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Chavez Proposes Nation of Republics
(Prensa Latina, April 22, 2006)
After its withdrawal from the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), Venezuela steps up its role in the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) as a step towards a South American Union. . . . While ratifying his country´s leaving of CAN for being ineffective after the signing of free trade agreements with the US by some of its members, President Hugo Chavez reiterated the pro-integration projection of his next steps. . . . An aspect clearly established in the concept of Venezuela´s foreign policy is that withdrawal from CAN is not an isolationist attempt, but rather reflects the criterion that the bloc has departed from the principle of cooperation. . . . In Chavez´ opinion, instead of looking for asymmetrical relations with the US, what the current situation demands is increased awareness on the importance of "a nation of republics" assumed by indigenous ancestors. . . . In this regard, Venezuela is proposing an alternative integration project that goes beyond trade towards a complementary relation of solidarity expressed in its Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). . . . ALBA, as presented by Chavez, is an option to the US proposal of Free Trade Area for the Americas (FTAA), a project that takes the form of the failed bilateral free trade agreements.

posted by Lorenzo 8:30 AM

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Why Bush is Afraid of Chavez
(Ted Rall, The Japan Times, April 18, 2006)
In their desperate frenzy to destroy Chavez, U.S. state-controlled media is resorting to some of the most transparently and hilariously hypocritical talking points ever. In the April 4 New York Times Juan Forero repeated the trope that Chavez's use of oil revenues is unfair--even cheating somehow: "With Venezuela's oil revenues rising 32 percent last year," the paper exclaimed, "Mr. Chavez has been subsidizing samba parades in Brazil, eye surgery for poor Mexicans and even heating fuel for poor families from Maine to the Bronx to Philadelphia. By some estimates, the spending now surpasses the nearly $ 2 billion Washington allocates to pay for development programs and the drug war in western South America." . . . Chavez, the story continued, is poised to become "the next Fidel Castro, a hero to the masses who is intent on opposing every move the United States makes, but with an important advantage." . . . Heavens be! A rich country using its wealth to spread influence abroad! What God would permit such an abomination? Notice, by the way, that the U.S. funds "development programs." Oh, and it's a "drug war" -- not a bombing campaign against leftist insurgents who oppose South America's few remaining pro-U.S. rightwing regimes. . . . John Negroponte, whose day job happens to be as Bush's director of National Intelligence. Negroponte complained that Chavez is "spending considerable sums involving himself in the political and economic life of other countries in Latin America and elsewhere, this despite the very real economic development and social needs of his own country." . . . Pot, kettle, please discuss the $ 1 billion a week we're wasting on Iraq while people die for lack of medical care and schools fall apart right here in America. Maybe Chavez should have found a better use for the money he spent on Rio's Carnival parade. On the other hand, at least it didn't go to bombs and torture camps. . . . Eighty-two percent of Venezuelans think Chavez is doing a good job. That's more than twice the approval rating by Americans of Bush. He roundly defeated an attempt to recall him. So why is Washington lecturing Caracas? . . . "The [Venezuelan] government is making billions of dollars [from its state oil company] and spending them on houses, education, medical care," notes CNN. And--gasp--people's lives are improving. . . . What if the rest of us noticed? No wonder Chavez has to go.

posted by Lorenzo 3:32 PM