Main Page | About PostGlobal | The Panel |

Ibsen Martinez

Venezuela

Ibsen Martínez is a Venezuelan playwright and novelist. A former telenovela writer based in Caracas, he is now a freelance writer and regular contributor to a number of newspapers, magazines and websites in both Spanish and English. He writes a weekly column for the Caracas daily "Tal Cual." Spanish language newspapers such as Madrid's "El País" and "ABC" as well as Buenos Aires's "La Nación" run his articles on a regular basis. His essays on literary and political subjects have appeared in prestigious magazines such as "La Nouvelle Revue Françoise", Mexico's " Letras Libres", Washington's "Foreign Policy" and The Washington Post's "Outlook" magazine. He also writes a monthly column on Latin American economic issues for the Liberty Fund's website, "Econlib Library (www.econlib.org). Close.

Ibsen Martinez

Venezuela

Ibsen Martinez is a Venezuelan columnist, journalist, and award-winning playwright. more »

Ibsen Martinez Blog | Ibsen Martinez Archives | PostGlobal Archives

Oil for Soccer?

Venezuela -- Replace the UN with FIFA? Just think of the "oil-for-food" deals in Iraq and then imagine how a UN-sponsored World Cup might turn out. Frightful. But as a leading economic indicator, the World Cup tells us to buy!...

» Back to full entry

All Comments (7)

Jean Di Marco:

I think Mr. Bracho's answer should exclude Uruguay and Italy as these countries's victories ocurred before 1954.

That being said the four countries are
England (1966), Germany (1974), Argentina (1978) and France (1998)

Interestinly enough, all-time favorites and 5 times champions brazilians have never hosted a World Cup since 1950.

August 5, 2006 11:25 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on August 5, 2006 11:25

Tim Fowler:

Japan have never won the world cup. The fourth country is England, don't take that from us, its all we have left.

August 5, 2006 11:19 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on August 5, 2006 11:19

Dora Allen:

Estimado Ibsen, disfrutamos cada uno de tus artículos y estamos seguros de que esta nueva faceta nos regalaras más de tu particular estilo, éxitos y saludos.
Dora y Tim Allen

July 8, 2006 10:47 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on July 8, 2006 22:47

Eva Ivanyi:

Is the case of Brazil, five times winner of the World Cup, an exception to that analysis ? What would you say is the phenomenon of the best soccer in the world and the economy of that Country ?
Thank you for a specially interesting article in these Wold Cup days.

June 29, 2006 6:39 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on June 29, 2006 18:39

david gutierrez caro.:

Sigo atentamente la columna de este brillante escritor venezolano. Quien nos mantiene al dia con sus comentariosa sobre política escritos en una prosa, amena y llena de humor.

June 27, 2006 11:13 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on June 27, 2006 11:13

ed bracho:

A key situation to watch will be that of South Africa, host country for the next FIFA World Cup (in 2010)...

The countries that have simultaneously hosted and won the World Cup are France, Germany, England, Italy, Argentina and Uruguay (not that it helped much the South American duet at the time)...

June 24, 2006 8:22 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on June 24, 2006 20:22

Juv:

The 4 countries are Brazil, Japan, Korea and France

June 22, 2006 3:12 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Posted on June 22, 2006 15:12