Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

April 7, 2015 By Fausta

Venezuela: Opposition leaders’ wives to attend the Summit of the Americas

The wives of jailed opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma will be attending the upcoming Summit later this week.

Lilian Tintori and Mitzy Capriles will meet with NGOs, and Ms Tintori will be a panelist at the “Civil society and civilian actors” forum.

Let’s hope they don’t get stopped at the airport.

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Filed Under: Fausta's blog, Panama, Venezuela Tagged With: Antonio Ledezma, Fausta's blog, Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development, Leopoldo López, Lilian Tintori, Mitzy Capriles, Summit of the Americas

April 19, 2012 By Fausta

Were the Colombian prostitutes spies?

When the news first came out my initial reaction was,

Was this a set-up?

Were those prostitutes spies? Officials check identities in Secret Service scandal (h/t The Other McCain)

An investigation is under way to determine whether any classified information was compromised when U.S. Secret Service agents consorted with prostitutes in Colombia before a summit attended by President Obama, according to two U.S. officials.

Authorities are checking identities of the women and whether they may have been recruited by a foreign intelligence service or a group with hostile intentions, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because the inquiry is confidential.

It is exactly why the situation lends itself to that, which makes the agents involved so stupid.

Or maybe I’ve been reading too many spy novels.


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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Colombia Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Secret Service, Summit of the Americas

April 17, 2012 By Fausta

Summit of the Americas: the overseas campaign stop

IBD has the post-mortem:

This trip wasn’t about diplomacy, or taking a stand for democracy or encouraging American values. The president mouthed cautious, standard U.S. stances on Cuba, drugs and free trade, but did so with little conviction.

Instead, he was really focused on winning votes back home as campaign season kicks in. Acts that can only be justified in a campaign rather than diplomatic context formed a pretty long list at this summit:

• Presummit briefings suggested the trip would be all about winning the Latino vote. “There is a unique quality to the relationship that we have with the Americas, specifically the fact that we have so many of our citizens here in the United States who trace their heritage back to the Americas,” White House aide Ben Rhodes said, explaining the reason for the trip.

• The president also became a new convert to free trade, despite consistently blocking it over the past three years. At a pre-summit stop in Latino-heavy Tampa, Fla., he told port workers: “When I’m in Colombia talking with other leaders, I’m going to be thinking about you.” Coming from the president who delayed the U.S.-Colombia free trade pact at a huge cost of U.S. jobs, it was all about the Latino vote again.

If I may add, the gullible Latino vote. Obama had a majority in both houses of Congress for the first two years of his term and neither item was a priority.

Even now, all he promised is that

he would “try” to bring up the issue in the first year of a second term.
“I can promise that I will try to do it in the first year of my second term,” he said. “I want to try this year.

Continuing,

• Politics doesn’t end at the water’s edge. On his official travels, Obama made time to attack GOP rival Mitt Romney in an interview with Univision, calling his immigration stance “very troubling.” Translation again? Not diplomacy, just the Latino vote.

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• Obama’s official Summit statement was also geared to domestic votes: “These last three years have been as difficult for the world economy as anything that we’ve seen in our lifetimes,” he oddly told the Latin leaders, whose economies are booming. “And it is a result of globalization and it is also a result of technology.” In another pander to voters, he effectively blamed foreigners and computers for his own fiscal failure and the mortgage crisis. That’s not diplomacy.

• Lastly there were photos of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dancing at a Cartagena club and knocking back a beer. Undignified in a diplomatic context, they are perfect images in a populist campaign context.

Obama’s gaffes are his own. One could start a war.

Too bad the press didn’t follow up.

Related:
Is Hillary Clinton becoming an embarrassment as Secretary of State?

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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, Latin America Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Summit of the Americas

April 16, 2012 By Fausta

The Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean

LatinAmerARGENTINA
Argentine war heroes revealed to be henchmen in military dictatorship

BRAZIL
What’s Behind Brazil’s Slow Growth?
Politicians in Brasília are depressing investment by placating manufacturers.

VISIBLY ANNOYED OBAMA GETS LECTURE FROM FEMALE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL

Army sergeant receives 2nd highest military honor

CHILE
Progress and its discontents
A popular student rebellion shows that, as Chileans become better off, they want the government to guarantee a fairer society. Politicians are struggling to respond

The rich are the best Communists, and the NYTimes loves them: Camila Vallejo, the World’s Most Glamorous Revolutionary

COLOMBIA
20 US agents could be involved in Colombian hooker woe

‘Colombian miracle’ takes off

Juan Forero’s Interview with Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos (transcript)

When will anyone in the Spanish speaking media tell Pres BO to stop speaking in tongues?

