Honduras reinstated to OAS

This afternoon members of the Organization of American States (OAS) overwhelmingly voted in favor of readmitting Honduras after an almost two year absence.

All but one of the thirty-three representatives voted in favor of reinstating Honduras, which was suspended from the hemispheric body in the wake of the June 2009 ouster of former President Manuel Zelaya. The “rule of law has not been completed…Repressive impunity continues,” said Ecuadorian diplomat Maria Isabel Salvador who placed the lone vote in objection.

Yet Salvador’s views were not entirely shared by the other representatives that were willing to give Honduras the vote of confidence. “The significance of this cannot be understated,” said Grenada ambassador Gillian Bristol, according to the MiamiHerald.com.

Several events over the past month worked in favor of Honduras’ reinstatement including Zelaya returning to his homeland after courts dropped corruption charges against him. (According to the AP, the possibility that Zelaya could face trial was a sticking point for several countries including Argentina, Brazil, and Nicaragua). Before returning from exile, Zelaya and current president Porfirio Lobo signed a “reconciliation pact” that also facilitated Honduran reinstatement to the OAS.

Several rightwing commentators in the U.S. were highly critical of the process behind Zelaya’s return to Honduras. Former Assistant Secretary of State Roger F. Noriega considered Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez as a puppet master content with either a “friendly government” in Honduras or a failed state where his “allies in the illegal drug trade will prosper.” Ex-Bush administration official José R. Cárdenas also blasted Chavez and added his criticism for Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos who helped broker the Zelaya-Lobo agreement.

Meanwhile, a group of eighty-seven U.S. legislators sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton critiquing her support of Honduras’ reinstatement. In e-mail message we received earlier today, the letter allegedly urged the State Department (DOS) “to vigorously press the Honduran government to take concrete steps to end abuses by official security forces by suspending, investigating and prosecuting those implicated in human rights violations.”

In response, a DOS spokesman said today that the U.S. “will continue to work with the Lobo government to promote greater respect for human rights in Honduras.”

Image- Elmer Martinez/AFP/Getty Images via The Guardian (“The Honduran president, Porfirio Lobo, (left) shakes hands with ousted former leader Manuel Zelaya in Colombia over an agreement to allow the latter's return to his homeland.”)
Online Sources- Department of State, Fox News, Foreign Policy, MSNBC, BBC News, MiamiHerald.com, El Universal

Commentary: Chavez, Uribe aren’t media’s odd couple

*Cue theme music*

One is the conservative president with a heavy hand against rebels and alleged ties to right-wing paramilitaries.

The other is a far-left leader leading a socialist revolution in a country awash in petrodollars.

Yet they are now best friends despite their differences.

Alvaro Uribe and Hugo Chavez star in “El Odd Couple” (right after an all-new episode of “Cane” on CBS).

*End theme music*

Two articles came out today from Reuters and the International Herald Tribune (IHT) that highlighted the unique relationship between the presidents of Venezuela and Colombia. Though they are ideological opposites, the articles cite how relations between both countries are at an all-time high manly due to the ties between both leaders.

Yet this should come as no surprise if one analyzes several factors:

• “It’s the economy, stupid” – Aside from being neighbors Colombia and Venezuela are vital trade partners; according to the IHT piece, Colombian exports to Venezuela will reach “a record $4 billion” this year alone. In addition, both countries have engaged in energy projects with Venezuela being a happy distributor of natural gas and oil to the Colombian market.
• The gringo factor – there is a regionwide disappointment with Washington’s lack of attention towards the Americas. While it’s well-known that Chavez regularly uses anti-U.S. rhetoric (exhibit A), Uribe has certainly had his disappointment with the U.S. Though Uribe has lashed out publicly at Congressional Democrats who have questioned him, he cannot be too pleased in that Felipe Calderon has become President Bush’s closest buddy in the region.
• Rebel yell – Hugo Chavez’ mediation with Colombian guerillas could yield massive gains for both leaders. Uribe would tout a peace deal as vindication of his policies on Colombia’s civil conflict, whereas Chavez would bring international prestige upon him.

Both Uribe and Chavez understand the huge benefits gained by having such a close political and economic relationship. It makes perfect sense for them to carry such a warm rapport regardless of what one thinks of them individually.

Sources- Reuters, International Herald Tribune, The Latin Americanist, Wikipedia, tmcnet.com, The Economist, imdb.com

Image- New York Times

Commentary: “Becks” and the Latin American impact on American soccer

It’s easy to dismiss Major League Soccer (MLS) as a terribly inferior soccer league in a country where the game is of little importance compared to baseball or American football. Even with the arrival of David Beckham to the States some people doubt that his presence will have any sustainable impact to the league and to soccer in the U.S.

