Speech by Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Ambassador Otto J. Reich to The Heritage Foundation, October 31,
2002, Washington, D.C.
Introduction
My message is that the United States is engaged in Latin America
per force of our historical circumstances and by design. We are
connected to Latin America, necessarily and happily so. We share
historical, cultural, commercial, even familial ties. Most
importantly, we are bound together by shared values. Today, there
is a consensus in the Americas in favor of democracy.
Elected leaders throughout the Americas, except Cuba-today, 98
percent vs. 25 percent 25 years ago. The Inter-American Democratic
Charter makes the nations of this hemisphere and the Organization
of American States (OAS) unique in the world because of our
commitment to democracy. Geography and commerce also create a bond
between the United States and the region.
The U.S. sells more to Latin America and the Caribbean than to the
European Union; Trade with our NAFTA partners is greater than our
trade with the EU and Japan combined; We sell more to the Southern
Cone, to Mercosur, than to China; and Latin America and the
Caribbean comprise our fastest-growing export market. During the
Cold War, American statesmen used to say of Europe and NATO, "We
are there and we are committed." One might say of the United States
and Latin America today, "We are here and we are committed."
President Bush believes in the future of the Americas, and our
policy reflects his confidence and his vision. This is a very
exciting time in the history of the Western Hemisphere. We have
challenges. But there are also many opportunities. While we're
optimistic, we're not naive.
Leadership will be critical to overcoming the obstacles to
progress. The Bush Administration's agenda for our Hemisphere has
four goals:
- To strengthen security;
- To promote democracy;
- To encourage responsible governance; and
- To stimulate economic development.
Security
Security, it is often said, is the first function of a state. To
make any meaningful progress, people require safety and the
assurance that their work to build a better future will not be
maliciously destroyed. In the United States, we also know that we
will not be safe at home unless our neighborhood is safe, so
promoting security in the region is our first priority.
The War on Terrorism
Led by Brazil and Argentina, our Rio Treaty partners
stated that the attacks on the United States were attacks against
all the American states. Thirty-two of the 34 OAS member states
have also signed a hemispheric convention against terrorism to
enhance regional cooperation in the fight against this scourge. We
have been working diligently with Canada and Mexico both to secure
our borders and facilitate the movement of goods and services on
which our economies depend.
Colombia
We know that some countries in the region have suffered
terrorism for far longer. Colombia faces three terrorist groups
supported by the profits of narcotics trafficking. These terrorist
groups run the ideological gamut from unreconstructed Marxists to
the far right, but the FARC, ELN, and AUC are not popular
movements. They are after power, control over territory, and the
dollars of the drug trade that comes with it.
President Bush has enhanced and expanded our military and
intelligence assistance to the Colombian government. Colombia can
defeat this combination of narcotics traffickers and terrorists,
but it needs help from its friends to do it. They need training,
arms, equipment, and intelligence to implement a successful
military strategy. Our national security and the safety and health
of our people depend on their success.
Cuba
Any discussion of security in the Hemisphere would be
incomplete without mentioning the abiding hostility of the Castro
regime toward democracy. Castro's dictatorship is one of the last
unreconstructed totalitarian regimes in the world, and his brutal
repression of dissent continues unabated.
- In the past few months, Castro has taken extraordinary measures
to crush the brave effort of dissidents to claim their basic human
rights with a petition drive known as Project Varela. More than
11,000 Cubans braved the wrath of the Communist Party and the
Committees for the Defense of the Revolution to sign this petition,
and thousands more have done so since. Recognizing the importance
of this effort to obtain fundamental rights for all Cubans, the
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs awarded
Project organizer Oswaldo Payá its W. Averell Harriman
Democracy Award in September, and earlier this month, the European
Parliament gave Payá its prestigious Sakharov Prize for
Freedom of Thought.
- Castro's response to this cry for peaceful change was to
fabricate a petition drive of his own, which 99.25 percent of the
population signed-coerced by those same Committees for the Defense
of the Revolution-in support of the "immutability of Socialism." On
June 27, Castro's rubber-stamp legislature unanimously endorsed
one-party communist government and state control of the economy
forever. Many of the Cuban legislators concluded their speeches
that day by vowing, "Socialism or death."
- On July 30, Cuban police arrested yet another independent
journalist, part of their routine harassment of voices that dare
speak out against the regime.
- On August 5, Castro's thugs quashed a peaceful demonstration in
Havana marking the eighth anniversary of the Maleconazo
uprising.
- Just this weekend, an imprisoned dissident was hospitalized after a hunger strike to protest 43 years of the denial of basic rights to the Cuban people. We repeat our call for the Cuban regime to provide Leonardo Bruzón with adequate medical care and to release him from prison.
Historically, the Cuban government has sought to subvert its neighbors, and even today, Castro supports the foes of freedom and menaces the security of the United States at every opportunity.
