Red Tide in Latin America

[Yggdrasil]

Over the course of the past decades, the American government has, through right-wing coups and military juntas, kept Latin American politics in line with their own. It seems times are changing however. Almost all Latin American countries have now elected a leader with left, or center-left political ideologies.
It seems that pattern is being continued. Take a look (http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/01/16/el.salvador.election/index.html) at this recent article.

Now, these turn of events will have far reaching implications for the US, and the world. Russia sharing nuclear secrets with Venezuela, Brazil discovering large reserves of oil, etc etc... It seems that Latin America is finally moving into the world spotlight. Is that a good thing? Discuss.

-Oh, and many thanks to Zok for listening to us users.

[Nisko]

Increased competition on the world stage will lead to new technological developments and increased consumption of natural resources..right?

We're running low on certain resources that allow us to live the western lifestyle we've come to expect. But at the same time new technological developments, i.e. the electric car should help us live more sustainable lives..

Win/Lose Situation? And I completely ignored any armed conflict that could arise..

[Dionysus]

I think that the only way Latin America will evolve is if they discard the US and start forming their own governments. When you look at Cuba, despite its faults it is a functioning and successful country, and if a small island with no resources can function independently from the US, then why not others?

I don't admittedly know much about the region, but I always got the impression that the majority of hostilities arose because of US meddling, not because it is a fundamentally unstable region.

[Yggdrasil]

I think that the only way Latin America will evolve is if they discard the US and start forming their own governments. When you look at Cuba, despite its faults it is a functioning and successful country, and if a small island with no resources can function independently from the US, then why not others?

I don't admittedly know much about the region, but I always got the impression that the majority of hostilities arose because of US meddling, not because it is a fundamentally unstable region.

Well, that's a given. Every South American nation, save Colombia, hates us. And it's because we did everything in our power to prevent them from turning to the left. And Cuba is barely self sufficient. Their country is crumbling all around them. Health standards are dropping, there's no economic freedom, etc.. It is not a good example.

And seeing as how Colombia, our strongest ally in the region is right next to Venezuela, which is obviously led by the very left-wing Chávez, the possibility of conflict is quite fathomable.

[Dionysus]

Well, I said I'm not very knoledgable about the region.

I always thought that Cuba was doing fairly well for themselves, under the circumstace. Where are they going wrong?

[Yggdrasil]

Well, I said I'm not very knoledgable about the region.

I always thought that Cuba was doing fairly well for themselves, under the circumstace. Where are they going wrong?

Like all nations that forcefully implement strong Marxist economic theory, their economy is in tremendous shambles. There is a lack of all kinds of goods. There is a hard currency shortage. They are severely outdated in many fronts. There are sparse few job opportunities. Basically, their nation is just a stagnant cesspool. And to think people like Chávez want to follow in his footsteps. :rolleyes:

[coup for cash]

And seeing as how Colombia, our strongest ally in the region is right next to Venezuela, which is obviously led by the very left-wing Chávez, the possibility of conflict is quite fathomable.

Chavez is definitely antagonising Colombia militarily by aiding the FARC and other leftie guerillas in various ways.

[Revvy]

America needs to seriously rethink their policies towards South America, and if they don't want to - various European nations should gtfo of NATO and unalign themselves with America.

In the upcoming years, South America, like East Asia and Africa, are going to find their feet in the world and are going to be very influential. I for one would rather be on good terms with them, helping them have a smooth transition into becoming developed nations, as opposed to fucking around in their affairs and giving them reasons to be hostile towards us in the future.

Some of you may argue that that the capitalist system requires poorer nations in order to exploit them, but the sooner capitalism falls, the better.

Others may argue that it's impossible for every nation to be 'developed' and able to live a western lifestyle, but to be fair, this current western lifestyle is pretty much unsustainable and as other countries start having more influence, there'll be no people to exploit: thus less cheap, throwaway goods for us to mass consume; us placing more value on the material goods we own.

[Struwwelpeter]

Haha, we can get along fine without South America. My grandfather can survive the great depression and live to tell me about it today but we can live without bananas and HFCS?

[Struwwelpeter]

I think that the only way Latin America will evolve is if they discard the US and start forming their own governments. When you look at Cuba, despite its faults it is a functioning and successful country, and if a small island with no resources can function independently from the US, then why not others?

I don't admittedly know much about the region, but I always got the impression that the majority of hostilities arose because of US meddling, not because it is a fundamentally unstable region.

Cuba? The idea of having to hustle just to afford illegal food rations (sugar and lima beans) for your starving, ill family is your idea of "functioning"? Why, because they get to go to free universities and attain academic degrees they can't use? Cuba is a fucking shithole.

[Yggdrasil]

America needs to seriously rethink their policies towards South America, and if they don't want to - various European nations should gtfo of NATO and unalign themselves with America.

In the upcoming years, South America, like East Asia and Africa, are going to find their feet in the world and are going to be very influential. I for one would rather be on good terms with them, helping them have a smooth transition into becoming developed nations, as opposed to fucking around in their affairs and giving them reasons to be hostile towards us in the future.

Some of you may argue that that the capitalist system requires poorer nations in order to exploit them, but the sooner capitalism falls, the better.

Others may argue that it's impossible for every nation to be 'developed' and able to live a western lifestyle, but to be fair, this current western lifestyle is pretty much unsustainable and as other countries start having more influence, there'll be no people to exploit: thus less cheap, throwaway goods for us to mass consume; us placing more value on the material goods we own.

Absolutely true. The Western nations, through their relentless meddling, are antagonizing South America. They're stirring up a beehive that will in time, come to sting them.

Not only are we turning them more hostile towards us, we are losing an extremely valuable source of resources. They produce an incredible amount of agricultural products which are sold mainly to Europe, they have among the world's largest coal reserves, and they're just now discovering large oil fields. None of this will ever find its way to the West again if they keep this shit up.

And true, the old "fuck you, I'm rich" capitalist message is wearing thin. Unhinged capitalism, among other factors, caused the last Great Depression, and it's on its way to come back and bite us in the ass. I think people are realizing that unrestricted capitalism and free-market leads to not only inefficient monopolies, but it ends up screwing everyone but the wealthiest owners.

I'm not advocating the Marxist economic model. Funny, both pure capitalism and pure Marxist economic theory lead to an almost identical end.

[LucidInTheSkyWithDemons]

With agreements like ALBA, LAIA, CARICOM, Mecrosur and the Cuba-Venezuela agreement and organisations such as Petroamerica it seems that the left leaning countries are finally escaping the weighted US-centric trade agreements to set up their own. Considering that Venezuela and Cuba seem to be on the road towards regional hegemony, and that both have strong economic ties with Iran, if Obama wants to hang onto South American oil imports he may find it sagacious to sweet talk Iran out of nuclear proliferation as opposed to threatening them with sanctions.