****In trying to create the “army of the dawn” Chavez has gone too “farc”.
What is the Organization of American States, OAS, going to do? As a geologist I confess to ignorance regarding the rules of diplomacy. But let me explain what has happened. In the recent meeting of ALBA (Spanish for "Dawn"), the economic group created by Hugo Chavez to serve as his answer to the Free Trade Agreements of Latin American countries with the U.S., he made a formal proposal to the member countries: “We should structure a military alliance against the United States”. On the basis of this proposal the mighty armies of Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Dominica and Venezuela plus the forces of observer Ecuador should come together to crush, if need be, the imperialistic monster, the U.S. A few hours later only Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan president, was talking still tough. Ecuador had quickly rejected this strange proposal while the other member countries remained speechless. What is so incredible about this development? That all of the countries involved, both the potential members of the new army and the potential target of this army are members of the Organization of American States, OAS.
The idea of Chavez is very stupid, of course, but is also incompatible with the permanence of Venezuela in the OAS. How can a member country of the OAS ask other members of the OAS to join in the use of military force against a member of the OAS and think that it can stay in the organization? How can the OAS, days after this strange request has been officially put forward by Chavez, remain silent, like if nothing had happened?
This kind of happenings remind us that Latin America is the land of magic realism, where anything can be expected to take place. However, I have reached the point in which I wonder: Is this just magic realism or is it cowardice, lack of principles and of the most basic decency?
What is the Organization of American States, OAS, going to do? As a geologist I confess to ignorance regarding the rules of diplomacy. But let me explain what has happened. In the recent meeting of ALBA (Spanish for "Dawn"), the economic group created by Hugo Chavez to serve as his answer to the Free Trade Agreements of Latin American countries with the U.S., he made a formal proposal to the member countries: “We should structure a military alliance against the United States”. On the basis of this proposal the mighty armies of Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Dominica and Venezuela plus the forces of observer Ecuador should come together to crush, if need be, the imperialistic monster, the U.S. A few hours later only Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan president, was talking still tough. Ecuador had quickly rejected this strange proposal while the other member countries remained speechless. What is so incredible about this development? That all of the countries involved, both the potential members of the new army and the potential target of this army are members of the Organization of American States, OAS.
The idea of Chavez is very stupid, of course, but is also incompatible with the permanence of Venezuela in the OAS. How can a member country of the OAS ask other members of the OAS to join in the use of military force against a member of the OAS and think that it can stay in the organization? How can the OAS, days after this strange request has been officially put forward by Chavez, remain silent, like if nothing had happened?
This kind of happenings remind us that Latin America is the land of magic realism, where anything can be expected to take place. However, I have reached the point in which I wonder: Is this just magic realism or is it cowardice, lack of principles and of the most basic decency?
2 comentarios:
The cooler heads in Managua pointed out that the Nicaraguan Constitution states the military can only be used for defensive purposes.
Ortega has no original ideas of his own. He is very good at repeating what Chavez says.
Sorry, John, but that's not the point. Venezuela should have been thrown out of the OAS immediately. Did the OAS request an explanation from the Venezuelan representative? Of course not. Insulza is too busy working on his presidential aspirations (Chilean). BTW, this organization has become the laughing stock of practically everyone. Cesar Gaviria started running it into the ground and Insulza has finished what Gaviria started. Sad....
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