Bush V. Chavez at OAS Summit
The clash of visions may well dominate the summit, in part because no dramatic conclusions are expected from the two-day gathering. But another key factor is that much of the Latin American public is skeptical of the US-backed open-economy model and is tempted - after decades of stubbornly high rates of poverty and joblessness - by an alternative. Chávez - who plans to join Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona, Bolivian presidential candidate Evo Morales, and other luminaries at a "counter summit" of Latin leftists and anti-imperialists - says he expects the debate of visions to be "beautiful."
Indeed, Chávez may have reason to believe he has the southern winds in his sails. Latin America is leaning left, electing more left-of-center leaders promoting new ways to reduce poverty and preserve a disappearing middle class.
About half of the leaders Bush will meet were elected since the last regular Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in 2001, and a number of them, including the presidents of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, now hail from the left. That trend is likely to continue, with nearly a dozen countries holding presidential elections over the next year, many experts say. Polls show Bolivia (voting next month) and Mexico (next summer) favoring leftist replacements of conservative leaders.
No comments:
Post a Comment