111912. The united fruit company brings various us newspapers and magazines on a fact finding trip see the conditions of workers and so called communist doings of the guatemalan government. In 1954 the central intelligence agency orchestrated a coup detat that overthrew the arbenz government.
1686 691 1337 1244 1155 1035 1137 1514 786 431 1588 613 1774 1287 252 1509 113 960 818 49 855 990 411 176 1736 756 676