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#1
05-12-2006, 02:33 PM
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Latin American bold initiates
Latin America's new approach is working
By Alexander Boag May 13, 2006 EVO Morales' decision last week to nationalise Bolivia's gas, although a shock to Western governments, is hardly surprising; it is simply the latest in a series of bold policy moves by leftist governments in Latin America. Uruguay, Bolivia and Chile have all moved to the left in the past year, meaning that poster boy Che Guevara's ideal of a united socialist continent may well be nearer. However, bold moves by previous governments in the region have left their people languishing in poverty, caused by inexperience, corruption or a combination. What could be different this time is that Latin American governments are more united, both in terms of political leanings and their desire to work together. The way for political change has been paved by the incumbent left or left-leaning governments of Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina, with their respective presidents Hugo Chavez, Luiz da Silva and Nestor Kirchner. Over the past three years these presidents have linked up to formulate policy that will benefit the region and minimise their dependency on the US. Venezuela's Chavez has made a name for himself with his anti-US stance. Although all three are up for re-election in the next 12 months, each enjoys strong popularity. It's likely that all three will be re-elected. This kind of political stability is new to a region that has made the difficult transition over the past two decades from dictatorial regimes to Western-style democracy. Just because Latin American governments are moving to the left doesn't mean that they all adhere to Guevara's socialist ideal. There's the radical left, such as the governments of Cuba and Venezuela, and then there's the "market socialist" left of Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The market socialists are more US-friendly, combining economic imperatives with an element of social conscience. What will be interesting to see is where Morales — and the winners of this year's eight Latin American elections — will sit on this political scale. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean notes that last year Latin America posted its highest growth rate since 1990, of 5.8 per cent, and inflation fell dramatically across the region. It's positive news that part of last year's impressive growth rate can be attributed to an increase in regional trade. Latin American governments are working more closely; existing regional agreements have been strengthened, such as the Mercosur trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Closer regional ties will no doubt be noted by the US. Two particularly worrying areas are Bolivia's gas and Venezuela's oil, key resources that the US needs for its own stability. The move by Morales to nationalise Bolivia's gas and Chavez's increasingly anti-US stance may be a sign of the times ahead for US-Latin American relations, with the US no longer dictating terms. A reduction in control in the region is probably more disturbing for the US than any economic disadvantage it may suffer. Of particular concern are looser drug policies. Already Mexico has angered the Bush Administration by moving a bill allowing personal possession of a certain quantity of drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine and heroin. Add to this the failure to control the production of cocaine in Colombia and a former coco leaf farmer as president of Bolivia and there is a myriad of potential drug problems for the US to deal with at home. The big question is whether Latin American nations can do what they've never done successfully before — work together. 
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#2
05-12-2006, 03:30 PM
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I don't know, I saw a couple of news stories today where Bolivia's sudden nationalization campaign has rankled Brazil. It seems the Bolivians feel their neighbor has taken advantage of them for years and the Brazillians, naturally, disagree.
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Ralph 1985 300D Turbo, CA model 248,650 miles and counting...
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#3
05-12-2006, 03:44 PM
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I think all the leftists in CA would be flocking to buy tickets to move there these days.
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Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche
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#4
05-12-2006, 07:59 PM
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Palangi 2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz 2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser 2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg 2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE 0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE
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#5
05-12-2006, 10:00 PM
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Snippets from 'The Economist' magazine 22-28 April 2006. Venezuela.
