The Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent

"The Open Veins of Latin America" by Eduardo Galeano examines how Latin America’s resources—like gold, silver, oil, and agriculture—have been exploited by foreign powers and local elites over centuries. This ongoing extraction has benefited external countries and a small local elite, while leaving most Latin Americans impoverished and with damaged environments. The book highlights historical patterns of colonization, conquest, and economic dependence that have hindered the region’s development. It aims to shed light on the injustices faced by Latin America and encourages a critical view of its economic and political struggles rooted in this history of resource exploitation.