The Latin America thread (VE, BR, AR, CU, MX...)

I think we are lacking a South American thread since there are often times various news about the region that I am sure would get a good deal of discussion but that dont quite merit a thread of their own.

This sorts of come from the Oh Argentina thread which then became an Argentina general thread.

SO basically if Chavez does something wacky or Brazil sings a deal with India, or there is a concert in Peru or whatever, post it here.

Take for isntance the elections in Mexico, which is where I want to begin. There are basically 3 candidates, from the 2 traditional Mexican parties, and then the 3rd party contendor. The parties in mexico are the PAN (Partido de Accion Nacional), which is the conservative party, currently in power in Mexico in the form of Felipe´s Calderon presidency, then comes the PRI (Partido de la Revolucion Institucional) which nowadays resembles the Democratic party in the US, and which ruled Mexico for over a 100 years, and then comes the 3rd party candidate who belongs to a coalition of the left which calls itself the PRD (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica).

I personally back the PRD candidate which is called Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, but whom is known as AMLO (Holly shit, Mexicans are good at acronyms). Here is one of his campaing videos:

edited 22nd May '12 7:56:15 PM by Baff

Mexican here. That video wasn't made by AMLO at the end it us directed to the 4 candidates

The fourth one is Quadri from nueva Aliansa.

Venezuelan here!

We too have elections this year. The two big candidates over here are Chavez representing the PSUV (As if that surprises anyone) and Henrique Capriles Radonski, winner of the opposition primaries.

Venezuelan reporting here.

I find it worrysome the lack of context most people have of us. Most people think Chavez isn't all that bad cause he "stick it to the corporations".

So, probably not the best topic but, what do you guys think of Che Guevara? Freedom Fighter, or Complete Monster?

I'm thinking He Who Fights Monsters.

Che's a cultural icon at least.

Plus, his face looks very nice on shirts.

^ Which warms this capitalist's heart, in a weird way. There's something about making an asshole like him a fashion statement sold at Hot Topic or whatever.

(I'm not a fan of the guy nor of the belief system he followed. The latter part is, however, is off-topic in this thread.)

This

Che Guevara was a men from another era.

Hero, Monster?

Probably a bit of both.

But, compared to his adversaries, I would say he was rather benign. He would have his enemies execute by firing squad, instead of being tortured, and compared to the rest of Latin America, he would be responsible for less atrocities relative to the ones committed later and before both by enemies and allies alike.

Americans have tried to hard to demonize him and certain elements have tried to hard to make him into a "secular saint".

But regardless, Che Guevara represents a push for freedom and human dignity, even if his actions did not further this goal, that is what is celebrated trough his iconography.

There is a poem by Mario Benedetti, that I think captures what many think of Che:

"They have covered him with posters/ with placards

with voices on the walls/ with retroactive complaints/ They have turned him into a piece of consumption/ Into trivial memory/ into embalmed anger/

They have chosen to use him as an epilogue/ as the last remnant of vain innocence/ as an aged archetype of saint or Satan/ And perhaps they have resolve that the only way/ of getting rid of him/ and leave him to the elements/ its to empty all passion from him/ and turn him into a hero/ of plaster or marble/ And so forth immobile/ Or better yet, a myth/ the silhouette of a ghost/ of the stepped on past/ Nevertheless, the unclosable eyes of Che/ Look as if they couldnt stop looking/ amazed, maybe, that the world hasnt understood/ that 30 years later he is still braking his back/ sweet and tenacious for the happiness of men./

edited 26th May '12 4:05:00 PM by Baff

Not Latin in any way, shape or fashion. Just lurking and showing love. =P

edited 26th May '12 6:05:34 PM by KingZeal

@OP

Have you heard what happened at ibero?

Yea sort of. Peña Nieto got shouted down didnt he?

EDIT: O, wait... wasnt it the time they asked the candidate what where his favorite books and then he stumbled and replied something like ,the constitution and the bible?

edited 27th May '12 11:42:32 AM by Baff

What do you think about the marches #yosoy132 and all of that? Mexican Spring?