Crimes and Misdemeanours. pg.38. "Since he ( hugo chavez) took office in 1999, the country's murder rate has almost tripled." "Caracas has become South America's most violent capital." "In the past two months there have been at least 30 demonstrations demanding that the government fulfil its promises in matters such as housing and jobs." "The government's approval rating was only 14% in a recent survey by Hinterlaces, a polling firm." The article notes also how Chaves' strategy is to focus on the United States as the common evil and thereby create an ideological diversion away from bread and butter issues. Unity under a common foe. Much like the old science fiction movies where an alien power invades earth and all earth countries unite to battle the common foe. Moral of the story: gee all we need is a common foe to work in a united manner for mankind's benefit and advancement. (see T.V. IS educational ! ) Based on what I have read about Latin American history and what has transpired in recent Latin American history, I have little faith that this left leaning quasi 'Che guevarra' episode will amount to much more than a new echelon of fat cats and even more starved people headed toward the southern border of evil United States lookin to make a semblance of life. The culture is too egotistical to assemble in a united manner. Simon Bolivar and Mr. Sucre were quite heroic and idealistic in their fight for independence from Spanish colonialism. After all that sacrifice and struggle by these patriots, the involved countries sadly divided and could never come into an assembled agreement because of jealousies and the common vices. The united South America aborted as a fetus. Bolivar died, literally heart broken by the petty treachery of his fellow Latin Americans. Che Guevarra is nothing but a myth. Idealistic and not practical. Stay tuned for the inevitable decay of Latin America and place your bets that the United States will be condemned for being the root of all Latin America's consequential failures.
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1979 300D 220 K miles 1995 C280 109 K miles 1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD ******************** 1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents)  *SOLD.SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego) 1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD
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#6
05-13-2006, 02:38 AM
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 Celebrations over R. Reagan's giving Latin American commies what for were premature. He seriously misunderstood the background, the roots, etc. Some of his associates subsequently engaged in the sort of business practices that soured Latin Am. nationalists in the first place. Elliott Abrahms reportedly made a killing in lumber in Central America. George Schultz's company, Bechtel, practically rubbed the whole country of Bolivia the wrong way with its ill-fated scheme to privatize (and profit from) water in that less than wealthy nation. Free Speech TV had a great docu piece "Troubled Waters" which showed footage of the massive public demonstrations against the scheme. Security guards paniced and killed one young guy. There was an incredible scene of a courtyard filled with, I'm guessing, 5 to 10 thousand people silently observing and supporting the brother of the slain boy, laid out on a slab with his face shattered by a bullet. The brother had a look of combined rage and grief that I'm glad I didn't have to confront. No use denying it. American biz and gubmint done gave us a seriously black eye in many parts of Latin America, and it's going to take a lot more than brutalizing a bunch of Nicaraguan peasants to set it right. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K Last edited by cmac2012; 05-13-2006 at 02:52 AM.
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#7
05-13-2006, 03:03 AM
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Still, we haven't helped ourselves with our activities there. If you want to read a great piece on some of the roots of what went down in Nicaragua, check out The Nation, July 1, 1961, "Nicaragua: Another Cuba?", pages 6-9. You'll have to read it in a library -- it's not online. I was doing research on Nicaragua back in the 80s, and I flipped through some old Reader's Guides. The title intrigued me. We are generally blind to how we're perceived in many parts of the world, IMO.
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K
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#8
05-13-2006, 03:56 AM
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The Peruvian example...(my observations)
From what I observed, from a number of extended visits to Peru, (there is unfortunately a "kleptocracy" mentality there), and in other Latin countries - why steal a little, when you can steal everything?