Despite the hoopla and hype surrounding Beckham, MLS has a card up its sleeve that may be very valuable for the league: the Designated Player Rule or “Beckham Rule.” The rule allows MLS teams to obtain at least one expensive (read: high-caliber) player without it affecting their salary caps and was created to avoid the bidding wars that led to the demise of the old North American Soccer League. The overall impact of the rule remains to be seen, but so far it has shown some promise in two Latin American players:

• Colombian Juan Pablo Angel (image) takes up one of the two DPR slots for the New York Red Bulls. (The other slot filled by a U.S. player of Argentine background- Claudio Reyna.) The former star for River Plate and Aston Villa was named MLS player of the month for May and June as he has tallied nine goals in only eleven games. Angel’s efforts were even rewarded during the MLS All-Star Game last Thursday where he received MVP honors.
• Mexican star Cuauhtémoc Blanco showed the promise anticipated by fans after he played in his debut with the Chicago Fire last night. "We saw a lot of his skills, his vision, his creativity” observed teammate Calen Carr as Blanco scored the Fire’s lone goal in a 1-1 tie in a friendly against Scotland’s Celtic FC.

“Beckham Rule” aside, several notable players from Latin America have made a serious impact on MLS since its inception over a decade ago from Carlos Valderrama and Raul Diaz Arce to Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Carlos Ruiz. Given MLS has problems to contend with, yet the impact of Latin American players in MLS along with the “Beckham Rule” could easily pay long-term dividends for the league.

Sources- Al Jazeera, MLSNET, Wikipedia, sover.net, Metrofanatic, SI.com, FOX Sports

Image- infobae.com

Oppenheimer: Hooray for pricey petrol!

Miami Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer was thrilled with the high prices of gasoline, according to his latest article. But before you think that he’s finally gone off his rocker Oppenheimer justifies his supposed joy by arguing that:

“Unless gasoline prices rise above $4 a gallon, there won't be a nationwide uproar strong enough to force Washington to get serious about reducing the U.S. suicidal dependence on foreign oil.”

This includes the obvious segue into critiquing “oil-rich tropical autocrats” like Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez whom Oppenheimer categorized as “a perfect example of U.S. oil-funded radicalism”. However, Oppenheimer also goes after U.S. politicians including president George W. Bush by criticizing their strong ties to special interests that benefit directly from U.S.’ foreign oil dependence.

Yet Oppenheimer saves his conclusion to blast the commoners, not the politicos:

“My opinion: This is insane! I have nothing against you buying a light truck or an SUV if you are a soccer mom with quintuplets, a concert bass player, or a rancher in Montana.

But when I see these ever-growing vehicles driving through Miami -- where I have yet to find a hill, let alone a mountain -- with just one person inside, carrying nothing, I can only conclude that America deserves the foreign oil-rich despots that are causing so much trouble.”

Links- Orlando Sentinel

Image- SideSalad.net

News briefs on Immigration

* Political commentator Lou Dobbs latest diatribe against immigrants (and a lame one at that)- choosing May Day as the date for pro-immigrant marches.

* Presidential candidate Bill Richardson and Texas officials join a growing list of politicos that have raised doubts over added fences along the U.S.-Mexico border.

* U.S. immigration officials gave an extension to the Temporary Protection Status for another 18 months; the measure affects citizens of Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.

* Oops! A case of mistaken identity led to the deportation of a legal immigrant from El Paso, Texas to Guatemala.

* Here’s an interesting statistic- according to U.S immigration authorities there’s been a 20% increase in the amount of deportations in 2007 compared to last year.

Links- International Herald Tribune, The Latin Americanist, Guardian UK, El Paso Times, USA TODAY

Image- University of San Diego

Ruben Navarrette Jr.: Political extremes hurt immigration debate

Rather than focus on the lovely little quarrel between Bill O’Reilly and Geraldo Rivera last week we’re going to look at a more realistic and relevant perspective on immigration.

Nationally syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. warned how fringe elements on the political left and right have united to dilute the debate on immigration in the U.S. With President George W. Bush and Congress trying to refocus on the need for immigration reform, Navarrette Jr. admits that the president’s plan is a step in the correct direction even though it will not satisfy the desires of everyone on the political spectrum. Said Navarrette Jr.:

“Conservatives hate the fact that millions of illegal immigrants would be allowed to stay; liberals hate that, from now on, family reunification would no longer be the deciding factor as to who immigrates legally to the country. So, both sides immediately began slinging arrows at the White House.

But these ideas are worth debating. And we can't allow the folks at the extremes to short-circuit those discussions for the sake of their own interest.”

Navarrette Jr. concludes with a call for the public to analyze the situation rationally and to act constructively rather than point fingers at one another:

“When it comes to fixing our broken immigration system, there is no perfect plan. But, as they say, we can't make the perfect the enemy of the good. And as ideas go, there is a lot of good out there. So let's stop looking for flaws and start looking for solutions -- before the problem gets worse.”

On a related note, thousands of demonstrators marched through downtown Los Angeles on Saturday (image) calling for immigration reform as soon as possible.

Links- CNN, MSNBC, CBS News, VivirLatino

Image- CBS News