Latin American Christian Democrats Call for Removal of Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro (Translation)

La Crónica de Hoy ( Mexico City ) ^ | January 28, 2007 | Jose Contreras and Adolfo Sanchez Venegas ( translated by self )

[StJacques]

The Christian Democratic Organization of America warns about risks of Populism and calls upon related parties to work to remove rulers like Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro from power.

By: Jose Contreras and Adolfo Sanchez Venegas

Sunday 28 January 2007 | Hour of publication: 12:47 p.m.

The Christian Democratic Organization of America (ODCA) will promote the transition to democracy in Cuba and the liberation of political prisoners and will strive for the recovery of those governments in Latin America which are in the hands of the Left, the President of the body, Manuel Espino Barrientos, indicated.

In a press conference, the man who is also the national director of the PAN Party¹ affirmed that those parties who make up the ODCA agreed to seek the bringing together of the greater part of political actors and rulers in the idea that in Cuba what is lacking is a national reconciliation; that all Cubans should assume among themselves the challenge of the peaceful transition to democracy.

He stated: "With respect to Cuba, we would like the greater number of [political] actors to recognize that the principal deterioration is between the dictatorship and the Cuban people, not between the United States and Cuba; it is a problem of the internal character of that people."

And he added: "We will try to get agreement on the necessity of the liberation of political prisoners, which must be the central political emphasis of all international efforts, to promote the free entrance and exit to the country so as to promote contact among and reunification of Cuban families."

Furthermore, he said, "we will promote a proactive support of the initiatives of the Cuban opposition, in particular those coming from the democratic movement on political prisoners."

With respect to other regions of America, Manuel Espino pointed out: "We want to synergize the action of parties because we are working towards common objectives; we are all working together [in the electoral campaigns] for the governments of the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Brazil."

"We will offer solid services in qualifying [candidates], methods of working for electoral campaigns. We must recover the value of politics because in a non-democratic environment, politics becomes a difficult task."

Espino Barrientos assured everyone that the fact that the ODCA tries to form alliances to see to it that parties distinguished from those which profess an ideology of the left win elections in various countries of Latin America, and at the same time to promote a national reconciliation and democratic transition in Cuba, that it would not interfere with the plans of President Felipe Calderon to seek rapprochement with some governments.²

He emphasized: "Neither in the ODCA nor in the PAN Party do we attempt to have brushes with anyone; in this we are totally in agreement with President Calderon, so it is going to be very easy to form a working relationship with him."

With respect to Venezuela, Manuel Espino indicated that in that country "they have not had governments of the right, only humanists of the center, individual politicians in electoral competition who were respectful of the laws and the will of the citizens when those communities opted for other political projects."

Manuel Espino indicated that the ODCA has the best political program for Latin America and the Carribean "and we will know how to sell it to the people."

It is necessary to remove Chavez and Castro from power

"Latin America is running the danger of falling into the populism of the left which drives Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro and, with it, puts at risk the well-being of millions of people," Marcelino Miyares, Vice President of Political Action of the Christian Democratic Organization of America (ODCA) warned.

Also, he indicated that the so-called parties of the democratic center must work arduously to fill the vacuum and the lack of political leadership in the Latin American region, after taking away "the power" which the leaders of Venezuela and Cuba have attained.

He affirmed that the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, is an example to follow and his country is not running the risk of falling into populist politics. "Fortunately they have a center democratic government and surely that is going to permit them to resolve their serious problems, though acting with responsibility and social sensibility," he added.

In an interview he mentioned that Christian Democracy in Latin America must fill the vacuum which exists for the lack of political leadership which in some manner Chavez and Castro are filling. The proof of this, he said, is that which is now happening in Bolivia and Ecuador.³

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Translator's Notes:

¹ The PAN Party, or "National Action Party," is the center-right political party of current Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

² Calderon has stated an eagerness to reestablish normal relations with Venezuela in particular, which were adversely affected by the December, 2005 expulsion of the Venezuelan Ambassador to Mexico, Vladimir Villegas, for interference in Mexican internal affairs during the presidential campaign.

³ The victories of hard left candidates Evo Morales in Bolivia in 2005 and Rafael Correa in Ecuador this past December have been considered major successes for the Left in Latin America.

 

[StJacques]

There is a lot more going on here that might meet the eye at first and, even though it is by no means an earth-shaking development at present, the longer-term implications of what this story reveals about what is happening in Latin American politics may be quite profound and something that offers hope.

