This week, the LA Times is running a series of debates on US-Venezuela-Latin American relations between Andres Martinez, senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and Angelo Rivero Santos, the deputy chief of mission of the Venezuelan Embassy in the US. According to the article, the first debate, "Which way, Latin America?" was originally based on the question "Are Central American nations moving toward neo-liberal free markets or a 21st century form of Bolivarian socialism?" but the Times was forced to change the title because Martinez may know less about Central America than Paris Hilton. Instead of answering the original question, Martinez decided to go with something like, "Venezuela sucks and Brazil & Chile rule."
One of Martinez's few mentions of Central America refers to the "conservative pro-American [regimes] in Colombia, Mexico and much of Central America." Huh? Which Central America is he talking about? Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize all have leftist to centrist governments. Most have good relations with the US, but also pursue independent policies. In fact, all of the above mentioned countries except Costa Rica are members of Venezuela's Petrocaribe initiative, which provides low-cost oil to the Caribbean and Central America. According to Reuters, Chavez set up Petrocaribe "in 2005 to bolster his regional influence", because of course, Venezuela has no possible interest in helping prevent its smaller neighbors' economies from collapsing. And sorry Mr. Martinez, but Costa Rica is now also going to join the diabolical scheme (Cuba, the D.R., Jamaica and other smaller island nations are also members).
The only Latin American president that can hang with the pro-Americanism of Colombia's Uribe is El Salvador's Tony Saca. But El Salvador is not "much of Central America" and Saca's term ends next year. Currently, the left-wing FMLN's candidate is ahead by 20+ points in El Salvador's presidential election, and the US and the right-wing ARENA government are desperate. Not desperate enough to propose good policies, but tying Chavez to the FMLN just isn't working. Maybe there's an obscure link to the terrorist FARC. But where can this be found? Gold star if you guessed that propagandistic treasure trove of the right known as the Magic Laptop. US intervention, laptop accusations, and a right-wing media frenzy after the jump.
Contrary to popular discourse, the US has not ignored Central America and El Salvador after it's heavy involvement in the 1980's wars. Or at least, they do remember El Salvador and their nemesis FMLN whenever there's an upcoming election. During the 2004 elections, US Congressman and other officials such as Roger Noriega, Otto Reich and Tom Tancredo publicly declared that many of the 2.5 million Salvadorans in the US would be deported and/or the remittances so many depend on would be cut off if the FMLN won. And it worked. Recently, the US Embassy in El Salvador has finally admitted to a CISPES delegation that they interfered in the 2004 elections, and pledged not to interfere again in the 2009 elections. But the US Embassy reserves the right to oppose "terrorists and anyone who supports them" and has already made statements against the FMLN.
Enter the magic laptop. A report by the Spanish paper El Pais in May first stated that documents from the laptop supposedly implicated an FMLN leader in helping the FARC secure weapons. Supposedly, because code names were used in the emails, and the FMLN denies the involvement of their lone official named by press. There was also accusations that there was FARC-FMLN collaboration during a Colombian peace conference in 2001 held in San Salvador. Yawn. Colombia has handed over 39 documents to the Salvadoran government to assist the investigation/electoral strategy. The right-wing press that dominates El Salvador's media landscape has gone into a tizzy over the allegations.
However, the FMLN candidate, Mauricio Funes remains well ahead in the polls months after the uncorroborated accusations first surfaced. I guess the Salvadoran people have learned from the 2004 elections. Or maybe they're just too concerned with their horrible economic, social and political situation. Bastards.
Either way, the ARENA government and its US ally will not be giving up on El Salvador so easily. That would really let down Mr. Martinez and make his statements on Central America really, really stupid. And you can bet this is not the last piece of "information" that is retrieved from that super duper magical laptop. What country will it visit next?
