Posted on 04/17/2002 11:42:21 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
ASHINGTON, April 17 - Watching the Bush administration struggle to respond to recent events in Venezuela, some critics have judged that it was too quick to accept reports of the resignation of President Hugo ChÀavez and too slow to defend the democratic system that elected him.
The administration's performance, said Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, cried out for ``more adult supervision.''
Today, the chief policy maker for Latin America, Otto J. Reich, came back swinging. ``We have reviewed our actions since last Thursday,'' he said. ``I find very little that I would do differently.''
Such is the confidence of Mr. Reich, a former ambassador to Venezuela whose conservative credentials and combative demeanor have made him popular among Republicans but have stirred the suspicions of Democrats.
After a few short months, Mr. Reich is facing his second crisis in Latin America. The first was the collapse of the Argentine economy, to which he has taken a hands-off approach. He is thoughtful and meticulous with experience in the region as a development agency official, diplomat and businessman.
He is also a fierce partisan who cedes little ground to his opponents, particularly those who fail to share his concern over the threats posed by President Fidel Castro of Cuba and, more recently, by Mr. ChÀavez, who has built close ties with Mr. Castro.
In January, after Senate Democrats denied Mr. Reich a hearing on the Latin policy post and refused to confirm him, President Bush granted him a recess appointment, which allows him to serve until the end of the Congressional session - and beyond, if reappointed.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell fully backs Mr. Reich, said the secretary's spokesman, Philip Reeker, calling him a ``key player.''
Mr. Reich asserts that it was Mr. Dodd who blocked his Senate access; he accuses the senator and his staff of ``character assassination.''
A spokesman for Mr. Dodd, Marvin Fast, responded: ``This isn't about character assassination. This is about competence.''
Some of the animus toward Mr. Reich stems from his involvement in what became known as the Iran-contra scandal in the Reagan administration. As director of the State Department's Office of Public Diplomacy, Mr. Reich tried to influence public opinion in support of the Nicaraguan contras, the General Accounting Office found, by resorting to ``prohibited covert propaganda'' like preparing newspaper opinion articles for pro-contra authors.
Mr. Reich has denied wrongdoing and was never charged. Recently, in his first major policy speech as assistant secretary, he made light of the controversy, greeting the ``former colleagues'' and ``unindicted co-conspirators'' in the crowd. Then he complained, ``That was supposed to get a better laugh.''
Otto Juan Reich was born in 1945 in Cuba, which he fled as a teenager. He thrived in his adoptive country, earning a bachelor's degree at the University of North Carolina and a master's in Latin American studies at Georgetown.
His uncompromising views on Cuba have made him a pillar of support for the four-decades-old American trade embargo. His appointment was championed by Cuban exiles, who supported Mr. Bush's presidential campaign, and was viewed as a setback by advocates for more open contacts with Havana. He has criticized corruption in Latin America and promoted free trade.
When the crisis flared up in Venezuela, Mr. Reich, who has made no secret of his disdain for President ChÀavez, was ready to respond. He had been the Venezuela envoy in the late 80's. After that, as a lobbyist, he numbered among his clients Mobil Oil, which has interests in Venezuela.
``My entire life I've done things that have prepared me for this job,'' Mr. Reich said in an interview today.
Recounting the events surrounding the two-day ChÀavez ouster, Mr. Reich asserted that the administration had had no involvement or knowledge - indeed had been operating under an ``information blackout'' in the first hours of the revolt last Thursday.
He defended his decision on Friday to establish contact with Pedro Carmona Estanga, the business leader who sought to replace Mr. ChÀavez. He said the administration would have been criticized even more harshly had it failed to warn Mr. Carmona of its desire to see democratic processes respected.
``I think it would be irresponsible not to do it,'' Mr. Reich said.
Bush Says Chavez Should Learn Lessons From Turmoil - Thu Apr 18,10:42 AM ET - [Full Text] WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush said on Thursday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez should learn from the turmoil that led to his brief ouster last week and take steps to address it.
"It (is) very important for President Chavez to do what he said he was going to do, to address the reasons why there was so much turmoil on the streets," Bush said after meeting Colombian President Andres Pastrana at the White House.
"It's very important for him to embrace those institutions which are fundamental to democracy, including freedom of the press and freedom for the ability of the opposition to speak out," Bush told reporters. "And if there's lessons to be learned, it's important that he learn them." [End]
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