Read this Editorial on South America: What do you think?

By:Eddy Rochelle

In recent years, particularly from the early 90's until present day, America has turned it's eyes to the east. China is conceivably our greatest threat, but many fail to see what it is worth. China, of course, is worth an eye, but if we turn two towards them, the blind eye will surely get socked by the south.

South America is beginning to at least get their fair share of attention as of late. A strong socialist movement is moving throughout the continent, and an war of words against imperialism, neo-liberalism and American policies is being waged with increasing intensity. Most notably is the constant struggle between Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez and George Bush.

Chavez, being a socialist, is trying to bring Venezuela to the forefront of southern hemisphere strengths. With recent upgrades from the Spanish to the Army and Navy, he is certainly proving to the world that he has, and is gaining connections. The socialists have ruled Venezuela since 1999 when Chavez won in an contested election. He has since then held the office with somewhat of an iron fist, while portraying himself as an champion of the people.

The situation in South America is growing more desperate with each passing day. Unrest rules the day in many of the countries, and social inequality and the ever growing divide between the rich and the poor have commoners running out of options. Venezuela is essentially showing nations in the south what a nation working with resources can do, as far as increasing standard of living and monetary value.

Bolivia, which is lodged in the heartland of the continent is about to shift into a Socialist government, thus probaly adding another notch to Chavez's peg board of strategy for the region. Though far away from Venezuela, Boliva can cause real problems for the current regimes throughout the region due to it's centralized location and oil production capabilities.

Bolivia's Movement to Socialism party is expected to gain a victory by obtaining 38% of the popular vote. The party is ran by an ex-coca farmer with an eighth grade education, but with a strong following from the more rural parts of the country. With Bolivia being the poorest country in the whole continent, it is sometimes viewed as an unfortunate victim of free trade.

This is what should worry the United States. The South American countries are often times viewed as sub-standard to the rest of the western hemisphere, but that is surely to changed with state based programs being enacted continent wide.

The socialist regimes that are forming up in the south are sure to begin to worry the conservative agenda of the United States. With such power through capitalism, one should ask if the U.S.'s influence in trade to the south will be a breaker, using Cuba as an example.

This is highly unlikely, due to the sheer amount of natural resources, and trading capabilities of the south. Besides, Cuba is a small island that took on nuclear weapons, thus enacting the emabargo. As oil becomes more of an essential part of American life, the south will certainly be stepping up measures to protect their livelyhoods by building trade partners, political scheming and joint military activities.

The process is still very young, but with so much ignorance on the United State's part by paying attention to Chinese proliferation, the situation could very easily be blown up. The workers paradise of the south could quell America's voice in short time unless the situation is met head strong.

or not.

It's been a long day...forgive me :)

The Big Corporate Interests might get upset, but isn't the Socialism discussed here similar to what can be found in Europe? The US Embargo against Cuba has more to do with Florida's Cuban "Exile" community than the nuclear weapons of the past.

Let's wish the people of South America luck in their efforts to improve their lot. And let's hope the USA can deal with them as trading partners, not as imperialist subjects to be exploited.