Catalogue Number
NMLH.1992.409.12.111
Object Name
Poster
Title
Hands Off Grenada
Events
Invasion of Grenada
Date
1983
Description
Poster, "Hands Off Grenada", published by New Jewel Movement Support Group Britain, and the Grenada Friendship Society.
The poster shows a map of Grenada with flames coming from behind, and a black circle behind both. Beneath reads "Hands Off Grenada" in black and red letters.
Grenada is an island country in the Caribbean, to the south of the Grenadines. The island had been under the rule of the British Empire until 1974, when it gained independence. In 1979, a bloodless coup had been undertaken by Marxist-Leninist organisation, the New Jewel Movement, led by Maurice Bishop. The left-wing government established strong ties with Cuba and Nicaragua.
Following mounting tensions within the government, Bishop was executed by the People's Revolutionary Army following a second coup, which established General Hudson Austin as chairman in 1983. The United States, following their interventionist policies in Latin America, invaded Grenada at the behest of Barbados, Dominica and the Governer General of Grenada. The USA and Regional Security System, a combines security agency for the Caribbean, removed the military government within four days of the invasion.
This poster protests against such interventionist policies, which the USA had been following in other socialist and Communist countries in South and Central America.
