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Column 010206 Brewer

Monday, January 2, 2006

Democracy, a fragile Latin American commodity

By Jerry Brewer

Are we losing it in Latin America?

As United States attention has been diverted to the

Middle East for years, many question if we have lost
interest in our neighbors to the south? At best, our
interest has been spurred by reacting to issues
demanding immediate attention or otherwise requiring
a response.

The price? Approximately 300 of 365 million people in

South America are now living under leftwing
governments. Furthermore, from November 2005 to
the end of 2006 twelve countries in that region will hold
elections – and from all appearances the advantage will
continue to go to left-leaning and anti-trade candidates.

Our agenda must stay strong in the pursuit of freedom

and democracy. After all, this land is contiguous
throughout the Americas. It should not be hard to
understand that the United States must build bridges of
democracy, that link those who wish to be free from
leftist oppression. Walls to the south divide and
confuse those who accept those ideals as a way of life,
and a blind eye and deaf ear could easily swing the
balance to counter-ideologies.

President George W. Bush took time in November to

personally attend the Summit of the Americas in
Argentina, where he spoke of the inherent value of
constitutional democracy with a checks-and-balance
system. Yet Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela
and a leftist who claims communist Fidel Castro as his
mentor, met Bush fiercely and head-on. Chavez, whose
rule has been turbulent and marked by disregard for
democratic processes.
Chavez’s ideology of “Bolivarian Socialism” embodies a
false form of democracy. A subterfuge, with parties,
elections, courts and a congress, that weakens and
virtually eliminates policy determination. The authority
is masked by a national leader who claims to know
what the people need, and to act for the common good.

In the past Chavez has relied on the National Electoral

Council to manipulation the voting process, which
clouds the credibility of any outcome. So this year,
during congressional elections on December 4, only 25
percent of the eligible voters went to the polls. Leading
opposition parties boycotted the ballot, stating they
“could not trust the results.” A boycott staged in
defiance of giving the Venezuelan vote any semblance
of legitimacy.

Another leftist, who won the December presidential

election in Bolivia, is Evo Morales. Morales campaigned
professing to be “Washington’s nightmare.” Morales
too, as head of the “Movement Towards Socialism,”
took an active part in anti-U.S. demonstrations in
Argentina during the Summit of the Americas with
Chavez, and he often speaks highly of Fidel Castro. As
well, he is a unionist coca farmer who has promised to
end the campaign to stamp out production of the leaf
used to make cocaine.

The many shifts to the left cannot be ignored, nor can

the potential for escalating hostility from the south.
Other elected governments with anti-U.S. leaders are
Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. And while Brazil and
the Chilean administration have shown cooperation with
the United States, elections coming up soon in Peru,
Mexico, and Nicaragua require extreme vigilance.

The economic importance of Mexico to the U.S., that

ranks second only to Canada as a trading partner (and
ahead of Japan and China), must not be ignored. Too,
we must not forget the strong support of Mexican
President Vicente Fox, as he stood toe to toe with
Chavez in Argentina in support of U.S. initiatives.

Fox also scored a victory by agreeing to a strategic

accord with Chile, to be signed later this month. This in
an effort to bring Chile and Mexico closer together
politically, culturally, and technically. Both nations are
strong supporters of free trade, and Fox proudly
remarked, “It is a bridge between all actors of both
nations.”

Progress is progress, however so slight.

On the not so slight side, the Mexican Supreme Court
recently ruled that Mexican citizens could be extradited
to another country to face justice, even if a life
sentence might be imposed. Not a good incentive to
drug cartel members and corrupt government officials.
U.S. prosecutors received the welcome news by
preparing dozens of requests for extradition for
Mexicans accused of drug trafficking, murder, and other
major crimes by this country.

Latin America needs U.S. attention. Too, democracy

must be strengthened, regional stability is required,
and economic development must proceed with fluidity.
Through these initiatives, the well being of citizens and
satisfaction of government will shine through a
nebulous Latin American sky. And this can only be
accomplished through diplomacy, effective dialogue,
and a spirit of unity.

——————————
Jerry Brewer, the Vice President of Criminal Justice
International Associates, a global risk mitigation firm
headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, is also a columnist
with MexiData.info. He can be reached via e-mail at
Cjiaincusa@aol.com and jbrewer@cjiausa.org