It is nearly impossible these days to escape the continuous taunting of US President Bush by Venezuelan President Chavez. A large portion (in any case a very loud portion) of the world seems to be squarely on the side of the Venezuelan leader, either because they truly agree with his Socialist policies or simply out of blind disgust for anything Bush-related. Both leaders are currently on a tour of Latin America, with the not all too subtle aim of beating out the other in the eyes of the local populace. While Bush is in Brazil and Uruguay, Chavez is in Argentina; Bush in Colombia, Chavez in Bolivia; Bush in Guatemala, Chavez in Haiti. Again, whether justified or not, it seems Chavez has a clear advantage, though Bush certainly wins the award for most dignified demeanor.
Indeed, by repeating calls like "Gringo go home!" and "Yankee go home!" Chavez is using highly irresponsible terminology that creates hate for an entire nation, rather than only for the man Chavez claims to be taking aim at. "Gringo" and "Yankee" have evolved into highly derogative slurs, which, coupled with the use of terms such as "devil," are nutrients for widespread incitement. Accusatory calls that the CIA is plotting to assassinate him will also do little good for US sentiment in Venezuela and beyond. Chavez recently repeated this allegation, saying "Who did they swear in at the White House as deputy secretary of state? A professional killer: John Negroponte...They have assigned special units of the CIA, true assassins, who go around not only here in Venezuela, but in Central America, in South America."
Chavez's calls resonate in the region, however, with anti-US sentiment quite possibly at an all-time high. Wherever Bush visits, he is welcomed by major protests and often violent demonstrations. Mayan priests in Guatemala have even promised to purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits. Chavez easily garners tens of thousands of supporters at "anti-imperialist" rallies in any given Latin American nation.
Rather than yelling back with slogans of his own and organizing rallies (granted, it seems highly unlikely that Bush would be able to attract enough supporters to his rally), Bush remains cool, proclaiming "I bring the goodwill of the United States to South America and Central America. That's why I'm here." He rightfully notes that bilateral aid has doubled under his presidency from 800 billion to 1.6 billion and stressed "I don't think America gets enough credit for trying to help improve people's lives. And so my trip is to explain, as clearly as I can, that our nation is generous and compassionate." In this respect Bush is wise to ignore Chavez's provocations and not stooping to his level. This might count for something in time to come.
Besides the ethanol deal, Bush has pledged medical aid in the form of a new project that dispatches a Navy medical ship to 13 countries in the area in order to treat the poor. Millions have also been made available for affordable housing for the poor, while a new initiative was also presented in which $75 million is to be made available to help Latin American youth learn English and study in the United States.
Chavez, in turn, is offering free goodies such as sending doctors and teachers to allies such as Bolivia, providing an oil refinery and a highway free of charge to Nicaragua, and paying off billions of Argentina's debt. Chavez has also pledged $15 million in aid for flood victims in Bolivia, including a squadron of helicopters to deliver food to remote villages, making the $1.5 million sent by the US pale in insignificance.
In terms of direct aid, Chavez has a slight upper hand overall in Latin America today, but the years of US aid added together dwarf anything Venezuela or Chavez can dream of offering. When it comes to public opinion and image, Bush doesn't stand a chance next to Chavez. However, Bush has managed to retain his dignity in the face of ridiculous taunts and accusations. For example, the world praises Brazil for their advanced use of alternative fuels and urges the world's greatest polluter to follow suit. With the newly signed ethanol (a bio-fuel made from sugar cane or corn) deal between Brazil and the US, Bush is doing precisely this. Unsurprisingly, Chavez found a way to turn this around, saying "the US is taking food from the poor and giving it to vehicles instead." With this kind of logic, you can criticize everything and anything, of course.
The Bush vs. Chavez rivalry is far from over and is sure to provide enough interesting material for future reference.
Indeed, by repeating calls like "Gringo go home!" and "Yankee go home!" Chavez is using highly irresponsible terminology that creates hate for an entire nation, rather than only for the man Chavez claims to be taking aim at. "Gringo" and "Yankee" have evolved into highly derogative slurs, which, coupled with the use of terms such as "devil," are nutrients for widespread incitement. Accusatory calls that the CIA is plotting to assassinate him will also do little good for US sentiment in Venezuela and beyond. Chavez recently repeated this allegation, saying "Who did they swear in at the White House as deputy secretary of state? A professional killer: John Negroponte...They have assigned special units of the CIA, true assassins, who go around not only here in Venezuela, but in Central America, in South America."