Obama promises to tackle immigration reform in second term

Obama Promises Immigration Reform in Second Term

CUBA
What Pope Benedict Got Wrong in Cuba

ECUADOR
Ecuador: Failing Universities to Close

GUATEMALA
Juan Forero’s Interview with Guatemala President Otto Perez (transcript)

HAITI
Vaccinations Begin in a Cholera-Ravaged Haiti

MEXICO
Mark me skeptical, Net illegal immigration from Mexico: zero

Mexico shaken by two earthquakes in 24 hours
A 6.9-magnitude earthquake has struck off Mexico’s Pacific coast, the second to hit the area in the last 24 hours.

Car-saturated Mexico City lets bicycle riders rule the roads on Sunday mornings

PERU
Peru rules out talks with Shining Path over hostages
The Peruvian government says it will not negotiate with Shining Path rebels, who kidnapped a group of gas workers in the south of the country on Monday

PUERTO RICO
GOP strategists: Puerto Rico Gov. Fortuno is a sleeper vice presidential pick

Pricey gossip glossy’s new edition: ¡HOLA! Puerto Rico joins the celebrity news family

Weird news of the week: Puerto Rico paramedics detained in fatal shooting

VENEZUELA
Crime in Venezuela
No immunity here
A spate of kidnappings has embassies on edge

Chavez Predatory Appetite Sets Its Sight On Ripping Off The Workers

Chavez says ‘doing well’ after latest cancer treatment
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his battle against cancer is “advancing” after he returned from a third round of radiotherapy in Cuba.

Chavez rallies supporters marking coup anniversary

The week’s posts:
Annals of smart diplomacy: Obama calls the Falklands the Maldives UPDATED

Summit of the Americas update: Hillary ties one on

A view from the Summit: A warm kiss

Colombia: Obama heading to the Summit of the Americas

After Chavez, the narcostate?

Argentina: Oil drama queens, and a king

Brazil: Dilma at the White House, another Latin American head of state slighted


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Filed Under: Argentina, Brazil, Caribbean, Carnival of Latin America, Carnival of Latin America and the Caribbean, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela Tagged With: Camila Vallejo, Dilma Rousseff, Fausta's blog, Luis Fortuño, Summit of the Americas

April 16, 2012 By Fausta

Annals of smart diplomacy: Obama calls the Falklands the Maldives UPDATED

The Latin American media’s having a ball with this one. During a joint press conference with Colombian president Santos, Obama said, “In terms of the Maldives, or the Falklands, whatever your preferred tern, our position is that… ah… that we’re going to remain neutral.”

20:01 into the video,

What’s several thousand miles among friends?

After saying that the US-Colombia free trade agreement will become effective on May 15, and having a photo-op with black Colombian children, Obama returned to the 57 States.

No word on whether Hillary had recovered from her hangover after her night at the Cafe Havana.

UPDATE,
Take her to the Maldives, then! ‘Part of My Job Is to Scout Out Where I May Want to Bring Michelle Back Later for Vacation’

Video, via Gateway Pundit,

UPDATE,
Linked by Public Secrets and Sister Toldjah. Thanks!
Linked by Hot Air. Thanks!

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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Colombia, Latin America Tagged With: Falkland Islands, Fausta's blog, smart diplomacy, Summit of the Americas

April 15, 2012 By Fausta

Summit of the Americas update: Hillary ties one on

The group photo went OK,

Obama didn’t agree to legalize cocaine and dismissed calls for greater political engagement with Cuba.

Cristina Fernandez didn’t get any US statements on the Falklands, so she left early.

Lucia Newman, who shilled for Castro when she worked for the BBC and is now working for al-Jazeera, says “this may be the last Summit of the Americas” unless Cuba is allowed to participate.

Hugo Chavez is back in Cuba for more radiation, or something.

And the Secret Service Prostitution Scandal Widens.

So what’s a girl to do?

Party hearty!

Yes siree, our Secretary of State had a cold one,

and led the conga line!

You never saw stuffy Condi Rice doing that while on the job, did you?

Smart diplomacy in action!

UPDATE:
You can’t make this up: she was at the Cafe Havana.


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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Colombia, Hillary Clinton, Latin America Tagged With: Fausta's blog, smart diplomacy, Summit of the Americas

April 14, 2012 By Fausta

A view from the Summit: A warm kiss

UPDATE, Sunday April 15
Summit of the Americas update: Hillary ties one on

Obama is now in Colombia for the Summit of the Americas,

El presidente Santos recibe al presidente Obama en el Castill... on Twitpic

but before he arrived, Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos was urging him to focus on Latin America. Hardly surprising, considering how Obama wasted the North American Summit with Canada and Mexico by derailing the press conference to talk about Obamacare. One could say that Nobody is dancing the “Hope & Change” in Latin America anymore.

