Daily Headlines: April 11, 2011

* Latin America: Latin America’s strong economic growth contributed to a spike last year in regional arms spending according to an analysis from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

* Mexico: Details emerged of a renewed pilot program agreed to by Presidents Felipe Calderon and Barack Obama last month that would permit Mexican long-haul truckers to transport in the U.S.

* Dominican Republic: President Leonel Fernandez declared that he would not run again next year though he did not discard seeking the presidency in 2016.

* U.S.: Baseball star Manny Ramirez retired on Saturday supposedly after testing positive once again for performance-enhancing drugs.

Image – AP via CSMonitor.com (2008 image where “Venezuelan soldiers shouted as they marched during the country's July 5 independence day military parade in Caracas.”)
Online Sources- Xinhua, The Latin Americanist, Reuters, Time, MSNBC

Ibero-American Summit: That's a Wrap

Over the weekend, the presidential envoys packed up and left El Salvador after the 18th Iberoamerican Summit there. As promised, I'm updating last week's mid-summit post. Sadly, there is little else to show for it.

Very little newsworthy items come out of this summit, and very little agreement was voiced in the individual speeches. Examples include:

• Ending the US embargo against Cuba


• Condemning capitalism as a failed economic model


• Ensuring cost-free access to primary and secondary education in all countries of the region

None of these ambitious ideas, however, are clearly reflected in the final "Declaration of El Salvador" (which, as it happens, I have been unable to find in full text online -- kudos to anyone who can post it...). This Univision news link summarizes the main items of the declaration.

Much of the news coverage of the event focused on negative aspects; empty speeches, protests and counter-youth summit held across the city, where youth leaders bemoaned the bluster of politicians that fail to take necessary actions.

It's hard to blame them; El Salvador is considered one of the most unsafe countries in the region to be a young person. Meanwhile, Dominican president Leonel Fernandez made a statement in his speech that "any country that dedicates less than 4% of it's GDP to education has a failed education system" - that same day in his home country, the minister of education told the press that he hoped that the budget for the coming year would dedicate 2.5%.

Minor ironies and gaffes aside, perhaps most newsworthy were the notable absences and late arrivals. While 22 heads of state were invited, three (those of Uruguay, Cuba, and Venezuela) were absent, while those of (Honduras, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil) arrived late and/or left early. Also making headlines in El Salvador were the numerous women's groups protesting the summit because of Daniel Ortega's presence (after a nearly decade-long case, charges of sexual abuse of his stepdaugther were recently dropped in Nicaragua)

Sources: Listin Diario, Hoy, Prensa Grafica, Xinhua, AFP, IPSNews, Univision

Dominicans ponder constitutional reform

Dominican lawmakers are now embroiled in a political battle about the process of constitutional reform, which President Leonel Fernandez has for years called "essential" to remove the country from gridlock.

The proposed reforms would modernize the courts, clarify domestic and economic policy items, and perhaps most controversially, affect the term limits of the presidency.

Some opponents consider the reform unnecessary, citing numerous previous efforts and the young age (6 years) of the current constitution. They also believe that any reforms must take place in a constitutional assembly, to which the Fernandez administration has not agreed.

Opponents from the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) claim that the proposed reforms, now being debated in congress, threaten the democratic process in the Dominican Republic and constitute a power grab by the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). In 2002, when the PLD was in power, the constitution was amended by a process of executive constitutional review (not through the legislature) to allow for consecutive re-election (which permitted Leonel Fernandez to win his current term through 2012). PRD opponents who believe a constitutional assembly is now called for, however, believe that the reforms on the table, contrary to those in 2002, represent a new constitution altogether.

The jury is still out on which side has the law on their side, but given that the supreme court justices are said to be more closely aligned with the PLD, it likely that President Fernandez will ultimately get his way.

Sources: Listin Diario, El Caribe, Nuevo Diario, Dominican Today, DR1

Three-peat for Dominican president

Dominican President Leonel Fernández was sworn in over the weekend for his historic third term in office – a feat which will place him among the top 4 longest-serving presidents in the country's history, along with Ulises Heureaux and former caudillos Rafael Trujillo and Joaquin Balaguer. Fernández, by contrast, has never lost a presidential election nor been accused of any serious electoral fraud in any of his 3 presidential victories.

In his inaugural address, Fernández warned of the looming threat of a faltering world economy the likes of which "has not been seen since the Great Depression.”

He also used the opportunity to shuffle key members of his cabinet, including Education, Labor and Commerce, and Interior and Police.

Several foreign dignitaries were on hand, and there was some international speculation that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez would make the visit, though he ultimately sent a diplomatic representative in his place.

Sources: AFP, Listin Diario, Dominican Today, El Caribe, DR1

Poll: Dominican president favorite in election

With general election coming up on Friday Dominican President Leonel Fernandez has a comfortable lead over his closest rivals based on a recent poll. 56% of respondents to a poll by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates selected Fernandez to continue in the presidency; this is compared to 37% and 5% to the rivals from the country’s two other major parties.

If the poll numbers reflect the voters’ choices on Friday then Fernandez will win without a runoff round. Several experts observed that Fernandez has some serious challenges ahead of him if he goes on to a third non-consecutive term:

"He is going to be trying to complete the unfinished business from the term that he is concluding now," said Dan Erikson, a Caribbean expert at Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based think tank.

"The Dominican Republic still has to deal with facing ongoing social problems, inadequate education and health care for many people and also just the basic element of job creation," Erikson said…

"To me the main challenge will be economic and just managing the economy in times of crisis," (said Eduardo Gamarra, a Latin American expert at Florida International University who has worked as a consultant for Fernandez.)

Image- BBC News (Dominican President Leonel Fernandez along with his Colombian and Venezuelan counterparts earlier this year)

Sources- Reuters, Angus Reid Consultants

Daily Headlines: May 9, 2008

* Chile: The massive cloud of ash from the erupting Chaiten volcano in Chile has spread through parts of South America and has raised health concerns as far away as Buenos Aires, Argentina.

* Caribbean: Introducing the newest weapon in the “war on drugs” - Britain's Prince William.

* Cuba: Remember the “gala" held by Cuban exiles in honor of Luis Posada Carriles? As was to be expected, the Cuban government was none too happy over the soiree.

* Dominican Republic: The Economist.com gives a positive review of president Leonel Fernández, who is running for a third term.

Image- CNN

Sources- The Latin Americanist, AFP, Economist.com, Reuters