United States Losing Influence in Latin America
And now, straight from the cover of DUUUHHH!!! Magazine: the United States has been exerting less and less influence in Latin America. Oh My God, No!! After all we've done for those dark-skinned funny-talking furriners, and they're turning against us?!?!?
Well, true, we did engineer a coup in Chile that resulted in thousands of citizens being tortured and/or executed. And twenty years earlier we did the same thing in Guatemala. And we tried (unsuccessfully) to do the same thing in Venezuela a few years ago. And we've been trying (again unsuccessfully) for almost fifty years to do the same thing in Cuba. Goddamnit, won't that stubborn Communist ever die??
Oh, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega — we even got help from our second worst enemy in the world in trying to overthrow that #$%$#!$&!! — is now back in power. And some of those South American countries are still growing coca leaves, even though we've pleaded and pleaded with them to crack down on it because we have a bunch of wealthy teenagers in our own country who keep getting themselves addicted to a byproduct of coca leaves. But those damn governments keep whining at us, something about coca leaves being the only livelihood of thousands of dirt-poor farmers, or something. WhatEVer!
And now we’re losing influence among these people. But, but, Why???
Labels: Chile, coca leaves, Cuba, Daniel Ortega, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Venezuela
posted by Tom Harper @ 12:25 AM
12 Comments:
I wrote awhile back about how Chimpy had singlehandedly revived leftism in the Americas.
At this rate, some old-fashioned Communists are almost sure to turn up, and this time there are likely no Pinochets willing to do the moronic monkey's bidding.
Jolly Roger: Yeah, I doubt if there are any more Pinochets in the future. The reason Latin America is turning left is because of a massive backlash against global corporations and rightwing puppet governments installed by the CIA.
I think that Paraguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentine, Mexico and Venezuela all suffered from inflation, deflation and unstable interest rates early on. They seem to have their rich.
If I'm not mistaken the riches man in the world lives in Mexico. What you have in the Americas are the rich acting worse than the rich in America.
They see about their own while the average person catch hell.
Let's Talk: In most of Latin America the gap between the richest and everybody else is unbelievable. It's where our own country is headed if these trends keep up. This is why a leftist government is becoming more appealing to millions of people in Latin America. It isn't ideal, but after decades of rightwing dictators (who were mostly American puppets) the pendulum is swinging.
Well I guess now that the Soviet Union collapsed, Ortega poses no threat, whereas before, um, wait, what was I saying? Oh well. :)
While Bush is out trying to take over the world through the Mideast, his own back yard are silently rising against him.
Typical Bush planning.
Prague Twin: Yeah, I doubt if Ortega or any of the other leftist leaders in Latin America are a threat to us. They may be a threat to Bechtel's and Halliburton's balance sheets, but other than that...
Larry: Yup, that's typical of Bush. He's busy focusing on imagined terrorist threats while his former allies are turning against him one by one.
Read Confessions of a Economic Hitman!
It's how we got into this mess
Erik
Who always wondered if Chavez is so bad, why do we buy his oil?
I think Larry is correct here. I think Tom's good response to JollyRoger's good comment are also right on.
While Bu$hCo and the rest of our country are distracted with Iraq and all the fearmongering from the administration, any political support or goodwill we might have generated in Latin America is likely evaporating. After years of having us in their countries telling them what to do, what not to do, and how to manage their affairs, I can understand how those who want power in Central and South America are seizing upon the opportunity to install governments that are not particularly U.S.-friendly.
And as LT points out the gap between wealthy and poor in Latin America, I realize I haven't even really considered that. Great point, LT.
Way to go, Dumbya. I agree, we will probably see some good-old-fashioned communist leaders in our side of the Southern Hemisphere before too long.
I wouldn't worry about the influence of the South. I mean, look at Bush's approval rating. You would need some sort of "catastrophic event" to bring that doggie up.
Erik: Damn right, that book "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" spells it all out. Too bad more people haven't read it.
Snave: Yup, we can look forward to a huge backlash against decades of American bullying and meddling in Latin America. I wouldn't personally want to be governed by Chavez or Morales, but after decades of Bechtel and Halliburton and various American puppet governments, it's easy to see why the people are heading in the opposite direction with a vengeance.
Romunov: Ah yes, Bush's low approval ratings. And suddenly Chertoff has a "gut feeling" that the terrorists will soon be attacking. Coincidence?
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