Paraguay formalizes a new constitution establishing a democratic system of government
The constitution instituted the first meaningful system of checks and balances the country had ever seen.
South America
Colombia establishes Chiribiquete National Park
Chiribiquete National Park is the largest national park in Colombia and the largest tropical rainforest national park in the world. It covers about 17,000 square miles and hosts important archaeological evidence in the form of rock art. More than 600,000 traces of around 20,000 petroglyphs and pictographs have been discovered in the mountain chain, the oldest of which may date to 20,000 years BP.
Eduardo Galeano completes Memoria Del Fuego trilogy
The Uruguayan author’s famous work has been described as “the most powerful literary indictment of colonialism in the Americas.”
The Sixth Brazilian Republic begins after a 21-year military regime
The negotiated transition to democracy reached its climax with the indirect election of Tancredo Neves PMDB by Congress. He was the first civilian president to be elected since 1964.
Brazil creates Jaú National Park, one of the largest forest reserves in South America
The massive reserve, covering more than 5 million acres of rainforest, is a central piece of Brazil’s Amazon conservation efforts and has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ecuador formally establishes Yasuní National Park
Arguably the most biologically diverse spot on Earth, it remains the South American nation’s largest national park. It is within the claimed ancestral territory of the Huaorani Indigenous people and is home to two uncontacted Indigenous tribes.
Guyana achieves independence from Great Britain
Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom as a dominion on 26 May 1966 and became a republic on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the Commonwealth.
Cândido Rondon founds Brazil’s Serviço de Proteção aos Índios (SPI)
SPI – today known as the FUNAI, or Fundação Nacional do Índio, National Foundation for Indians – was the first federal agency in Brazil charged with protecting Indigenous peoples and preserving their culture.
Tango becomes a global sensation
Initially, it was just one of the many dances, but it soon became popular throughout society, as theatres and street barrel organs spread it from the suburbs to the working-class slums.
José Batlle y Ordóñez brings a wide array of modern reforms to Uruguay
He was elected to the presidency for two terms, from 1903 until 1907 and from 1911 to 1915. He remains one of the most popular Uruguayan presidents. He is known for introducing unemployment compensation, eight-hour workdays, and universal suffrage, as well as free High School education.