What will happen to the USA economy?Latin America creates bloc excluding Canada, US; name-calling spat spoils unity mood
PLAYA DE CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Latin America and Caribbean leaders united Tuesday to create a regional bloc excluding Canada and the United States, but its birth was undermined by a spat in which the Colombian president told Venezuela's Hugo Chavez to "be a man."
Many of the 32 Latin American and Caribbean countries participating in the summit have long called for a new organization that will not be dominated by the interests of their two wealthy northern neighbors. The Washington-based Organization of American States, the largest diplomatic bloc in the Western Hemisphere, has been heavily influenced by the United States.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who hosted the summit in a Caribbean resort, said the bloc "will consolidate and globally project a Latin American and Caribbean identity."
Latin American countries, however, have competing interests of their own — a point driven home by bickering at the summit.
At a dinner Monday night, conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe started complaining about Venezuela's trade sanctions against Colombia, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because delegations at the meeting had agreed not to discuss the spat publicly.
He described the following incident to reporters: Chavez shot back that Venezuela was constantly threatened by paramilitaries in the neighboring country and suggested the Colombian government was involved.
Chavez then stood up from the table, ready to storm off, when Uribe told him to stay and "be a man."
Chavez told Uribe to "go to hell," according to Venezuelan state television.
After they calmed down, the leaders agreed to create a "group of friends" to mediate between the feuding presidents. Chavez and Uribe played down the incident Tuesday, promising to work out their differences.
Then, Bolivian President Evo Morales, one of Chavez's strongest allies, reignited tensions by suggesting Uribe was a U.S. agent sent to sabotage the bloc.
"What's my conclusion?" Morales said. "Since we are debating a new organization without the United States, the agents of the United States have come to bog this down to make this event fail."
Meanwhile, Washington welcomed the new group.
"Virtually all of the countries attending the unity summit are strong partners of the United States and we are working together with them on a broad range of initiatives," said U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. "So we consider the meeting in Mexico as consistent with our goals for the hemisphere."
The leaders agreed to meet again in Venezuela in 2011.
The bloc's formation is expected to take years and faces many challenges.
Latin America remains divided on whether to recognize the government of Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, who won November elections organized under interim leaders who took power after the June 28 ouster of then-President Manuel Zelaya.
Lobo was not invited to the summit and had not spoken to any of its participants, although the presidents who did attend spoke of including all 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations — including Honduras — in the new bloc. Lobo's spokesman said Honduras wants to join.
The leaders did not discuss Honduras to avoid polarizing the group, Calderon said.
Participants also disagreed on whether the bloc should replace the OAS, but they did find common ground on some issues, rallying around Argentina in its condemnation of Britain's oil exploration in waters surrounding the Falkland Islands, which Argentina claims as its own and calls Las Malvinas.
Brazilian President Inacio Lula da Silva criticized the United Nations for not pushing more forcefully to reopen the debate on the Falkland Islands.
"What is the geographic, the political or economic explanation for England to be in Las Malvinas?" Silva asked. "Could it be because England is a permanent member of the U.N.'s Security Council (where) they can do everything and the others nothing?"
Commenting on the formation of the new regional bloc, Peter Hakim, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, questioned whether Latin American countries sensitive to outside meddling in their affairs will be able to confront touchy issues within their own region.
"It requires making some sacrifices of sovereignty and this is an issue that Latin America seems unyielding on," Hakim said.
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Associated Press Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Will we end up declaring war on South America and demonize them as commis ready to destroy our freedoms and end up lumping them in with terrorist?
I say we leave them alone and let them do there thing..
“Two percent of the people think; three percent of the people think they think; and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”
question #1 nothing they need our economy more than we need theirs
question #2 nah they dont really have anything vital to our economy, some oil but not enough to make i worth the fight
Question #3 I agree that way we can see if communism/socialism fails......again
Americans are dependant on oil and coffee. We are already at odds with the middle east and have a dependency on oil.Originally Posted by awholenewworld
They really don't need us as bad as we think.
Communism is an oppressive system and really any large govt is oppressive. However socialism has not failed. All the countries whose economies are strong right now lean towards socialism.
The Denmark, etc have stronger economies than we do and have more freedoms than we do. They are socialist.
