Open Veins of Latin America

Open Veins of Latin America (1997) by Uruguayan journalist, writer, and poet Eduardo Galeano is a historical nonfiction book about the political and economic development of Latin America. The book celebrated its 25th year anniversary in 1997 by issuing a new edition; it features additional writing from Galeano reflecting on the book and the state of Latin American politics seven years after the book’s first release. This study guide refers to the 25th year anniversary edition of the book (1997), translated by Cedric Belfrage.

Plot Summary

Eduardo Galeano sets out to write a book that will incite the most marginalized people of Latin America towards a social revolution in which there will be the “overthrow of its masters, country by country” (281). In three parts, Open Veins of Latin America tackles different aspects of Latin American political and economic history, beginning with the discovery and exploitation of resources of Latin America, the transition from primarily European to US foreign investment in the region, and a reflection on Latin American politics seven years after the book’s first publication.

In Part 1, Galeano provides a comprehensive overview of how Spanish colonization of the Americas led to the continuous exploitation of its resources in present-day Latin America.