Whenever Latin America is discussed in the media oftentimes the focus is on Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. Talk on Chavez tends to place him as either some leftist regional Messiah (i.e. Venezuela as a socialist paradise for some “academics”) or as a crazed radical (i.e. the irrational fear that the U.S. “will turn into Venezuela”).There’s more to Latin America than so much polarizing talk on Chavez. There are other leaders in the region who are lost in the fray and whose impact, dare I say, is greater than the Venezuelan ruler.
Today’s online version of the Christian Science Monitor examined Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and considered him as holding Latin America’s “trump card.” As the article goes on to mention:
But while Lula, a former union firebrand, effortlessly bands together with Latin America's left, he just as easily peels away, overseeing a market orthodoxy at home that pleases Washington, defies categorization, and has propelled him forward as the true, if understated, leader of Latin America's underclass today.Lula’s strategy of “helping the poor through conditional responsibility” can be seen in other countries with other moderate leaders like in Peru or Chile. The notion that Latin America is turning into some sort of socialist juggernaut belies the gains made in other countries. The region is not the monolithic ideologue it’s made out to be with so much of a focus on Chavez. It’s high time that other heads like Lula become recognized and the aforementioned article is a welcome step in that direction.
"Lula seems to have hit upon a pragmatic approach, using fiscal responsibility as his way to deal with poverty in Latin America, and the results are there," says Thomas Trebat, the executive director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University.
What do you think?
Image- Javno
Sources- csmonitor.com, The Daily Show, IHT
2 comments:
Totally agree. I think Lula has demonstrated that it's not about going to the left, it is about assuming social responsibility like a mature government should. But, yes, I guess because Chávez sings and says crazy things, he's a sure bet for the media to get ratings. Nice post, thanks!
Bart
www.ifonlymyenglishwerebetter.com
Its pretty understood that Brazil is the most influencial country in Latin America and that Lula is the president with the most clout.
But I would hardly call Peru, Chile, and Brazil paragons of social mobility and helping the poor. Brazil has made some progress, but leaves much to be desired.
That said, there are plenty of things to praise Brazil for.
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