Handbook of Leftist Guerrilla Groups in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Written in a direct and engaging style, and presented in systematic fashion, the Handbook offers an objective description of the leftist guerrilla movements in Latin America and the Caribbean, based on fact rather than on ideological prejudice. This is an ambitious and difficult task. Not only is it hard to obtain sufficient information, but there is also a natural tendency to project the bias of one's own convictions or political preferences onto any evaluation of activities or description of the record of the several leftist revolutionary groups in the hemisphere. It is no easy task to remain neutral in dealing with this controversial and conflictive topic.

The book defines the leftist guerrilla movements by four criteria. The groups are inspired in leftist ideology; they seek to replace existing institutional order with a Marxist one; they engage in armed struggle; and they conduct clandestine operations during all or part of their existence.

Although almost none of the groups attained their ultimate goal of seizing power and setting up Marxist regimes in the countries where they operated, their mere existence has had a broad and profound effect on Latin American life, and their activities have influenced in many ways the policies and decisions of the governments they opposed. The few successful subversive movements in the hemisphere have not only changed the course of their own countries but had a considerable impact at the hemispheric level as well.

The Handbook sets clear and discrete goals: It aims merely to describe the several movements in terms of their ideological tendencies, type of operation and financing, and period of activity. In addition, based on research results, it describes the personalities of their leaders and provides a brief history of each group. In short, it systematizes and organizes what has been learned about movements that, because of the...