New Jewel Movement - Definition and Overview

The New Jewel Movement was a populist, Marxist-Leninist political movement in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada.

The New Jewel Movement was formally established March 11, 1973 and had its intellectual and political roots in the black power movement. The New Jewel Movement was led by Maurice Bishop, a charismatic figure who came to power in Grenada in 1979 following a period of instability which had occurred under the previous regime, led by Sir Eric Gairy, whose rule had grown to be increasingly paranoid. New Jewel had been the Official Opposition and was widely regarded as having been defrauded out of an election victory by Gairy's supporters. Bishop's supporters took advantage of a trip that was made by Gairy to New York City to address the United Nations on one of his primary topics of concern, UFOs, and took power in a well-executed revolution with only minimal violence.

Bishop was a Marxist who strengthened ties with Cuba, inviting Cuban construction battallions into the country to assist in the construction of a new international airport. The leaders of several other Caribbean nations, and the U.S. government as well, were very concerned over the Marxist direction in which Bishop was leading Grenada, but could not doubt Bishop's considerable popular support, and hence could not work openly to undermine or remove him without appearing to be antidemocratic.

However, Bishop was not hard-left enough to suit some New Jewel members, notably Bernard Coard, his nominal deputy and former close friend. In October, 1983 Coard, with backing from the military, overthrew Bishop in a coup d'etat and had him and others in his inner circle summarily executed, resulting in a U.S.-led invasion of Grenada ("Operation Urgent Fury") and the overthrow of the New Jewel regime six days later.