Season 8 of the West Wing

Well, not quite. But if it ever was going to happen the credits would look like this:

Obama vs Chavez: So it begins…

(reuters) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday Barack Obama had the “stench” of his predecessor as U.S. president and was at risk of being killed if he tries to change the American “empire.

Chavez said frayed ties with Washington were unlikely to improve despite the departure of Bush, who the Venezuelan leader has often called the “devil.”

“I hope I am wrong, but I believe Obama brings the same stench, to not say another word,” Chavez said at a political rally on a historic Venezuelan battlefield.

“If Obama as president of the United States does not obey the orders of the empire, they will kill him, like they killed Kennedy, like they killed Martin Luther King, or Lincoln, who freed the blacks and paid with his life.”

Venezuela is a leading supplier of oil to the United States and the two countries once enjoyed close ties.

Relations deteriorated after Chavez first won election in 1998 as he took on U.S. companies as part of his socialist agenda of nationalization of various industries and accused Washington of backing a brief coup against him.

Last year, he expelled the U.S. ambassador from Venezuela.

Chavez’s foreign policy is based on countering U.S. global influence and promoting countries like Russia and China as world leaders. He has close ties to U.S. foes Cuba and Iran.

What Obama said:

In an interview shown in the past week on the Spanish-language network Univision, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said that Venezuela’s firebrand president, Hugo Chávez, has hindered progress in Latin America, and he expressed concern that Chávez’s leftist government has assisted Colombia’s biggest guerrilla movement, a group the United States considers a terrorist organization.

Obama said his administration is open to starting talks with Chávez to improve relations, which have frayed badly since the Bush administration celebrated Chávez’s brief overthrow at the hands of rebellious military officers in 2002. But in the 13-minute interview aired by Univision, Obama said Chávez had “been a force that has interrupted progress in the region.”

He then raised the issue of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a 45-year-old rebel group loathed by Colombians for carrying out selective assassinations, attacks on civilian targets and mass kidnappings. Last year, Colombian authorities released internal rebel documents that outlined how Chávez and his close allies had assisted the group in an effort to isolate Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, the Bush administration’s closest ally in Latin America. The Chávez government denies it helps the FARC, as the group is known.

“We need to be firm when we see this news, that Venezuela is exporting terrorist activities or supporting malicious entities like the FARC,” Obama said. “This creates problems that are not acceptable.”

Former Presidents to Obama: “Democracy in Latin America Needs Support”

I came across this letter online and felt compelled to share it on the Blog. I read it here, but think it was originally posted on the Wall Street Journal. Authors: Mr. Jose Maria Aznar is a former prime minister of Spain. Mr. Vicente Fox is a former president of Mexico. Mr. Andres Pastrana is a former president of Colombia. Mr. Julio Maria Sanguinetti is a former president of Uruguay. Mr. Francisco Flores is a former president of El Salvador.

We are friends of the United States. We admire the long firm commitment of the American people to the values of freedom, democracy and individual dignity. When we served our countries, we did our best to strengthen hemispheric and transatlantic links with the U.S.

A few weeks ago, the American people held their 56th presidential election. The freedom of the American people to express their will through the democratic process has shown the world once more that the achievements of a great nation rely on the strong respect for the principles of pluralism, free public opinion, and the rule of law.

We have always believed that close relations among democratic nations is not only good bilaterally but globally as well. Friendship, respect, cooperation and trade among democracies promote prosperity, encourage stability, and reinforce freedom.

President-elect Barack Obama and his new administration and Congress will face difficult challenges and threats. Their decisions and actions will play a decisive role in the promotion of democracy and prosperity throughout the world.

Right now, we are undergoing a financial crisis of unprecedented dimensions. In this globalized world, cooperation, leadership, intellectual honesty and political courage are required more than ever. Judging from our experience governing, we can see that some new answers will be required to address this crisis. We need creative solutions, and they should be based on the sound principles of accountability and transparency. However, we should not neglect the other problems we face.

Mr. Obama’s choice for secretary of state — Hillary Clinton — will help build bridges of understanding and cooperation with Latin America. Latin America is an integral part of the community of nations that share the values of liberal democracy and market economy. Its combined GDP is larger than China’s GDP.

History shows that whenever Latin America has been neglected the cause of freedom and prosperity has been undermined. Therefore, it is essential that nations that embrace the principles of freedom and democracy band together to face today’s security threats.