Last edited by DomesticatedFeminist; February 23rd, 2010 at 11:11 PM.
“Two percent of the people think; three percent of the people think they think; and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”
Hmm well there is a country around the northern part of South America, not sure which one, on the Atlantic Ocean side, that has more oil off its coast than all the oil in the middle east and Russia, combined, its said to rival the oil reserves of that of the US... However civil war in that country has thus far prevented any major drilling off thier coast.
Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.
"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938
Yea but when they get their act together they will be the richest nation. This alliance will probably have South American countries working with this nation.
“Two percent of the people think; three percent of the people think they think; and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”
Keep in mind we do have the second largest oil reserve in the world right here in the USA.
You need to turn off Oprah! Have you ever seen the lifestyle they live in Denmark?? Your familly of four would be living in a 1000 SQFt apartment. On a side note, they have a much lower corp tax rate than the US too...
South America does rely on US/Canadian technology way more than we need their banana's and coffee.
"I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "
Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!
Only in the dreams of those who would like to drill the entire heartland. We have untapped reserves, but nowhere near what you think (or rather, what your sources tell you to think). We've had this conversation before I believe.
Nor does Venezuela have more oil than the entire middle east combined.
This is not to say that the Western hemisphere doesn't have large oil reserves. This is only to say that those who would gain by widespread speculation at home have most likely vastly overstated their case.
On your other point Dougie...you state that Denmark has a lower standard of living while maintaining lower corporate taxes. While this is debatable in context and nuance, wouldn't you in effect be stating that a higher corporate tax would lead to a higher standard of living?
~WnyresidentBut your being a dick
Latin American countries have been trying to "get their acts together" for 200 years and really aren't any closer today than they were 100 years ago or 200 years ago. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this alliance to produce results.
NO, i never said they have a lower standard of living, I only stated they have smaller housing then we do in the US. Hell, the housing project we give away are large spaces than most apartments in Denmark. What i was pointing out is a DIFFERENT lifestyle. They don't have TV's in every room, not ever kid has their own bed or bedroom, many dont have cars because they live in cities and don't need them.
We've had two threads comparing Denmark to the US, mostly because we have to big Oprah fans, but we are not even closes nation and can't really be compared.
As far as the oil goes, I know we dont' have unlimited reasource, but i do know we have enough in the USA (Alaska and off shore) to quell the need to send 400 BILLION dollars a year overseas while we update our infastructure and move towards a Nuclear powered nation!
"I know you guys enjoy reading my stuff because it all makes sense. "
Dumbest post ever! Thanks for the laugh PO!
the bigger problem that has yet to be addressed in the fresh water supply that is being drained in the midwest... google that one...
Willful ignorance is the downfall of every major empire in history.
"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." - Mao, 1938
That is what I was thinking too Linda. They already seem to be fighting among themselves.
“Two percent of the people think; three percent of the people think they think; and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”
I AM NOT AN OPRAH FAN!!!! On occasion I watch Tyra, but that is the only talk show I can tolerate. Dr. Phil, Oprah and those Doctors all annoy me because they give horrible advice. Oprah I have some respect for but I can't really stand watching her show.
Now on the Denmark topic. I don't have TV's in every room. That's why americans are stupid and lazy. We watch too much tv and drive everywhere. I actually would do fine with their lifestyle. I pretty much walk everywhere if I am able to, my husband has the car at work all day during the week. He just asked me if I wanted a second car so I can drive places in the day, I really don't see the need for one. TV in every room, hell no! My children will NEVER be allowed to have TV's or computers in their bedrooms. I repeat NEVER!!!!
Why do people need tv's in every room? Seriously?
I was annoyed when my husband bought a big flat screen or whatever those giant obnoxious tv's are called.
I was listening to NPR the other day and they said communities are starting to pop up designed for people who want to walk places. Unlike the 50's-90s when the suburban sprawl spread everything out. I thought to myself I couldn't imagine living in a place where I have to cross a huge intersection with no side walks to get to the store. I love walking!!!
“Two percent of the people think; three percent of the people think they think; and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”
Right within the article you included, it says the US supports them in creating the new organization. So why would you call it "imperialism"? Why do you think we're not already "leaving them alone"?
And Linda beat me to the punchline about them getting their act together. With characters like Chavez, they're not going anywhere fast.
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