It originated when the thieves and criminals released from Spain, went to Latin American America in the 1530's, and Pizarro and others conquered the natives, despoiled the culture and stole everything they could. The Inca nation, at its zenith, from Ecuador to Chile, was enormous, wealthy, sophisticated and productive (the aquaducts and terraces were ingenious, some still used today) The Spanish, with their guns and horses, made mincemeat of the Inca empire in a few short years. And, incredibly, things from Spain and Spanish, are admired there!! The middle and upper classes like to brag about how much "Pure Spanish" blood they have....it smells like racism to an outsider like me....Mario Vargas Llosa, the famous novelist and would be president, epitomises the breed. There has been some movement towards non Spanish type "outsiders", taking power, ie, Alberto Fujimori, the 2d gen. Peruvian-Japanese President, whose regime collapsed in disgrace and corruption, followed by Alejandro Toledo, the American educated "Native Indian" president, rocked by corruption charges, and now Alan Garcia is the leading runoff candiate right now in the 2nd round of the Presidential runoffs, but anyone with a memory, knows Garcia, when he was President in the late 70's, was linked to a regime which completely destroyed and stole the Social Security system Peru had in place, but people still love him. The Sendero Luminoso communist movement arose in reaction to the corrupt Peruvian govt. but it too brutalised the peasants in ways too horrific to mention here, and crippled the economy, before Fujimori destroyed them and put the leader Guzman in jail. Most Peruvians, (and Latin Americans, are joyful, generous people...but it seems like those who get the keys to the kingdom, the temptation towards corruption is just too much) I remember seeing in Caritas (Peru's Newsweek) another scandal, this one involving a Cabinet official and a new MB S class sedan. There was a MB dealer down in Lima, (Automotriz del Peru S.A.) They do love their "Futbol" though. Anyone remember when Peru got beat in the '62 cup and military tanks went round and round the Presidential Palace in Lima? And the regime change in Honduras sparked by a futbol game? And in the mid 90's, the Colombian player who ran the wrong way and got a goal for the other side and got assassinated in a bar a few days later? (though in truth, there was heavy betting on the game, which figured in) And Argentina, don't even get me started on them - It's all flat, the Indians had nowhere to hide, so they practically allgot killed, Buenos Aires is the Paris of S.A. because it's mostly Italian and Germans, blonde and blue eyed...some rural villages are recreations of Italian and German alpine towns, and the army of Juan Peron had uniforms EXACTLY like German SS and wehrmacht, because guess who designed them? ARRIBA PERU (anyway )
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 1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ... 1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold) 2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp 1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k 2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive  (sold)
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#9
05-13-2006, 10:01 AM
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I can't wait for the che-apologists to pipe in. Stand-by.........
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Current Benzes 1989 300TE "Alice" 1990 300CE "Sam Spade" 1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007) 1998 E320 "Orson" 2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox" Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur My Gallery Not in this weather!
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#10
05-13-2006, 12:13 PM
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Hey Berk, your record is stuck again….
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Palangi 2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz 2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser 2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg 2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE 0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE
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#11
05-13-2006, 12:59 PM
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The flip side, unfortunately, is blame America never -- we are the good guys, always. The article I mentioned above, The Nation, July 1, 1961, "Nicaragua: Another Cuba?", pages 6-9, should have been required reading for anyone involved with Nicaragua in any way during the Reagan years. I'll be surprised and impressed if anyone on this forum actually goes to a library and reads it. It's an amazing story. Also amazing is the way all sorts of chest beaters claim that Jane Fonda is responsible for the deaths of 20,000 or so US servicemen. Much easier to blame her than the assinine policy that took us there in the first place, and the 'my team don't lose no super bowls, no-how' macho fixation that kept us there. We have a lot more options on correcting our own behavior than on correcting someone else's. It's true in our own personal lives as well as our national life. Is there anything that you think we, as a nation, could have done better in the past? Anything that might shed some light on what we might do better now?
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K
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#12
05-13-2006, 01:01 PM
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Bot
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#13
05-14-2006, 04:19 AM
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You, the guy who claims he's read about what a success the new democratic gubmints in Nicaragua are but can't provide a single source to back that up -- you the guy who whined that I wasn't providing a "linkee" to back up my assertions that various fish populations were in serious trouble world wide -- a story that has been all over the news for the last several years, links I provided, BTW -- your turn. Sorry I wounded your pride along with B-LiGhtBulb but this is getting surreal.
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K Last edited by cmac2012; 05-14-2006 at 06:21 AM.
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#14
05-14-2006, 04:21 AM
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1986 300SDL, 362K 1984 300D, 138K
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#15
05-14-2006, 11:15 AM
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What the suffering people of Cuba do not need is...
... another Completely Mendacious Atrophied Cognition old hippie wanna-be making the trek to castro's pantheon to worship at the che shrine.
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Current Benzes 1989 300TE "Alice" 1990 300CE "Sam Spade" 1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007) 1998 E320 "Orson" 2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox" Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur My Gallery Not in this weather! Last edited by BENZ-LGB; 05-14-2006 at 11:23 AM.
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