As we have been reporting, Iran is increasingly expanding its presence in Latin America, as evidenced in Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent tour to Ecuador, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. More troubling, of course, are reports uncovered by the Univision News Network that Iran is using Latin America as a base for possible terrorist plots against the United States. Unfortunately, despite the obvious national security threat of Iran’s increasing reach in Central and South America, this Administration’s policy toward Latin America has been devoid of urgency to reassert American leadership in …
As he readied for the visit of a close ally, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez undertook a cabinet shuffle in the fashion of the defunct Soviet politburo. Before Christmas, he announced a pending reassignment of his Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, Vice President Elias Jaua, and Interior Minister Tareck El-Assami to state governor candidate status. He elevated Congressman Diosdado Cabello, an influential former soldier, to head the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, or PSUV. On January 6, Chavez named Henry de Jesus Rangel Silva, former director of Venezuela’s …
In an infamous and vulgar U.N. speech delivered in September 2006, Venezuela’s populist authoritarian President Hugo Chavez likened President George W. Bush to “the devil.” On December 20, Chavez lashed out at President Barack Obama after the U.S. President opined on the worsening situation in Venezuela. “Mr. Obama decided to attack us,” Chavez cried. “Now you want to win votes by attacking Venezuela. Don’t be irresponsible. You are a clown, a clown. Leave us in peace.” Chavez added that he considered President Obama to be an “embarrassment.” Chavez’s outburst followed …
In this week’s Heritage in Focus, expert Ray Walser discusses the increasingly anti-U.S. policies in Latin America. PODCAST: Terrorism in Latin America Threatens U.S. In the past decade, Iran has increased its influence in Latin America. Considering Iran’s long history of bad actions, this increased activity in the Western Hemisphere should give Americans pause. This year alone, Iran refused to abandon its nuclear ambitions, its military sat idly by as Iranian students stormed a British embassy, it attempted to assassinate a Saudi ambassador in Washington, D.C., and now is aggressively expanding its …
With his win in the November 6 election, Daniel Ortega secured his third presidential term in Nicaragua. While few would deny the leader’s popularity, thanks in large part to aid from Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, the legitimacy of his position has been called into question because of the circumstances surrounding his win—and because the Nicaraguan constitution allows presidents to serve only two terms in office. Out of concern for the validity of the recent election, members on both sides of the aisle in the U.S. Congress have called for further examination …
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez will host what is billed as the founding conference of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) December 2–3 on the grounds of Venezuela’s largest military base. The ailing Chavez, whose very public battle with an undisclosed form of cancer has given rise to a mountain of speculation about his survival and whose reelection in October 2012 remains in doubt, hopes to demonstrate he will dominate the Latin American scene for months and years to come. In the run-up to the gathering, Chavez is billing …
On October 7, 2012, the Venezuelan people will have the opportunity to elect a new president. In the months leading up to the election, Venezuelans are sure to hear plenty of campaign rhetoric from the unabashed President Hugo Chavez, but the question is: How much will they hear from the opposition? Globovision, a television channel that is reportedly “the only channel in Venezuela that takes a staunchly anti-government stance,” has been fined more than $2 million by the country’s National Telecommunications Commission, Conatel, for allegedly “violating broadcast regulations” when it …
It came as no surprise when Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner swept the election on Sunday, earning herself a second term. After all, polls had projected her win for weeks beforehand, predicting that she would take anywhere from 52 percent to 57 percent of the votes. In the end, exit polls report that she emerged victorious with 53 percent of the votes. However, her popularity has not translated so well everywhere. Relations between the U.S. and Argentina have long been tense. Most recently, the two governments butted heads when …
Making him the latest in a long list of Venezuelan politicians denied the ability to challenge Hugo Chavez, Leopoldo López, the former mayor of Chacao, had his presidential hopes dashed this week when the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled that he cannot hold a public office until after 2014 due to pending corruption charges against him that López argues were fabricated in order to impede his campaign. The court maintains that López is not being denied his rights “because it is only an administrative ineligibility and not a political one.” Chief …
In last week’s Heritage Libertad Radio Show, our team covered a range of topics. Listen in Spanish or English. The English segment kicked off with a discussion of Obama’s recent jobs proposal, followed by an interview with Dr. Ray Walser on Venezuela and Hugo Chavez. The show closed with a discussion of how presidential candidates are reaching out to Hispanics. The Spanish segment also kicks off with a discussion about the president’s new jobs proposal, along with how he proposes to pay for it. After that we answer member questions, …
