Evo and the Bolivarian Dream
Yesterday I wrote about Chavez's plans for a Bolivarian Confederation. It seems that the plan is serious.
El Universal reports that the Confederation would integrate the member countries politically, economically, socially and 'even militarily'. He also said that the member countries would be Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela 'and I [Chavez] don't know about Colombia'.
The idea of this confederation would have appeared after the CAN's death, which, by the way, was killed by the empire. Chavez also said that it was a good idea to wait for the results of the Peruvian and Colombian elections (he proposed the confederation on Sunday, as the Colombian elections were still under way).
Finally, Chavez said that Evo should be the one to start the process by allowing the possibility of a confederation in the new Bolivian constitution. He then said that he would revise the Venezuelan constitution next year.
Santa Cruz's El Deber naively reports that a confederation would be unconstitutional (and thus illegal) under the current constitution. It also says that this confederation is nothing but Chavez's attempt to gain influence, as opposing the US has isolated Venezuela. Moreover, the eventual victory of Alan Garcia in Peru and Uribe in Colombia would leave two important pieces of the Bolivarian puzzle missing.
(On this point, I must say, I am skeptical. While it is true that Colombia has seen great progress with Uribe, and is likely to keep on choosing similar leaders in the future, Peru is a different matter. It is likely that Garcia wins this election, but what about next? If Garcia does not address the issues that are important for Humala followers, then he [Humala] may be strengthened for the next election and repeat Bolivia's story: In 2002, when Goni won the elections and was elected president over a second-place Evo, everybody breathed calmly and thought that this was it, that Evo would quickly burn out. Fast forward to 2005, where the dissatisfaction about Goni et al's policies translated in 54% of support to Evo. It is possible that this happens in Peru? Yes, it is. It depends on an eventual Garcia term, though. If history serves as a guide, Garcia's will be a disastrous term. If it is true that he has learned from his mistakes, as he and all Humala opposers say, then the cycle may be broken).
El Deber also reports that the opposition has finally appeared. Tuto Quiroga says that Hugo Chavez has finally shown his true plans for Bolivia and interprets Chavez's message as a warning to the world about his interest in excedentary Coca and drug trafficking. Not that many are listening, though.
Finally, a historian points out that Chavez's version of the 'Bolivarian Dream' is a travesty, done to his own image and likeness and has nothing to do with Bolivar's actual plans. Now that's news!
Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo Chavez
El Universal reports that the Confederation would integrate the member countries politically, economically, socially and 'even militarily'. He also said that the member countries would be Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela 'and I [Chavez] don't know about Colombia'.
The idea of this confederation would have appeared after the CAN's death, which, by the way, was killed by the empire. Chavez also said that it was a good idea to wait for the results of the Peruvian and Colombian elections (he proposed the confederation on Sunday, as the Colombian elections were still under way).
Finally, Chavez said that Evo should be the one to start the process by allowing the possibility of a confederation in the new Bolivian constitution. He then said that he would revise the Venezuelan constitution next year.
Santa Cruz's El Deber naively reports that a confederation would be unconstitutional (and thus illegal) under the current constitution. It also says that this confederation is nothing but Chavez's attempt to gain influence, as opposing the US has isolated Venezuela. Moreover, the eventual victory of Alan Garcia in Peru and Uribe in Colombia would leave two important pieces of the Bolivarian puzzle missing.
(On this point, I must say, I am skeptical. While it is true that Colombia has seen great progress with Uribe, and is likely to keep on choosing similar leaders in the future, Peru is a different matter. It is likely that Garcia wins this election, but what about next? If Garcia does not address the issues that are important for Humala followers, then he [Humala] may be strengthened for the next election and repeat Bolivia's story: In 2002, when Goni won the elections and was elected president over a second-place Evo, everybody breathed calmly and thought that this was it, that Evo would quickly burn out. Fast forward to 2005, where the dissatisfaction about Goni et al's policies translated in 54% of support to Evo. It is possible that this happens in Peru? Yes, it is. It depends on an eventual Garcia term, though. If history serves as a guide, Garcia's will be a disastrous term. If it is true that he has learned from his mistakes, as he and all Humala opposers say, then the cycle may be broken).
El Deber also reports that the opposition has finally appeared. Tuto Quiroga says that Hugo Chavez has finally shown his true plans for Bolivia and interprets Chavez's message as a warning to the world about his interest in excedentary Coca and drug trafficking. Not that many are listening, though.
Finally, a historian points out that Chavez's version of the 'Bolivarian Dream' is a travesty, done to his own image and likeness and has nothing to do with Bolivar's actual plans. Now that's news!
Bolivia, Bolivien, Evo, Evo Morales, Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo Chavez
posted by Alvaro Ruiz-Navajas at 5/30/2006
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home