WebMemo posted December 12, 2006 by Stephen Johnson
What a Chávez Win Means in Venezuela and for U.S. Policy
To no one's surprise, Venezuela's authoritarian president, Hugo
Chávez swept to re-election victory on December 3.
Chávez clearly intends to turn Latin America and the
Caribbean toward authoritarianism and closed markets. To counter
those aims, the United States must ratify promised trade ties with
allies. It must enhance security cooperation to counter new threats
and check…
WebMemo posted November 29, 2006 by Stephen Johnson
What Correa's Win Means in Ecuador
Presidential
runoff elections in Ecuador on November 26 appear to have produced
a handy victory for radical young economist Rafael Correa over
banana magnate Alvaro Noboa.
Washington has an
interest in a friendly, stable Ecuador, but this outcome may not be
conducive to friendship or internal stability. The president-elect
has expressed hostility toward U.S. policies,…
WebMemo posted November 7, 2006 by Stephen Johnson
Ortega's Comeback: Charisma with an Iron Grip?
Former Sandinista comandante Daniel Ortega is back,
having won a first-round victory on November 5-his fourth try at
the presidency of Nicaragua since free elections were instituted in
1990. His vague promises to curb poverty were enough to beat
investment banker Eduardo Montealegre's concrete proposals, thanks
to a split opposition, a low victory threshold, and…
Executive Memorandum posted October 23, 2006 by Ana Eiras, Stephen Johnson
Promote Andean Free Trade But Limit Preferences
In 2004,
the United States began negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs)
with Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. These were intended to
replace the limited, temporary preferences granted to certain South
American countries under the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug
Eradication Act (ATPDEA). Peru and Colombia have signed bilateral
trade…
WebMemo posted October 19, 2006 by Stephen Johnson
Correa vs. Noboa: Ecuador's Choice Between 'Marx' and Markets
Radical leftist
presidential candidate Rafael Correa was favored in opinion polls
going into Ecuador's presidential and legislative elections on
October 15. In a surprising result, moderate industrialist Alvaro
Noboa garnered 27 percent of the vote to Correa's 23 percent,
followed by other challengers with counts in the teens and single
digits. Noboa and Correa now…
Executive Memorandum posted September 6, 2006 by Stephen Johnson, Ariel Cohen, Ph.D., William Schirano
Countering Hugo Chávez?s Anti-U.S. Arms Alliance
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has embarked on a
military buildup, to counter alleged U.S. plans to invade his
country, and has recently visited Russia, Iran, China, Syria,
and other countries to finalize purchases and lobby for a seat
on the U.N. Security Council. Chavez's aggressive policies could
endanger U.S. allies in Latin America and a…
WebMemo posted August 23, 2006 by Stephen Johnson
Cuba Loses a Hero, But Labor Proposals Remain
On August 8, Cuban human rights activist
Gustavo Arcos Bergnes succumbed to respiratory and kidney ailments.
Suffering years in jail and bad health for peacefully opposing
Fidel Castro's dictatorship, Arcos was a tireless, patient crusader
for democracy and civil liberties in Cuba. Oddly, Fidel Castro
considers himself a hero for holding onto…