Chilean likely to win vote for top OAS post

In a defeat for the White House, the socialist interior minister of Chile appeared to clinch the top OAS post with strong backing from Caribbean nations.

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The decision by the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, is a blow for the Bush administration, which had aggressively campaigned for Francisco Flores, the former president of El Salvador.

CARICOM issued a statement saying that an ''overwhelming majority'' of its members would back Insulza, a 60-year old socialist and close confidant of President Ricardo Lagos.

Chile's ambassador to the OAS, Esteban Tomic said he expected about 10 or 11 of the 13-member bloc to vote for Insulza in the election slated for Thursday, in Washington.

Miami.com

Stupendous. Found this news, as well. If the Chilean wins, he'll be breaking with tradition. Very, very interesting:

Whoever is elected will take office in Washington sometime next June/July said Mr. Walker.

Interior Minister Insulza said he felt calm about the outcome of the voting and revealed he won’t be moving from Santiago.

“I don’t think it’s reasonable for me to travel to Washington, but I’ll be informed of what happens in the Foreign Affairs Ministers assembly”, underlined Mr. Insulza.
(snip/)

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5303

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Doesn't it sound as if he thinks he won't be happy here while _Bush reigns? Maybe he fears he'll run the risk in Washington of being car-bombed, like the progressive Chilean diplomat, Orlando Letelier, as part of Operation Condor, utilizing a couple of Miami Cuban "exiles," whom _{George W. Bush} pardoned before they spent more than 6 or 7 years in prison.



A Chilean official who didn't
know he wasn't wanted in Washington in 1976

I think the "I'm staying in Santiago" bit is meant to be
somewhat symbolic, as well, a sign that the Americas do not
revolve solely around Washington and the OAS any more. But I
expect he may well prefer Santiago too.

may invite Fidel's Cuba to rejoin OAS after more than 40 years. I've read several articles that LatAm countries are discussing that possibility and Mercosur is thinking about asking Cuba to join them as well.

Oh the poor little Bushistas, NOT!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

to blow up everyone who voted to accept Cuba.

They don't accept disappointment well. They'll be peevish if they aren't allowed to become Commanders of the Universe!

By Marcela Sanchez

For the OAS post, the Bush administration has thrown the weight of the United States behind El Salvador's former President Francisco Flores. Bush is grateful to Flores as one of Washington's closest supporters in the region.

And to promote its candidate, the Bush administration has backed a bill in Congress that promises $10 million in grants for the Caribbean, the region whose 14 votes at the OAS could deliver the job to Flores. He is running against Jose Miguel Insulza, the interior minister of Chile, and Luis Ernesto Derbez, the foreign minister of Mexico.

Not that there is anything inherently wrong with helping your friends. But in the current circumstances, Bush's endorsement of Flores has become more negative than beneficial.

During the run-up to the Iraq War, the Bush administration changed its attitude toward the region from one of partnership in a shared future to a with-us-or-against-us message. When some countries such as Mexico and Chile balked at supporting the war, they were diplomatically given the cold shoulder and their priorities belittled.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16398-2005Mar31.html

wonder if that promise of $10 million in grants ever materializes now. ha!

Uh oh... the Bushistas are about to starting ordering Maloxx by the truckload. HAHAHAHAHAHA

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

<clips>

In a defeat for the White House, the socialist interior minister of Chile appeared to clinch the top OAS post with strong backing from Caribbean nations.

BY PABLO BACHELET


WASHINGTON - A majority of the Caribbean bloc of nations said Friday that they have decided to support the Chilean Interior Minister José Miguel Insulza to head the Organization of American States, virtually clinching the coveted post for the South American candidate.

The decision by the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM, is a blow for the Bush administration, which had aggressively campaigned for Francisco Flores, the former president of El Salvador.

CARICOM issued a statement saying that an ''overwhelming majority'' of its members would back Insulza, a 60-year old socialist and close confidant of President Ricardo Lagos.

Chile's ambassador to the OAS, Esteban Tomic said he expected about 10 or 11 of the 13-member bloc to vote for Insulza in the election slated for Thursday, in Washington.

To win, Insulza needs 18 votes of the 34-member institution. He already has obtained the backing of Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Haiti. Chileans are hopeful they will obtain the support of Panama.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/11291784.htm

nt

and is going to try and get Peru to go along with him.

http://english.people.com.cn/200504/03/eng20050403_179246.html

Keeping my fingers crossed. Come on Panama!

that 11 of those votes will go to Chile's Insulza. The Bushista's Salvadoran pick is expected to get KO'd in the first round. :-)

<clips>

...In addition to Insulza, the perceived front-runner, and Mexico's Derbez, the third candidate for Thursday's election is El Salvador's former president, Franciso Flores, who has the support of the USA and, within the Caribbean region, Dominican Republic and Haiti's interim government.

