Alex Aviña

Alex Aviña, an associate professor at Arizona State University and expert on U.S.-Latin American relations, dives deep into the contentious issues surrounding ICE and the security state. He explores how ICE evolved from the post-9/11 climate, linking it to the wars on terror and drugs. Aviña discusses the troubling intersection of surveillance technology and immigration policy, alongside the impact of Trumpism. He emphasizes the legacy of colonialism, and urges a critical view of migration's roots in U.S. foreign policy, calling for local resistance and abolition of ICE.

Join Professor Alex Aviña from Arizona State University as he unpacks the 1973 Chilean coup. Discussing Salvador Allende's quest for democratic socialism, he explores Augusto Pinochet's violent dictatorship and the CIA's critical role in undermining democracy. Topics range from economic sabotage and media misrepresentation of socialism to the brutal realities faced by the Chilean people. Aviña emphasizes the lasting impacts of these historical events and their relevance to contemporary struggles against imperialism and oppression.

In this discussion, Alex Aviña, a history professor specializing in U.S. intervention in Central America, and William Robinson, a sociology professor who experienced Nicaragua in the 1980s, explore the depths of the Contra War. They delve into the destructive U.S. military strategies against the Sandinista government and the impact on civilians. The duo highlights the grassroots solidarity movements that arose in response and examines the fallout of the Iran-Contra scandal, shedding light on its relevance to contemporary U.S. foreign policy.