It appears that the recent efforts of the hard left regimes of Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, and Rafael Correa -- I'm leaving Daniel Ortega out on purpose because his national legislature opposes him -- in developing an ideological foreign policy that transcends national boundaries is provoking a response and a challenge. In a sentence, opponents of the Left in Latin America may be standing up to promote their own alternative. And the open call to remove Chavez and Castro from power qualifies their effort as a confrontational one, something I applaud in no uncertain terms.

For those of you who may not be aware, the tradition of "Christian Democracy" in Latin America is that of a genuinely political movement, with political parties bearing the name and a history of some success, though not much in recent memory. They are particularly important in Chile, where they joined Chilean leftist Michelle Bachelet in a coalition government whose internal ties have been shaky to say the least. And in its international makeup, the Chilean Christian Democrats have long exercised a strong influence, something which may be changing now, which is why the Mexican location chosen for this meeting, the selection of the head of Mexico's PAN Party to lead the organization, and its touting of Felipe Calderon as a worthy example for Latin American leaders to follow are important.

Traditionally, Mexico has had little association with the larger body of Christian Democratic parties in Latin America. In part this has been due to the fact that Mexican politics has usually looked to its own leaders for political inspiration and ideas. The real centers of Christian Democratic organization were always Chile, Argentina, and Brazil; though affiliated parties in Costa Rica and elsewhere have been at times successful. However; as many of you who have been following the "Mexican Left Watch" threads will be well aware, the larger Latin American political context has expanded to include Mexico recently, as we have been pointing out repeatedly, in that Lopez Obrador's presidential candidacy last year and the activities of the APPO leftists in Oaxaca have all been assisted (see Comments esp.) by Venezuelan, Cuban, and even Bolivian support. This intrusion of the Latin American Left into Mexican political life is now apparently being answered by opponents of the Left both in Mexico and abroad in Latin America. The Christian Democratic Organization's web site even stresses the importance of having a Mexican and the leader of the PAN Party as its President.

One of the key points contained in the quoted statements of Manuel Espino Barrientos above is the emphasis upon securing capable and effective "political leadership" in developing a challenge to the Left in Latin America. And on that point, the signficance of this release becomes clear -- Felipe Calderon's prestige is growing rapidly in Latin America as the political center and right are both recognizing him as a leader in whom they can place trust. We should all keep in mind that the confrontation between the hard left Hugo Chavez and his followers represent must be made across a broad front, certainly involving more than just a war of ideas. Opponents of Chavez's Bolivarianismo need a leader they can point to as a worthy example to hold up in contrast, and the Christian Democrats are moving very quickly to single out Calderon.

Finally; I must point out that the above news item may portend ill for the future political fortunes of Chile's President Michelle Bachelet. Chile's Christian Democrats, who form a vital part of her center-left coalition government, have been openly at odds with Hugo Chavez and very critical of Bachelet's ties with the Venezuelan President. The fact that the larger Christian Democratic Organization is now calling for Chavez's ouster from power outright cannot be considered anything less than a direct warning to Bachelet that any maintenance of close ties with Chavez's Venezuela, which have been diminished recently, will be met with open opposition. And that does not even begin to raise the question of the rhetoric associated with the Christian Democratic statements shown above, which seems to portend for direct confrontation.

[StJacques]

A combined "Latin American Left Watch" and "Mexican Left Watch" ping going out here.

[sageb1]

Bookmark.

[speedy]

I have often why there wasn't more of an effort to combat the international Left by having an organization of the international Right. The Left has for years been involved in cross-border activities that don't seem to be countered by the forces of the Right. Maybe this group is a step in that direction.

[Army Air Corps]

I agree. I am rather heartened by the effort to unify centrist and centre-right parties and organisations. Cross-border leftist action should be met with coordinated rightist efforts.

[tanuki]

Thanks for posting!

I hope that the Christian Democrat movement in Latin America can have the same effect as the Christian Democrat movement did in the post-WWII world. At its inception, at least, Christian Democracy in Europe, together with the US prescence, effectively blocked the spread of the Communist bloc and eventually helped roll it back. Hopefully, the same will happen down south.

[Army Air Corps]

Chavez ping

[Army Air Corps]

Here is an article that is liklely to be of interest to you.