While Chile's Insulza is expected to emerge the eventual winner, especially with the strong support of Caricom which will give him at least 11 votes from among its 14 independent member states, there are indications that none of the three candidates may secure victory on the first round of balloting.

...In addition to the bloc of votes expected from Caricom states, the Chilean candidate has also been promised.support from Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay and Equador.

Together, these would amount to 16 plus its (Chile's) own vote for amarginal 17-16 victory in the first round. But Chile said it was also confident of securing support from among some as yet unnamed Central American states.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20050402T030000-0500_77948_OBS_CRUCIAL_VOTE_FOR_NEW_OAS_HEAD_APRIL__.asp

of Cuba getting back into the OAS if Chile wins the seat and Bush doesn't get his way at the UN Human Rights Commission?

and it's being discussed among LatAm govenments--even if we don't read it the USSA press ;-)

A few years ago the US tried to push through a resolution against Cuba--none of the OAS member countries went for it and the USSA was forced to withdraw it. Not surprisingly, Brazil and Venezuela led the pack against the resolution stating that Cuba was not a member and unable to defend itself. Later Uncle Sam came back and resubmitted it as text and 16 out of 34 signed onto it. It underlines how divided the OAS was on Cuba at that time--today I would venture that a majority would be for the idea of inviting Cuba back.

Mercosur is also entertaining the idea of inviting Cuba in the Mercosur.

<clips>

...Mercosur's full-fledged members - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay - must decide by consensus whether Cuba can join, new Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez told reporters in Montevideo on Thursday, after Cuba's Foreign Minister Perez Roque used Vazquez's swearing-in celebration as a stage for the Cuban request.

...And just like Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, Silva has been using a left-leaning rhetoric opposing the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba while favored increasing trade ties with the communist island.

Other top Brazilian government members sympathize with Fidel Castro, the Cuban leader. During Brazil's military dictatorship in the 1970s, Dirceu temporarily fled to Cuba and underwent plastic surgery to avoid being recognized in Brazil, where he was wanted as a leftist student leader.

Cuba's trade with Brazil and Mercosur is still small, but has doubled since Silva was elected and may increase more in the petroleum sector.

http://www.forbes.com/business/energy/feeds/ap/2005/03/04/ap1864128.html

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I'm interested in the talks between Russia and Cuba--there were a few recent articles about the two countries rekindling their relationship. If that happens it might get real dicey for Washington.

D.C. May Lose Out in Vote for OAS Chief

Monday April 4, 2005 8:46 AM

By WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) - The Organization of American States, founded 57 years ago to bring the Western Hemisphere closer together, has broken into three rival camps in a leadership race from which the United States is likely for the first time to emerge the loser.

The choice of a new secretary general comes at a time when Latin American countries are increasingly moving toward governments less dependent on Washington and less enamored of U.S. foreign policy. Six South American presidents now identify with the left, although they have maintained free-market policies and many have avoided the anti-U.S. rhetoric of the past.

But whoever leads the 34-member group, which promotes inter-American cooperation and democracy, the United States will remain its biggest influence, and it's unlikely the OAS would become hostile to U.S. interests.

The decision, to be made by OAS ambassadors at the group's Washington headquarters on Thursday, has divided the Americas into Mexican, Central American and South American camps. Vying for the post are Mexico's conservative foreign secretary, Chile's socialist interior minister and a pro-business former Salvadoran president with close ties to Washington.
(snip/...)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4911984,00.html

I'm so glad the USSA is being portrayed as they really are...

From the article:

...Arturo Valenzuela, a former senior adviser on Latin America to President Clinton, said the United States often pressures small countries to support its candidate: ``There's a lot of ways to send the message that 'you're really in trouble if you don't do what we want.'''

The United States provides most of the funding for the OAS and dominates it politically. ``The OAS is nothing without the United States,'' said Valenzuela.

U.S. officials indicate that while they would like to see Flores win, both Derbez and Insulza come from countries that have good relations with Washington and neither would be seen as a threat.

A Flores loss might even have unintended benefits for the United States, said Mexico City researcher Jorge Chabat.

``The winner likely won't be Flores, and therefore won't be seen as a candidate imposed by the United States, and that will help him a lot,'' he said. ``Will he still do what the United States wants? Yes. But there will be a perception of independence.''