Chavez's calls resonate in the region, however, with anti-US sentiment quite possibly at an all-time high. Wherever Bush visits, he is welcomed by major protests and often violent demonstrations. Mayan priests in Guatemala have even promised to purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits. Chavez easily garners tens of thousands of supporters at "anti-imperialist" rallies in any given Latin American nation.
Rather than yelling back with slogans of his own and organizing rallies (granted, it seems highly unlikely that Bush would be able to attract enough supporters to his rally), Bush remains cool, proclaiming "I bring the goodwill of the United States to South America and Central America. That's why I'm here." He rightfully notes that bilateral aid has doubled under his presidency from 800 billion to 1.6 billion and stressed "I don't think America gets enough credit for trying to help improve people's lives. And so my trip is to explain, as clearly as I can, that our nation is generous and compassionate." In this respect Bush is wise to ignore Chavez's provocations and not stooping to his level. This might count for something in time to come.
Besides the ethanol deal, Bush has pledged medical aid in the form of a new project that dispatches a Navy medical ship to 13 countries in the area in order to treat the poor. Millions have also been made available for affordable housing for the poor, while a new initiative was also presented in which $75 million is to be made available to help Latin American youth learn English and study in the United States.
Chavez, in turn, is offering free goodies such as sending doctors and teachers to allies such as Bolivia, providing an oil refinery and a highway free of charge to Nicaragua, and paying off billions of Argentina's debt. Chavez has also pledged $15 million in aid for flood victims in Bolivia, including a squadron of helicopters to deliver food to remote villages, making the $1.5 million sent by the US pale in insignificance.
In terms of direct aid, Chavez has a slight upper hand overall in Latin America today, but the years of US aid added together dwarf anything Venezuela or Chavez can dream of offering. When it comes to public opinion and image, Bush doesn't stand a chance next to Chavez. However, Bush has managed to retain his dignity in the face of ridiculous taunts and accusations. For example, the world praises Brazil for their advanced use of alternative fuels and urges the world's greatest polluter to follow suit. With the newly signed ethanol (a bio-fuel made from sugar cane or corn) deal between Brazil and the US, Bush is doing precisely this. Unsurprisingly, Chavez found a way to turn this around, saying "the US is taking food from the poor and giving it to vehicles instead." With this kind of logic, you can criticize everything and anything, of course.
The Bush vs. Chavez rivalry is far from over and is sure to provide enough interesting material for future reference.
2 comments:
when listing Chavez's generosity to foreign nations let's not forget his commitment to America's poor.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060922/news_1n22chavez.html
So Chavez is hot tempered about a century of tyrants in S. America supported by the U.S. with no signs of remorse. Suppose you had to live in Pinochet's Chile after seeing your elected leader assassinated by the CIA. You would consider Chavez's remarks towards American leadership to show an incredible amount of restraint.
When it comes to aid, there is no disputing Chavez's track record. Whether the reasons for helping certain people over others are always based on purely noble premises or whether they have a political undertone can be debated, but that he helps the poor is a fact.
Also a fact is that the US government has made grave errors in Latin America in the past.
However, what Chavez is doing is anything but sustainable. He is creating massive inflation by spending all the petropesos on projects and aid, rather than investing it in sustainable business plans. A drop in the oil price would collapse half of his projects, while everything he nationalizes becomes increasingly inefficient. In the long run, Chavez is destroying his economy and calling for others in the region to do the same.
You mention Chile. Chile happens to be the most advanced economy in the entire region. They, like all the major growth economies in Asia, have done this through policies much closer to what Bush prescribes than what Chavez recommends. Political mistakes or crimes commited by the US in the past should be separated from economic policies of today.
In short, I actually believe Chavez is more sincere about the world's poor than Bush is, but I also believe that his means are more likely to cause greater harm than do good. And I am particularly bothered by his rhetoric, for it creates intense and blind hatred for an entire nation. I was in venezuela a few years ago and was called a gringo by angry men enough times...and i'm not even American!. Of course when they found that out, they suddenly became nice. From the stories I here from people who visited over 10 years ago, this didn't happen back then. This would mean that Chavez's rhetoric has incited the people of Venezuela, not years of U.S. "attrocities."
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