[StJacques]

". . . The Left has for years been involved in cross-border activities that don't seem to be countered by the forces of the Right. Maybe this group is a step in that direction."

speedy, you have really gotten to the heart of it here.

This is something qualitatively new in its formulation of an international anti-Left alliance in Latin America and quantitatively new in that Mexico is joining the fray.

I must be honest and say that they have a long way to go, but what I'm particularly wondering about is whether Felipe Calderon will enter into the ideological war now being waged and openly take-on Chavez in full view of the rest of Latin America. Calderon is a most intelligent man -- Harvard educated -- and based upon what I myself have heard and understood of the man in what I have seen in televised newsclips and read in print I have no doubt he could make picadillo (rough translation="mincemeat") of Chavez rather easily.

If I see that, I will be posting.

[Cacique]

btt

[Victoria Delsoul]

Interesting article. Thanks for the ping, AAC.

[speedy]

Thanks, StJacques, and thanks for posting this interesting article. I see no reason why our side can't coordinate political strategies as effectively as their side. At the very least it might combat that feeling that we are always being attacked from a thousand different angles and give them a taste of their own medicine.

The Left always hates that!

[Army Air Corps]

De nada.

I am hopeful that this movement grows and that opposition to Chavez grows in Latin America and that the opposition becomes unified.

[Army Air Corps]

It would be something if this Latin American movement led to a greater corrdination of rightist effort beyond Latin America and the new world. Left-wingers have had, their unified fronts such as the ComIntern, and, presently, International ANSWER, etc.

[Victoria Delsoul]

I hope so.

[Army Air Corps]

If these folks are looking for donations, I still have some loose cash after paying bills. Personally, I would like to see this kind of coordination and cooperation among rightist parties and organisations grow throughout the Americas. Gotta stop commies where ya can.

[Victoria Delsoul]

I agree with your assessment. We need to stop them.

[StJacques]

I appreciate that you guys "get it."

Thank you for your comments.

[Army Air Corps]

I appreciate that you guys "get it."

Indeed. I have read Marx and understand his writings, that is why I oppose Marxism in all of its destructive forms. The opposition is transnational. They move money and material support around the globe. Freedom loving people and parties should and can do the same to oppose what is ultimately a threat to all humankind.

[StJacques]

". . . Freedom loving people and parties should and can do the same to oppose what is ultimately a threat to all humankind."

Well I really liked that.

I spend a lot time and exert a considerable personal effort to track the activities of the Left in Latin America and if someone were to ask me why I do it I would probably say something equivalent to your just-posted quote.

[Victoria Delsoul]

You're welcome.

[Army Air Corps]

Good on you!

Socialism/Communism consume people. This is the easiest way to distill the ideology. Marxism reduces humans to automatons whose only function is to be a vassal of the State and toil only in the way that the State sees fit. When a vassal is no longer useful or becomes "troublesome", the cog is removed (be it to a gulag or the grave). Marxism is an ideology that, when practiced, feasts on human blood and misery. It is a ghoul.

[StJacques]

"Good on you!"

Thank you Army Air Corps. I have gotten a little recognition for my work. Liddy got me on, PubliusPundit, and Megaresistencia, a Venezuelan resistance site all took notice of my work on Chavez and Mexico. I mention that because the news in this particular thread raises the possibility of Mexico repaying Chavez the favor. I cannot put that front and center yet, but I wasn't kidding speedy when I told him I will post any news I find that Calderon owns up to the challenge.

If that happens Hugo Chavez will discover that he has poked a stick into a beehive and he will get stung.

[Alia]

Your translations and additional insight are the best to read, StJacques.

For the most part, in my limited knowledge, I think Calderon would be wise to ignore Chavez' antics, until that time that the blowhard Chavez gets in his face. Chavez has no patience, he will, IMHO, at some point begin to make demands.

[StJacques]

". . . I think Calderon would be wise to ignore Chavez' antics . . ."

I actually think this is a question of timing. What Calderon needs to do first is to make a name for himself as a success. Then, with a proven track record in hand, he could step forth and take on the ideological challenge.

It is worth remembering that during the shutdown of Mexico City's central business district last summer by Lopez Obrador and his followers that the PRD supporters manning the plantónes sat and watched a near constant stream of Hugo Chavez videos -- these were shown on megasized digital TV monitors as big as the walls of buildings -- and that they put Chavez forth as a worthy example for Mexicans to emulate. Calderon did not introduce Chavez into the ideological struggle within Mexico. Lopez Obrador and the PRD openly made him a part. Given that AMLO is continuing his now all-but-ineffective protest, Calderon needs no other justification for attacking Chavez in front of the Mexican people. He can, and I think should, hang the "Chavez bell" around AMLO's neck.

