A 'Mudbank' or 'the Most Dangerous Area in the World'? Decolonising British Guiana, Czechoslovakia, and the Making of a Cold War Hot Spot in Latin America
Abstract
The Cold War relationship between British Guiana's People's Progressive Party (PPP) and Czechoslovakia is a case study of how decolonising Third World national liberation movements tried to break free from the Western orbit with the help of the Eastern Bloc. PPP co-founder Cheddi Jagan was the unique elected anti-colonial nationalist leader who secretly worked to assist and join the Eastern Bloc.
This article highlights cooperation between British Guiana's leaders and Czechoslovakia aimed at achieving liberation, industrialisation, and scientific socialism. It also demonstrates Czechoslovak and Soviet plans to use British Guiana as a base for South American intelligence operations and to begin bringing postcolonial Guyana into the Eastern Bloc's orbit.