When approaching Iran, the Republican Party line and the Hugo Chavez
line are running in opposite directions -- but parallel. The
leadership of GOP reaction and the leadership of Bolivarian
revolution have bought into the convenient delusion that
long-suffering Iranian people require assistance from the U.S.
government to resist the regime in Tehran.
The surprise encounter came at the opening ceremony of the Summit of the
Americas in Trinidad, where Mr Obama has made Cuba a key priority.
After several days of the US and Cuba trading warm words that have hinted at a
détente after a half century of hostility, Mr Obama said that he was seeking "a
new beginning" with Havana.
But it was his unexpected handshake and the smiles he exchanged with Mr Chavez
that caught many at the summit by surprise.
Millions of dollars in free heating fuel will flow through Alaska villages early next month courtesy of a controversial giveaway program paid for by the Venezuelan government.
The sooner the better, say many villagers and rural nonprofits who appear more concerned about their towering energy bills than international politics.
"The whole town, we've been waiting all winter," said Margaret Schaeffer of Kiana, a Inupiat village of about 380 people where heating fuel costs $6.64 a gallon.
US-Latin American relations fell to record lows during the George Bush years, and there have been hopes - both north and south of the border - that President Barack Obama will bring a fresh approach. So far, however, most signals are pointing to continuity rather than change.
CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez won a referendum to eliminate term limits Sunday and vowed to remain in power for at least another decade to complete his socialist revolution. Opponents accepted defeat but said Chavez is becoming a dictator.
Fireworks exploded in the sky and caravans of supporters celebrated in the streets, waving red flags and honking horns. Thousands of people gathered outside Miraflores Palace, where the former paratroop commander appeared on a balcony to sing the national anthem and address the crowd.
With Sunday's Venezuelan referendum on term limits, we can expect to hear a lot
about Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez's "plan to become president for life"
and its reflection on "Venezuela's battered democracy"--as the New York Times
editors put it (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/opinion/01sat2.html) around
the time of Venezuela's last (failed) term limits referendum.
CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela ordered Israel's ambassador expelled from the country on Tuesday in protest over the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The decision by President Hugo Chavez to kick out the diplomat appeared to be the strongest reaction yet to the Gaza offensive by any country with ties to Israel.
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry announced the move in a statement, saying it "has decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and part of the Israeli Embassy's personnel."
The New York Times Editorial Page, today, on poor U.S./Latin American relations:
[T]he Bush administration did enormous damage to American credibility throughout much of the region when it blessed what turned out to be a failed coup against Mr. Chávez.
Indeed it did. But what the Times fails to mention, and is apparently eager to erase, is that "the Bush administration" was far from alone in blessing that coup attempt:
CARACAS - President Hugo Chavez's candidates won a majority of the
governor's elections in Venezuela on Sunday, but opposition forces
could point to gains with victories in several major states as well as
the capital city, Caracas.
Both sides declared victory.
"The
people are telling me, 'Chavez, continue down the same road, the road
of socialism,' " Chavez said early Monday just after the main results
were announced.
