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Gustavo Gorriti

Lima, Peru

Gustavo Gorriti Is and award-winning Peruvian journalist based in Lima. He covered Peru's internal war, drug trafficking and corruption. He is the author, among other books, of The Shining Path: A History of the Millenarian War in Peru. He was Associate Director of Panama's La Prensa, Co-Director of Peru's La Republica and is currently a columnist for Caretas, Peru's leading newsmagazine. Close.

Gustavo Gorriti

Lima, Peru

Gustavo Gorriti Is and award-winning Peruvian journalist based in Lima. He covered Peru's internal war, drug trafficking and corruption. more »

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The Men Who Stand With Chavez

Lima, Peru - This election year in Latin America has looked, save a couple of exceptions, like a serial referendum on Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez.

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All Comments (13)

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Bruce Deile:

In "Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky," Noam Chomsky's footnote 28 Chapter 10: "the U.S. tax and transfer system creates a 28.5 percent reduction in the poverty rate, whereas the tax and transfer systems in all other industrialized countries decrease poverty rates by between 60 and 80 percent, the only exceptions being Britain, Australia, and Canada, whose tax and transfer programs still reduced poverty rates by approximately 50 percent." Non-profit charity? "Non-profit" Universal Health Services CEO made $16.2 million in 2003 (USA Today; 9/30/2004). Give me a shanty over risk of arrest for trespassing anyday.

Kyle Burk:

In reference to the two prior comments, they're both correct in part. Blaming the U.S. for problems does help power-hungry politicians like Chavez, and with the pro-Chavez block in Latin America, the U.S. cannot weild as much influence as it would like to. Of course, if the United States would stop providing ammunition for U.S. bashers in Latin America, maybe they couldn't get away with bashing the U.S. so much. During the Clinton years, U.S. bashing was at a lull, but as soon as the Bush administration took over, things like their arrogant posture and support for the attempted Venezuelan coup started it all up again. Is it at all surprising that someone bashes you when you try to overthrow their democratically elected government? Were it not for the (perceived?) threat from the Bush administration, perhaps Chavez wouldn't be able to get away with all the autocratic moves he has made in the last few years. Remove the raesons for U.S. bashing, and what are the caudillos left with?

kenaphang:

A previous comment on the article "The Men Who Stand With Chavez" stated that "If not provoked by the United States, he (Chavez) would not feel the need to arm himself or his neighbors or influence their politics". The truth about Chavez and most politicians is that he craves power; illustrated by his failed military coup. Chavez is shrewd and understands that by blaming the United States for Venezuela's problems, he will always have a scapegoat for his country's poverty, pollution and any other problem that might come along. By using that scapegoat, Chavez will be able to retain his popularity and political power. Iran uses the same political tactic of blame to a more effective degree, blaming "the west" for all of the problems in the Middle East. This "phenomenon" as you put it is not the United States strong-arming people into becoming poor, it is the phenomenon of "blame the U.S. (or George Bush) to become popular and win elections".

woodmack:

Gorriti describes a Latin American political environment where, on one side, the United States can influence national policies and, on the other, that influence is resisted with determination. The force behind that resistance is Hugo Chavez, in my book, a shrewd, popular and essentially benign presence. If not provoked by the United States, he would not feel the need to arm himself or his neighbors or influence their politics. This is a phenomenon common around the world; observe the behavior of Iran. Leftists in Latin America, it seems to me, want only to achieve a better life for their citizens. American skullduggery and greed usually try to prevent this. And as far as caudillos go, look no futher than the current White House.

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