Libya’s seat at the United Nations is currently vacant. Weeks ago, Muammar Qadhafi fired his U.N. ambassador Mohammed Shalgham after the ambassador denounced the Libyan strongman as a tyrant. In his stead, Qadhafi named another veteran and loyal diplomat, Ali Treki. The U.S. has apparently denied Treki a visa to enter the U.S. Qadhafi’s dear friend and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has stepped in, saying he is sending Nicaragua’s former foreign minister and all-purpose anti-American Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann to U.N. headquarters to act on Qadhafi’s behalf. D’Escoto is no impartial …
Where does the Venezuelan leader who called President George W. Bush the incarnation of the devil, said he would not be surprised to discover that capitalism and imperialism extinguished life on Mars, and likes comparing Libya’s tyrant Colonel Muammar Qadhafi to the great South American Liberator Simon Bolivar, go to broadcast his message? Hugo Chavez turns first to his trusted echo chamber and official media outlet TELESUR. TELESUR is the creation of Chavez and company. It has been in business since 2005 and follows in the footsteps of other state-controlled …
The world continues to watch the unfolding drama of popular revolt in Libya. In recent days we have seen a murderous Muammar Qadhafi vowing to fight “until the last drop of blood,” foreign mercenaries entering Libya to kill civilians, former members of Qadhafi’s government ready to prove his direct involvement in the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103, and even Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad—certainly no friend of freedom—calling the Libyan slaughter of opponents “unimaginable.” Where in the middle of Libya’s turmoil does one find the leaders of the people’s struggle …
Democracy, stability, and moderation are in the balance not just in Egypt but closer to home in Haiti. On Thursday, Haiti’s electoral board decided that the presidential run-off on March 20 will pit Mirlande Manigat, a former first lady and law professor, against Michel Martelly, known as “Sweet Micky,” a carnival performer and kompa music singer of raunchy chart toppers. Removed from the run-off race was Jude Celestin of the INITE party, who was assigned third place after a technical review of the elections. Celestin’s removal was a blow for …
February 2 marks the start of President Hugo Chavez’s 13th year in power. Venezuela’s populist authoritarian took office back in 1999. That day was a somber day for the Americas and friends of democracy around the world. In a recent discussion with American diplomats to the Andean region, someone asked our senior representative in Caracas John Caulfield if Venezuela is still a democracy. A silence descended over the audience as it awaited a response. Like all diplomats, he shied away from an ugly truth that would surely create friction and …
During the month of December, Venezuela’s authoritarian populist president actively used a lame duck legislature to expand his already unchecked executive power, culminating in a December 17 grant of “broad powers to enact laws by decree for a year and a half.” He did this before a new legislative body with a significant opposition presence took office on January 5. While undertaking the power grab, Chavez continued to bait the U.S. by saying he would not accept nominated envoy Larry Palmer, whose critical comments regarding Chavez’s support for terrorism and …
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez continues his march to authoritarianism. In an effort to bolster the already excessive power of the executive, Chavez received authority to govern by decree until mid-2012 from a lame duck legislative national assembly controlled by Chavez loyalists. This action comes on the eve of a January handoff to a new legislative body with 40 percent of the membership, representing more than 50 percent of Venezuela’s voters, waiting to openly debate Venezuela’s future. Boasted Chavez, “you won’t be able to make a single law, little Yankees.” (Like Fidel …
Although Belize has made some progress on its Index of Economic Freedom score in the past few years, recent actions by the government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the supermajority his United Democratic Party enjoys in Parliament may have put that progress at risk. Belize is increasingly wracked by violent crime, while its high debt burden is a strain on public finance. The illegal drug trade and money laundering are entrenched problems. The Barrow government took office in February 2008 and has close relations with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, …
For the first time in over a year, Iran and the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, along with Germany (known as the P5 + 1), held talks for the past two days in Geneva over the Islamic Republic’s shadowy nuclear program. While Iran’s proliferation problems are certainly cause for concern, we would do well to monitor Iran’s growing presence in our own hemisphere. And you don’t have to look hard to find evidence of Iran’s nefarious dealings. Venezuela has allowed Iran access to a gold mine in the …
Diplomats have often been disparaged as honest men sent abroad to lie for the good of their countries. If the plethora of disloyal, dangerous attacks launched by WikiLeaks continues and if the Obama Administration cannot stanch the bleeding, foreign officials and U.S. diplomats will soon find it just as likely that they must also lie to Washington. WikiLeaks promises to release thousands of cables from U.S. embassies in the Americas, although only a few cables appear noteworthy. They reflect the states of mind of some members of our diplomatic corps, …