I am in no doubt that the Mexican people will frown upon Chavez's "rule by decree" to a degree far surpassing that of any other countries in Latin America with the possible exceptions of Colombia and Costa Rica. Lovers of freedom should do what they can to exploit those attitudes.

[StJacques]

It appears that Calderon is already speaking out against what Chavez is doing.

This is a short translated excerpt from today's La Crónica de Hoy in Mexico City on Calderon's statements on his visit to London:

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Calderon ratifies respect for the peoples of Latin America

The President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, ratified his profound respect for all the peoples of Latin America "without exception" and he made the most of the opportunity to exhort them to dialogue through concrete deeds.

During his working tour of Europe, Calderon has promoted Mexico as a country secure for investment and he has committed himself "to respect property rights," while considering that governments must not try to control by means of expropriations or returning to the past with dictatorial practices or personal dictatorships.

"I have defended public policies which I am sure will permit Mexico and Latin America to confront their present and future challenges with excitement," he indicated this Monday in a message emitted in the British capital.

He reiterated that "dialogue over the future of Latin America must be on the public alternatives which we have for offering prosperity to our people and not on the judgements of [individual] people, in particular on rulers."

The Mexican Chief Executive clarified that his comments were never personal, in allusion to the response of the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who alluded to and requested respect for the Mexican President.

In a brief message he said that he shares with other rulers the idea of fomenting the unity and integration of the Latin American countries for whom it is indispensable that [in their] governments "we are able to express our agreements and differences in a mature and respectful form and to analyze together the alternatives for our peoples without incurring (personal) attacks." . . .
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From what I see here, Calderon intends to further the idea of Latin American integration though he apparently wants it to proceed separate and apart from ideological content. And, in spite of his comments qualifying his statements as being "not personal," he definitely tagged Chavez as a return to the past.

Maybe this is just a first salvo.

[StJacques]

A Mexican Left Watch ping going out this time as a follow-up to the original post.

It seems that the Mexican Left is taking the Calderon alliance with the Organization of Christian Democrats seriously. The PRD in the Federal District met today in Mexico City to consider openly developing a "united front" encompassing the union of the Left in Mexico with their counterparts in countries elsewhere in Latin America as an answer to the call of the Christian Democrats for a unified "anti-left" alliance.

The following is from today's issue of El Universal in Mexico City:

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The PRD in the Federal District looks to analyze strategies of the ODCA

They will initiate encounters with diplomatic representatives of countries of Latin America, where the Left governs

Ella Grajeda
El Universal
Mexico City
Monday 29 January 2007

4:02 p.m.  The PRD in the Federal District will initiate encounters with diplomatic representatives of countries of Latin America, where the Left governs, with the end of contacting social and political organizations of those nations to analyze the strategy which the Organization of Christian Democrats of America (ODCA), over which Manuel Espino Barrientos presides, is trying to impel forward.

The objective, said Carlos Gamiz, Secretary General of the PRD in the Federal District, is to make a common front of the Left. For this, he said, they first will meet with the ambassadors before the 15th of February and afterwards in October in carrying out a political-cultural festival so that these associations express their point of view.

After the announcement which Manuel Espino, who also is national director of the PAN Party, made in the sense of which one of the ODCA's priorities will be making political alliances to win in countries where the Left governs in Latin America, Carlos Gamiz considered that the Right is very "arrogant" and very active, for reason of which it is important to put this at the top [of the agenda].

In a press conference, he stressed that the Right is postulating a scenario of the forces of good and evil, which will provoke a major confrontation between two manners of governing and thinking.

For that reason, he indicated that before the 15th of February they will establish contact with the embassies of Bolivia, Venezuela, Brasil, Chile, Argentina, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. "The ambassadors cannot intervene in internal politics, but we can still contact their organizations ourselves so that we can make a common front," he made clear.
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So maybe there is more going on than I realized when I posted this thread article. The Left certainly thinks they have to do something.

[Army Air Corps]

Jolly good!

Please add me to your ping list; it provides me with an opportunity to practice my Spanish! Also, the stories are jolly interesting.

[StJacques]

I've got you on the list Army Air Corps.

