by the El Reportero’s news services
Óscar Arias
The government-led “Yes” campaign narrowly won the referendum on the free trade agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the US (CAFTA-DR) on 7 October. The margin was fewer than 50,000 on a decent turnout of around 60 percent of the electorate.
President Oscar Arias, who was elected in 2005 promising to ratify the deal signed in 2004, recognized the strength of the opposition with a conciliatory speech when the result was declared. Leaders of the “No” campaign, however, challenged the vote and demanded a recount. International observers said there were no obvious problems with the vote.
Calderón goes off-piste
Felipe Calderón Hinojosa is becoming unpredictable. On economic policy, he has confounded orthodox neoliberals by not only introducing, but extending, price controls. On foreign policy, he is shifting Mexico away from the US and closer to Latin America. Within Latin America, Mexico is seeking a rapprochement with Venezuela and Cuba.
No one’s backyard
Left-right: Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Venezuela Hugo Chávez, and Bolivia Evo Morales
The high profile welcome received by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to Bolivia and Venezuela was a conscious rebuff to the foreign policy goals of George Bush and Tony Blair.
This is part of a long-term trend, as Latin America has moved to the left and become increasingly disenchanted with the broad thrust of western policy-making in recent years. Indeed many of the sentiments expressed by its more radical governments are also shared by those of its moderates and underline the increasing loss of influence that Washington is suffering in what it used to consider as its “own backyard”.
Brazil last week pointedly supported Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy and opposed the imposition of sanctions on Burma’s military dictatorship.
While the Iranian president’s visit to Bolivia was intended to signify the opening of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Iran has already established relations with Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador and Argentina among others. Brazil’s foreign minister, Celso Amorim, recently visited Iran and, during a joint press conference with President Bush at Camp David, Lula publicly defended Iran as “an important trade partner” with whom Brazil has “no political divergence”. Rejecting US calls to shun the Iranian regime, Lula insisted, “we will continue to work together on what is in our national interest.”
Lula also defended Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful means at the UN general assembly, while some other Latin American leaders went further.
Nicaragua’s president, Daniel Ortega, asked rhetorically: “Even if they want nuclear power for purposes that are not peaceful, with what right does [the US] question it?” (Guardian Unlimited)