I admire their determination and intentions...but youngers are often naive. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I generally distrust in all this "college kids know the answer" kind of movements.

So, president Lugo of Paraguay was displaced from the presidency.

I am cautiously opitimistic with yo soy 132 nevertheless I dn't want peña nieto to win

So, what do people think about this? Having to move on your own expenses 400 kilometers to New Orleans in order to cast your vote is certain to be a very bad prospect for the 23.000 Venezuelans registered in Miami alone.

I feel bad for those who are shafted by that, but honestly my initial reaction was "*yawn* Another tinpot dictator action", after realizing that the article title had mislead me into thinking Mellonhead doing that in retaliation for Florida's purging non-voters from its voting rolls.

On the other hand, without a consulate in Miami, there's no place that could be considered Venezuelan property to hold the vote and not be able to claim there was no foreign interference in their election cycle.

Of course, even without foreign interference there's still plenty of room for fiddling the vote, only by Chavez's cronies. Vote doctoring is practically a staple of tinpot dictatorships in Latin America, with or without US interference (which has happened in the past, unfortunately).

edited 27th Jun '12 4:25:46 PM by Nohbody

On another front in Venezuela:

Venezuelan Supreme Court orders embargo of anti-Chavez news channel. Earlier the station was fined US$2.1m because it "promoted hatred and intolerance for political reasons" by its reporting of a riot a year ago at the El Rodeo prison that ultimately resulted in at least three people dead, and was ended by negotiation after a 27 day standoff.

Way to polish those tinpot dictator creds, Mellonhead...

edited 2nd Jul '12 1:21:48 AM by Nohbody

Seem slike the pri is going to win again

So Enrique Pena Nieto is now president... what a bummer.

Still, the election was full of corruption. I am not all that sure that it was a fair election.

edited 9th Jul '12 7:11:56 PM by Baff

Fair? Probably not. Legal? Sadly it was, at least by current laws.

Chances are they can't anull it even if there is proof that the campaign limits was exceeded.

I really wish we had a better brand of politicians. Ot at least a police force and courts more able to arrest them.

As for Che Guevara as a popular icon, The Other Wiki has an excellent article.

What do you gus think of the claim (made by many venezuelans I met) that Chavez is "destroying the country"? That the same formula was used over and over and with little elaboration makes me suspect a buzzword.

Yup, that's very common to say.

I'd really like for there to be a Venezuelan around here on Chavez's side to properly represent their side of the story. At the top of my head, since Chavez has been in power...

• Our Economy has turned to the worse even with the oil prices being at the highest during his period.
• Infrastructure has been left unattended which has shown on several power crisis over his presidency.
• There has been a shortage of products. Milk, Cooking Oil, Sugar and many many more.
• Prisons are overpopulated and out of control. Yesterday I saw an article on the newspaper of how a local prison is hosting over three times it's maximum capacity.
• On the same vein, crime has been on the rise. There is a strong sensation of fear in the populace, reinforced by a rise on violent muggings and murders which are left unsolved.
• Education doesn't seem to be well attended. There are near constant strikes by the University professors as they go extended periods of time without pay.
• The hospitals appear to have incredible shortages of essential products.

Among many other things. Chavez has addressed some of this issues with his own personal projects, like bringing Cuban doctors paid by our oil in order to tend to the poorest sectors.

Still, even with all these issues the biggest problem with Chavez is how he is unwilling to give up the power. He demonizes his opposition and detractors, is unwilling to address anyone not on his side and has a very strong (Us vs Them) mentality. He claims that he IS Venezuela, that he is supreme commander and ruler of our country and makes endeavors to keep himself that way. He's been in power for fourteen years and it's still not enough for him. He is not Venezuela, he is merely the last man elected to hold the charge of President... one that before he got into power did not allow reelections and did not last seven years.

Well, nothing like the demon I hear about nor the secular saint.

Merely another prick.

Hanlon's Razor, huh?