And I'm glad to have you aboard.

[StJacques]

A combined Mexican Left Watch and Latin American Left Watch ping going out here.

This is a notice of an impending thread post on the Hugo Chavez - Felipe Calderon public spat of the past week. Even though I know tomorrow is a big sports day for us, I will not get the chance to finish some of what is going into the commentary I am adding until I put in a couple more hours work and I try never to post a new thread after 7:00 p.m. Central.

I will try to get the thread up by 10:00 a.m. Central tomorrow. There are some fascinating details to the entire controversy that I want to try to bring together for our discussion.

[Army Air Corps]

Thanks for the Yoeman's work that you do. Keep-up the good work.

[California Patriot]

Yes, keep up the good work.

As for the poor Christian Democrats in Latin America:
Them and what army?

[jazusamo]

Thanks for your continued posts and insight into the threat of Socialism/Marxism in our hemisphere, St Jacques, it is appreciated.

[StJacques]

Thanks guys. One of the reasons I'm going to the lengths I am is that I believe there is better news for the good guys in what has been going down over the past couple of weeks than many people realize. Bottom line -- market forces are going to drive a dividing line between the hard core Latin American Left regimes of Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador and other leftist regimes of varying flavors elsewhere but particularly Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Chavez and his most ardent international supporters are being isolated.

All of this is going against Chavez's "Bolivarian Project" for Latin America. And he's losing the debate in public too now. I've got a lot of links in all of this.

You'll be hearing from me.

[Alia]

Looking forward to it, St. Jacques.

[Shuttle Shucker]

Perhaps Chavez will use the resulting poverty as "justification" for further statism there, while other Leftists will too. Thinking types who can influence enough voters down there will have left before potentially impactful elections transpire, so those countries could be mired in Leftist malaise for the foreseeable future. At least we managed to turn back the tide in our neighbor of Mexico for a while though.

It's noteworthy how Mexico's Carlos Slim is kissing up to Leftist leaders like Nicaragua's Ortega in exchange for cellphone & broadband spectrum concessions, and favorable treatment despite his monopolistic practices. He's propping them up in exchange for considerably more than mere market access.

[Kenny Bunk]

Chavez and his most ardent international supporters are being isolated.

The danger is of course, that in this isolation they will be strengthened among their bases, who are the "disadvantaged" in their respective countries ... and dare we say it, those racially different than those who have most often been dominant in the "ruling classes" of those countries.

For example, it is often overlooked in this country that among Fidel's most fervent and easily identifiable supporters are the African-Cubans. He has shamelessly pandered to them, particularly in regard to positions of power within the armed forces.

The left-wing movements in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador, and even in some minor extent in Chile and Argentina are based on the rapidly increasing numbers of those whose dominant ancestry is non-European.

In Brazil, African-Brazilians are growing in number faster than any other ethnic segment of the population and they are definitely underrepresented in the power structure.

As Latin Americans of European, or even mostly European ancestry become more and more of a minority in their countries, the Left gains in power, based pretty much on promises of redistribution of wealth. The fact that there is actually very little wealth to distribute, given the skyrocketing population growth of the non-European populations, means very little in the streets.

Ironically, this massive population growth among these groups is due to the betterment of living conditions, particularly in health and sanitation. Although certainly not acceptable standards by any 1st world measure, living conditions for those at the bottom have improved enough to accomplish this remarkable increase.

This is evident, microcosmically, in a country like Costa Rica, which had small African-Latino populations living on both coasts in the 1950's, but which was a very European sort of place. Since then the population has probably tripled, and in many places, those with predominantly European ancestry are in the minority.

Latin American views of race and ethnicity are far different from ours, but IMO, it is a component that cannot be ignored in the rise of the left in these countries.

[burzum]

And for those who can read Spanish, I think this is what St. Jacques was going to talk about. This is sort of cool that Calderon responded to Hugo's thuggery with a song, ¡Qué lindo es Michoacán! saying:

«En esa tierra linda de nobles corazones/
sus hombres sin alarde demuestran su valor/
aquí no conocemos los tales valentones/
mas nunca hay quien se raje en cosas del honor»

[burzum]

Of course it probably would have helped when I referred to 'this' by providing a link, eh? (in Spanish for those who can't wait for St. Jacques translation)

http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=163727&sid=30dd2a99e03c3487ddc130738f38277a

[California Patriot]

Well, hope you're right.