Also before he got there, U.S. Secret Service agents leave Colombia over prostitution inquiry

Edwin Donovan, an agency spokesman, said that an unspecified number of agents have been recalled and replaced with others, stressing that Obama’s security has not been compromised because of the change. Obama arrived in Cartagena on Friday afternoon for this weekend’s Summit of the Americas, a gathering of 33 of the hemisphere’s 35 leaders to discuss economic policy and trade.

Donovan declined to disclose details about the nature of the alleged misconduct. But Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations relate to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.

I’m actually puzzled as to what is going on. An “unspecified number” recalled, because of “at least one agent”?

Adler said the entire unit was recalled for purposes of the investigation.

Was this a set-up? Protectus interruptus?

At the Summit, the Latin Americans want to discuss two things,

The twin issues — the pros and cons of drug legalization and Cuba’s continued exclusion from the summit — were expected to dominate the agenda of the Summit of the Americas, highlighting the growing disconnect between Washington and an increasingly assertive and independent Latin American bloc led by powerhouse Brazil.
…
The hemispheric leaders were also to tackle regional integration, reducing poverty and inequality, combating transnational crime and increased access to technology.

But uppermost in their minds will be whether to rethink the fight against drugs, which are creating havoc across the region.

As of yesterday, Hugo Chavez wasn’t sure if he’ll attend, which will deprive Obama of another photo op and maybe some reading material (remember 2009?),

but today’s photo shows that Obama greeted Santos warmly

.

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

UPDATE,
Hugo’s not going.

Update 2: At Americas summit, Obama says no to legalizing drugs
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and others want to talk about what they call the failed war on drugs, as President Obama tries to focus on economic ties.

Linked by Instapundit. Thanks!


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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Colombia, Hugo Chavez, Latin America, news Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Juan Manuel Santos, Summit of the Americas

April 13, 2012 By Fausta

Colombia: Obama heading to the Summit of the Americas

… while his approval ratings drop,

According to a new Gallup Opinion Briefing out this morning, Obama’s median job approval rating in that region was 62% right after he took office in 2009.

Today, it’s 47%, a drop of 15 points or 25%.

Of course, he’s not seeking to transform that region and they can’t vote. Given the perennial talk by U.S. presidents about better neighborhood relations and the inevitable ensuing political indifference, Gallup found that only a median 24% of Latin Americans in 21 countries now see a strengthening of relations.

This compares to 43% in 18 countries back when Obama’s “Hope and Change” wasn’t a late-night laugh line.
…
The decline varies from Paraguay, where few expected it in 2009 (24%) and folks still don’t (22%), to Chile, where 60% expected better relations under Obama but today only 25% do.

Other declines include Colombia (down 10%), Panama (down 17%) and Brazil (down 18%) to Costa Rica (down 22%), Mexico (down 24%) and Uruguay (down 33%).

Why has Latin America lost faith on Obama?

President Obama’s new era of “engagement” with the region has yielded few—if any—tangible results. The administration has failed to defend democracy and the rule of law, failed to standby regional allies and friends, and failed to put forward concrete proposals to tackle the region’s most difficult security challenges.

The administration’s only success—passage of free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama—were hardly that. Both deals were signed under the Bush administration and were ready for congressional approval on Obama’s first day in office, but the White House—at the behest of union allies—stalled for two and a half years. The administration’s delay deprived U.S. corporations of important business opportunities and greatly damaged America’s reputation as a free market leader.

Obama signed the Colombia-US Free Trade Agreement last year but it has yet to be implemented, according to Business Week.

There is also the issue of the drug trade, with Latin American Leaders to Question U.S. Drug Policy at Summit.

Obama is scheduled to arrive in Cartagena, Colombia at 5:45PM local time. Right now he’s in Tampa giving a speech.

While at the Summit, Obama will meet with Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez,

Although the agenda was not revealed Argentina and the US have several issues to discuss mainly trade, protectionism and compensation for American companies as well as possible retaliatory measures, sources said.

I hope he doesn’t come out and tell her that the US supports bilateral UK-Argentina talks over the Falklands.

Hugo Chavez is scheduled to make a cameo appearance, but I don’t think he’ll be watching the video on Cuba’s latest wave of repression,

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Filed Under: Barack Obama, Colombia, Latin America Tagged With: Fausta's blog, Summit of the Americas

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