- Castro recently reaffirmed his solidarity with Saddam Hussein,
and Cuba lends its political support to Iraq in international
fora.
- At last year's U.N. General Assembly session in the wake of
September 11, Cuba accused the United States of war crimes,
alleging that our campaign to root out the Taliban was a "bombing
campaign against [the Afghan] people."
- On September 21, 2001, the FBI arrested Ana Belen Montes on
charges of conspiracy to commit espionage against the United States
on behalf of the Cuban intelligence service. Ms. Montes was our
senior Defense Intelligence Agency analyst for Cuba. She pled
guilty to the conspiracy charge in March of this year.
- Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism. We believe that Cuba has
"at least a limited, offensive biological warfare
research-and-development effort," and we know that Cuba has shared
dual-use biotechnologies with other state sponsors of
terrorism.
- As my colleague Deputy Assistant Secretary Dan Fisk reported not long ago, Cuba has engaged in a deliberate effort to confuse, distract, and divert U.S. intelligence from its vital counterterrorism mission by dangling false leads and informants. You may have heard the Cuban government deny its responsibility for this assault on our first line of defense against terrorism. Today, I can tell you that Cuba's hostile campaign against our intelligence agencies continues even now.
President Bush believes that the policy of the United States toward Cuba must be guided by our strategic interests and moral principle. In his mind, the issue is clear. The Cuban government must end its hostility, honor the rights of its citizens, and make basic political reforms before the United States resumes normal relations with Cuba.
Democracy and Good Governance
After security, our second priority in the region is
promoting democracy and good governance. Democracy is more than a
periodic election. It is a civic culture. Public integrity,
equality before the law, respect for individual rights, economic
opportunity, and healthy political institutions are
indispensable.
Anti-Corruption
The challenge in Latin America is for the leadership class
to overcome the inertia of "old think," as the Russians called it
during the collapse of the Soviet Union. There are still too many
in elite positions who are addicted to power or believe that
recycled rhetoric and discredited ideology will solve the problems
of their country.
There are far too many in elite positions who have not learned that
government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.
The World Bank correctly identifies corruption "as the single
greatest obstacle to economic and social development."
Many countries in the Western Hemisphere exemplify the connection
between responsible leadership and progress.
- In Mexico, President Fox is leading a charge against the
decades of abuse that undermined the Mexican people's faith in
their government.
- Uruguay, a country with a tradition of good governance, enjoys
the most equitable income distribution in Latin America.
- Recently, forward-looking public policies have also contributed
to above average economic growth in El Salvador and the Dominican
Republic.
- Chile, ranked as the top country in Latin America for fighting
corruption and other indicators of good government, has benefited
from the fastest economic growth and poverty reduction in the
region over the past decade.
- In Nicaragua, President Bolanos is waging a determined campaign
against corruption and impunity in his country. It is no
coincidence that he is the leader in Latin America with the highest
approval ratings.
- We also applaud Presidents Maduro and Pacheco for their work to strengthen the rule of law in Honduras and Costa Rica.
Democracies in Crisis
As you know, there are democracies in crisis in our region
as well. In Venezuela and Haiti, the failure of leaders to maintain
the confidence of their people has led to violence and instability.
The solution in both cases lies in strengthening democratic
institutions.
Venezuela
Now is the time for Venezuela's true democrats-in both the
government and the opposition-to demonstrate leadership. As the
Head of State, President Chavez has a special obligation to ensure
the proper conditions for dialogue and should avail himself of the
opportunity presented by Secretary General Gaviria's mission to
defuse political tensions by lowering the level of his rhetoric,
disarming irregular armed groups including the Bolivarian Circles,
and providing a safe environment for dialogue free of harassment,
intimidation, and violence.
As Secretary General Gaviria has noted, the direct involvement of
active duty military officers in a public political debate is a
disturbing development, not only for Venezuela, but also for the
hemisphere, and is not consistent with the OAS Inter-American
Democratic Charter. The tripartite facilitation effort of the OAS,
the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), and the Carter Center to
foster dialogue is the best opportunity to achieve national
reconciliation.
This is a timely opportunity to resolve Venezuela's political
difficulties peacefully, democratically, and constitutionally
through an election. Whatever electoral solutions Venezuelans
arrive at during dialogue must be free, fair, transparent, and
agreed upon by both the government and the opposition.
We are encouraged that the government and the opposition will begin
constructive talks next week and that OAS Secretary General Gaviria
will facilitate those talks. We welcome the efforts of a group of
Venezuela National Assembly deputies that support and oppose the
government, known as the Boston Group, to seek a peaceful,
democratic, and constitutional solution to Venezuela's political
impasse.
Haiti
In Haiti, the Aristide government faces the prospect of
forfeiting its credibility and legitimacy. The government must
comply with OAS resolutions and its commitments to its own people.
