In this deftly argued book, Moe Taylor examines the flourishing relationship between North Korea, Cuba, and the Latin American Left through the 1960s. Beginning with the Cuban Revolution, which represented North Korea's first phase of major engagement with the region, both nations found common ground in the belief that the hopes of the international Left relied on an anti-imperialist, anti-US united front – a global campaign of guerrilla warfare against US power. This special partnership included a joint-program to train, arm, and finance revolutionary movements throughout Latin America. In the process, North Korea became an important influence on Cuban and Latin American left-wing discourse on matters of economic development, revolutionary organization and strategy, democracy, and leadership. Both nations pioneered a new Third World-ist political phenomenon – Tricontinentalism – that challenged Soviet and Chinese leadership over the international communist movement, and injected a fiercely radical current into the left-wing and anti-colonial movements of the Global South.

‘With remarkable research findings, this book offers a compelling and revelatory history of North Korea and Latin America in the age of anti-imperial revolutions.  North Korea, Tricontinentalism, and the Latin America Revolution is absolutely essential reading on the Third World and decolonization in the twentieth century.’

Monica Kim - author of The Interrogation Rooms of the Korean War: The Untold History

‘Moe Taylor has produced an original study on a significant anti-capital struggle largely forgotten about today: the moment Tricontinentalism was spearheaded by the small but inspirational revolutionary countries of North Korea and Cuba. Taylor's book is an essential addition to the history of global socialism and an important source on how to overcome the current capitalist condition.’

Cheehyung Harrison Kim - University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

‘… this study excels in its emphasis on decades of research conducted by intellectuals, activists, and diplomatic practitioners of the Hispanophone world, a much-needed perspective that Taylor brings to the field of Korean studies. This is a key monograph for those interested in gaining additional perspective on North Korean foreign relations. It is also especially useful for scholars and students interested in better understanding the multiplicity of views taken up by the global Left in the twentieth century.’

Eilin R. Pérez Source: Hispanic American Historical Review

‘Taylor’s book is undeniably valuable in shedding light on heretofore underappreciated South-South connections and bridging the gap between regions, literatures, and languages.’

Mark Petersen Source: American Historical Review

‘This research promises to make a significant academic contribution by exploring how North Korea and Cuba, both socialist minor states, have pursued sovereignty through their solidarity as a means of survival. In doing so, it seeks to restore a narrative centred on smaller nations within the context of Cold War diplomacy, which has often been overshadowed and overlooked in the broader historical discourse. The investigation into the dynamics between these two states not only enhances our understanding of their respective foreign policies but also contributes to the narrative of how minor powers manoeuvred in the geopolitics of the Cold War era.’

Sangbum Kim Source: International Review of Social History