We live in a dangerous world. The demise of communism was a step forward in the cause of liberty. But history has returned. The old enemies of free and open societies pose new challenges to the world. Terrorism, whatever its nature, continues to pose a threat to civilization and peace. Islamism is both a model and a yoke for millions. Regressive utopianism is spreading in many Latin American countries through a wave of populism. Nationalism and religious fanaticism continue to feed conflict and instability.

The enemies of freedom that share anti-Western views are now forming new alliances. Liberties and freedoms are progressively being diminished inside some Latin American countries while hard-power foreign policies are being implemented as a means to increase influence and weaken the common enemy: the West. Latin Americans must continue to work with their American partners and friends to ensure the protection of democracy and other civil institutions. We must promote a transition to democracy in Cuba and direct our efforts to avoid the resurgence of authoritarian regimes.

Poverty is a painful reality in many countries. Millions of people do not have access to health care or education. This is unacceptable. We strongly believe that the benefits of globalization should be available to everybody. We have found in our own countries that strengthening democratic institutions, providing good governance, and opening up our borders to trade is the best way to improve social conditions and economic welfare.

Latin America has much to gain from free trade. Successfully negotiating free-trade agreements will help bring progress and prosperity to Latin American countries, as well as around the globe.

Today, there are over 40 million people with strong links to Latin America who live in the U.S. and, through their dynamism, contribute to its greatness. The tradition of freedom embraced by the U.S. is in accord with Hispanic traditions and culture. The peaceful coexistence of the American and Hispanic traditions reinforces the idea of Latin America being part of the Western world.

Latin America needs support against the threats it currently faces. It is essential that Latin America be able to count on the support of the U.S. if it is to succeed at promoting and consolidating common values and principles.

Latin American democrats share the dream of freedom and progress with the American people. President-elect Obama embodies a hope that should be fulfilled.

Russia in America’s “backyard”

Chavez and Medvedev have a chat

Russia is in the middle of a concerted effort to strengthen ties wth Latin American countries, particularly Venezuela and its close allies in the “Bolivarian revolution”. It seems as though Russia has been waiting to present one of the most visible challenges in years to American influence in the region.However, it may not be the best time to do so.

Only a few months ago, with oil prices high, Russia was flush with cash and planning a variety of measures, including helping Venezuela build a nuclear reactor and strengthening military ties with Cuba, a former cold war ally of the Soviets.

But here is where we sit now:

1.Oil prices have plunged and the soaring revenues are gone

2.Latin Americans are much less wary of President-Elect Barack Obama than they have been of George Bush for the last 8 years. Obama has raised hopes throughout Latin America of a new era of improved relations with the United States.

What is interesting here is that Obama is going to be sworn in as president at a time in which democracy has suffered some serious setbacks in some Latin American countries and at a time in which Russia is, once again, trying to be a balancing power in the region and is courting increased partnerships with countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua and to some extent, Brazil (among others). Obama’s approach towards Latin America needs to be strategic and should forge further economic ties with the folks in the south, while always keeping the promotion of the essential elements of democracy in mind (something already agreed to in the OAS charter).

Things to consider:

Two Russian long-range strategic nuclear bombers landed in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, for the first time in September. Mr Chavez described their visit as a “warning” to the United States.

Igor Dygalo, the Russian Navy spokesman, said that the joint manoeuvres would begin on December 1. The Peter the Great carries 20 nuclear cruise missiles and up to 500 surface-to-air missiles.

Latin America was the focus of intense ideological competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Venezuela has signed deals to buy Russian arms worth more than $4 billion since 2005.

Something to think about my friends.

Will Clinton be the democracy watchdog?

It seems set in stone: Hillary Clinton will be the next administration’s Secretary of State. This means that she will be the face of this administration abroad and will be responsible for much of the foreign afffairs portfolio. It also means that defending the essential elements of democracy in the Americas may rest on th shoulders of the former Democratic Candidate for President.

She has been vocal in her opposition to Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro and leaders that tend towards authoritarianism. President-Elect Obama and Clinton now have an opportunity to put their money where there mouth is and make a serious effort to stregthen democracies in the Americas.

Living la vida coca…

The announcement that Bolivia will not allow the recently expelled Drug Enforcement Agency officers into the country came on the same week Morales made a whole big hoopla about trying to create a positive working relationship with President-Elect Barack Obama.

This should reeeaaally help. Talk about terrible politics.