On virtually all fronts-from a timely accounting of its actions
taken with respect to the political violence of last December, to
ending impunity, to disarmament, to reparations, to
counternarcotics, to election security-the government has simply
not moved with enough purpose or effectiveness.
We are concerned about the well-being of the Haitian people. We are
concerned about the strength and legitimacy of institutions that
bear the stigma of the flawed elections of 2000. The primary
responsibility for addressing Haiti's political and economic
problems rests with the government of Haiti. It is time for that
government to live up to its commitments to the Haitian people, who
have as much claim to democracy and economic opportunity as any in
the Americas.
Argentina
Argentina is going through one of the worst economic
periods in its history. But we have seen that, despite their real
suffering, the Argentine people remain committed to democracy.
Argentina is a close friend and ally of the United States and an
important partner on issues ranging from regional security to
counter terrorism, from the Middle East to free markets and
trade.
We have seen some encouraging signs of macroeconomic stabilization
recently and look forward to Argentina, in cooperation with
international financial institutions, setting a course that will
lead to sustainable economic growth, an outcome all its friends
wish for.
Development
All of the people of the Americas want the opportunity to build a
better life for themselves and their children. It is clearly in the
interest of the United States to see that our neighbors have that
opportunity. Our prosperity is tied to the prosperity of the
region.
That is why President Bush is committed to creating the Free Trade
Area of the Americas (FTAA). Trade is the most effective and rapid
means to economic development. Only by taking advantage of the
efficiencies offered by the global market can the nations of the
Western Hemisphere reduce poverty and accumulate the capital they
require to invest in their people and their industries for
long-term economic growth.
The FTAA will create the largest free market in the world,
stretching from Canada to Argentina, including every one of the 800
million people in the Western Hemisphere. As you know, we intend to
complete negotiations by January 2005 and bring the agreement into
force by the end of that year. The United States looks forward to
co-chairing the negotiations, together with our partners in Brazil,
beginning next month.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Lafer, in a recent editorial, eloquently
argued that Brazil had nothing to fear from trade negotiations with
the United States and everything to gain. Brazil should be
confident of its proven ability to compete in the world market. The
principal export of Brazil today is aircraft. The United States is
its largest market. I believe we can work together to achieve an
agreement that serves the interests of all the people of the
Americas.
Brazil
I would like to take this opportunity to echo President
Bush's congratulations to President-Elect da Silva. Brazil's recent
presidential election has been portrayed by some as a repudiation
of liberalizing reform on the part of Latin America's largest
country. I believe that is a misinterpretation. There is a
justified frustration on the part of people throughout the Americas
with the governments that use the rhetoric of reform but fail to
deliver the benefits of reform.
However, it is important to remember that vigorous private
enterprise, encouraged by open, market-based policies, is the best
path toward economic growth and alleviating poverty.
President-Elect da Silva is not alone in his commitment to ease the
hardships that afflict too many citizens of this hemisphere.
The United States wants to work with Brazil and our neighbors to
create a prosperous and peaceful future for the people of the
Americas. We believe that the greater economic integration of the
Americas will have an overwhelmingly positive affect. The FTAA will
give a powerful impetus to economic and political progress in Latin
America, as NAFTA did in Mexico.
There is a virtuous dynamic between free economies and free
societies. Increased growth from trade generates more revenues for
governments to address the problems of unequal access to education
and health services, to protect the environment, and to improve law
enforcement and security services. By encouraging market-based
reforms and greater transparency in economic decision-making, free
trade agreements advance political openness and democracy as
well.
Millennium Challenge Account
Our commitment to promoting prosperity is not limited to
trade policy. President Bush has announced an initiative to provide
more, and more effective foreign aid that is aimed to promote good
governance, education, and reduce poverty. The Millennium Challenge
Account is a change from our traditional approach to aid. Our goal
is to provide incentives for governments to pursue constructive
social and economic policies.
We will increase our core development assistance by 50 percent over
the next three years, resulting in a $5 billion annual increase
over current levels by fiscal year 2006 and beyond. These monies
will be directed to those countries that govern justly and
honestly, uphold the rule of law, fight corruption, invest in the
health and education of their people, and promote economic freedom.
I believe that many nations in the Western Hemisphere will benefit
from this new initiative.
Conclusion
If we can provide a secure and liberal political
environment with economic incentives and opportunities, the
creative power of the people of the Americas will be unleashed. The
Bush Administration has a comprehensive policy to do just
that-promoting security, democracy, good governance, and
prosperity.
These are ambitious goals, and I am well aware of the challenges we
face. But I pursue them with confidence because I know that we have
many millions of partners in our efforts to make this hemisphere
free, prosperous, and democratic. As President Bush said, the
people of the Americas have "a dream of free markets and free
people, in a hemisphere free from war and tyranny. That dream has
sometimes been frustrated-but it must never be abandoned."