Ecuador aligns itself with Venezuela, Bolivia, and Cuba

In speeches against imperialism and neoliberalism, the presidents of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, and Bolivia, Evo Morales, and the Ecuadoran President-Elect Rafael Correa, who should assume the government of his country Monday, expressed common ideological and political agreement Sunday.

Chavez, Morales, and Correa, who also exalt the figure of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, met together in Zumbahua, an indigenous [Ecuadoran] locality 90 kilometers south of Quito, for a symbolic inauguration of Correa before the indigenous peoples [of Ecuador].

In a speech before a multitude congregated in the central plaza, Correa emphasized that "[Latin] America has awakened," and saluted the governments of Chavez, Castro, and Morales, as well as those of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in Brazil; Nestor Kirchner, in Argentina, Tabare Vazquez, in Uruguay; Michelle Bachelet, in Chile, and Daniel Ortega, in Nicaragua.

"How Latin America has changed and will continue changing because it is not living in an epoch of changes but a change of epochs!," asserted Correa, an economist of the left for 43 years. He stressed that these governments are showing that "the neoliberal night is coming to its end." Correa aligned himself with his "brothers Hugo and Evo" on the necessity of calling a constituent assembly as in their countries, in Venezuela in 1999, and currently in Bolivia, to carry out "profound changes." There was also common agreement in emphasizing the figure of Venezuelan founder Simon Bolivar, in his search for the integration of the region. For his part, Chavez called Correa "brother, comrade, President, leader," and stressed the stuggle of Castro and the Cuban people. He referred to the dominion of the "socialist governments of the 21st century" in South America as "the resurrection, because here the resurrection is occurring. It has resuscitated the Latin American people," he said. "Venezuela has put itself at the service of the Ecuadoran people. Hugo Chavez puts himself at the service of Rafael Correa," he observed.

On his side, the President of Bolivia assured that "before we had only one leader, brother, Commandante, President Fidel Castro. That struggle of [our] companion Fidel, that struggle of the Cuban people, I want to say to them from here, has not been in vain."

Well, the Latin American Left is currently feeling pretty good after their very recent electoral victories in Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Ecuador. And what is particularly striking about these successes is their attempt to construct a unified regional foreign policy ideologically-oriented to the left. History does not favor ideology in the development of foreign policy with success, but this phenomenon, which is still quite recent, continues apace nonetheless.

Those of you who have been following the Latin American Left postings over the past five or six months might remember that, in spite of like-minded international political sympathies openly expressed, tensions have developed between several of the countries Chavez, Morales, and Correa have identified as ideological brothers in arms. Chile was noticeably angry with Venezuela for the interference of the Venezuelan Ambassador in Chilean internal politics, which may have been a key factor preventing Venezuela from winning a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council last year. Chilean editorialists have been sounding the alarm over Bolivian intentions to reassert a claim to an outlet to the sea at Chile's expense, a claim which Chavez apparently supports. Brazil is upset with Evo Morales' attempt to nationalize Bolivia's oil and natural gas production, much of which would come at the expense of the Brazilian national oil company Petrobras, which would probably be the big loser if Morales' program succeeds. There is more, and particularly with Venezuelan military aid to Bolivia, which is frowned on by just about everyone else in the neighborhood.

Long-term international alignments take time to develop and I would discourage anyone from believing that the public posturing of these Latin American leftist leaders will result in a common alliance in pursuit of ideological goals. But the fact of the recent electoral successes of the left in Latin America is something we must confront, and we will get nowhere simply throwing stones and calling them names. The U.S. and other nations who desire the promotion of true democracy must take it upon themselves to seek out friendly nations who want our support to keep the left in check, and this includes Colombia and Mexico -- yes, Mexico has done a lot to stand up to the left recently -- among other smaller players.

And as a final comment, it is worth noting that Evo Morales' attempt to rewrite Bolivia's Constitution without two-thirds support in the constituent assembly he has called is creating tremendous internal problems within that country; so much so that secession and regional autonomy within Bolivia have been both threatened (secession) and declared openly (regional autonomy) over the past few months. If there is a current "front" in the struggle to turn back the left in Latin America, it is in the Bolivian constituent assembly, where things have now stalled and remain at an impasse while the two sides seek to strengthen their positions. None of us are likely to keep Bolivia front and center in the larger scheme of international politics, but I can assure you that what is going on there now is being watched very closely elsewhere in Latin America and it is something I will be keeping an eye on as things progress.

Left to Right: Hugo Chavez, Rafael Correa, Evo Morales

Yep, we better get that super-highway built soon. We don't want any of our enemies tripping on that single-strand barbed wire border fence and then suing us.

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm getting very suspicious and angry about how Bush is handling this open border situation and his continued appeasement.

North American Union, NWO, Globalism, NAFTA, CAFTA, FTAA.....we must fight them at every opportunity now or we WILL be fighting them in our streets.

American idiots just keep buying CITGO gas and Chinese crap. What has happened to my country? Are there any real PATRIOTS left?

Sorry for the rant........had to let off some steam before my head exploded.

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