Which American fruit corporation, founded in 1899 and a predecessor of Chiquita Brands International, became notorious for its economic and political influence in Central America?
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United Fruit Company
The United Fruit Company held such immense power over Latin American nations that it inspired the term "Banana Republic" to describe countries whose economies and governments were dominated by a single export. At its peak, the corporation was the largest landowner in Guatemala and frequently influenced U.S. foreign policy to protect its commercial interests.