Weekly Roundup: LatAm Reaction to Obama Win, Plane Crash in Mexico, and a Colombian Military Purge

Latin America Reacts to Obama Victory

Leaders from across the Americas heralded the win of Barack Obama after the November 4 results came in for the race for the White House. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil called the victory of the first African-American candidate “extraordinary,” praised Obama for his political competence, and made several recommendations for the next president: stronger U.S. relations with South America and Africa, peace in the Middle East, and an end to the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Mexican President Felipe Calderón congratulated Obama, emphasizing the importance of Mexican immigrant voters in the election, and extended an invitation for him to visit Mexico. In a letter to Obama published by Clarín, Argentina’s President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner also extended her congratulations, alluded to the civil rights battle led by Martin Luther King, and highlighted the need for multilateral diplomacy and the eradication of inequality.
 
Barack Obama’s victory in U.S. presidential elections raised hopes of boosting frayed relations with Latin American leaders; the president-elect drew warm words from leaders of countries with whom the Bush administration has had troubled relations such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia, reports Reuters. On the eve of the vote, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, one of the most outspoken detractors of U.S. President George W. Bush, expressed his affinity for the president-elect Obama and said he would help open the door to resume dialogue with the United States.

Obama was preferred over his rival in Latin America according to a poll released by Latinobarómetro a few days before the polls. The survey found that 29 percent of Latin Americans believed a victory by Obama would be better for the region versus 8 percent who said the same of McCain. Yet the survey also found that 29 percent did not prefer either candidate while 31 percent were unsure.

An AS/COA analysis takes a closer look at where Obama stands on issues related to the Americas as well as Hispanic voters.

The Crucial Latino Vote

Newsweek blogger Andrew Romano looks at the importance of the Hispanic vote for Obama’s victory, highlighting strides made in Florida, where 57 percent of Latino voters chose Obama over 42 percent for McCain, marking a shift in one of the few states where the Hispanic electorate typically chooses Republicans over Democrats. Romano writes that, according to exit polls, he won 68 percent of the Hispanic vote and 85 percent of the Mexican-American vote across the country.

Michelle Bachelet: “Let’s Confront Global Challenges Together”

In the Fall 2008 issue of Americas Quarterly, released November 6, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet writes about the positive relationship between Latin America and the United States and underlines the importance of seizing the moment. “The world is ripe for a renewed and strengthened multilateralism, and the support of the U.S. will be decisive.”

The new issue offers 31 memos to the president-elect, including articles by President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations Celso Amorim, and Scotiabank CEO Rick Waugh. Visit the new Americas Quarterly website for more information.

Obama Presidency Could Shift U.S.-Cuba Policy

With many Cubans hoping an Obama presidency could signal changes, the Miami Herald looks at speculation at what kinds of changes could be in store for U.S.-Cuba policy. The Obama-Biden ticket promised to lift bans imposed during the Bush administration on remittances and travel for family members who still have relatives on the island. Some wonder if his presidency could witness the lifting of the embargo, though Obama has said it would take action by U.S. Congress to lift it.

Opportunity for a U.S.-Canadian Climate Deal

Canadian officials will seek a climate-change pact with future President Barack Obama. “Officials say they have been waiting for the departure of George W. Bush to work with his successor on an integrated carbon market,” reports the Toronto Star. 

Colombian Government Purges Military Branch

Nine months ago, 11 young men from Soacha, located on the outskirts of Bogota, died and were identified as guerrilla members killed in combat. After a lengthy investigation, authorities determined that the victims were civilians and falsely recruited with job offers to end up boosting and killed to the body count of an army military unit charged with fighting leftist rebels. Semana magazine published an in-depth feature trailing these events that led to the resignation of the Army Commander General Mario Montoya and the dismissal of 27 army officers, including three generals, four colonels, and seven lieutenants. The killing also echoes recent claims coming from several human rights organizations about the extra-judicial killings.
 
AS/COA’s Christopher Sabatini was interviewed on PBS news program Worldfocus on the dismissal of Colombian army officers for civilian deaths.

Possible Presidential Candidates in Colombia

An Infolatam analysis takes a look at potential presidential candidates with strong chances of succeeding President Álvaro Uribe if he decides not to seek reelection in 2010. In particular, the article examines prospects for Senator Germán Vargas Lleras and Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos.

On September 24, Uribe attended an AS/COA luncheon and said that “Colombia needs to reelect policies, not people.” Read a summary of the event.

The Global Economic Crisis: Limiting Collateral Damage in the Americas

In the face of the a global economic downturn, Latin American leaders must build on successes of recent years by maintaining open markets and avoiding anti-investor rhetoric, writes COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth. "To use the language of the stock market, they do not want to take policy steps that will lock in their losses.”

Financial Storm Spells Trouble for Petrobras

The Financial Times reports on how the global financial crisis has affected Brazil’s plans to join the ranks of oil-producing giants. Petrobras delayed the publication of its 2009-2013 strategic plan to tighten some screws. The report should explain how the company will exploit massive “pre-salt” oil fields, technical details still in the works, and the cost of such efforts. The article points out that “with the world's credit markets closed for business, there is no certainty of raising the necessary funding.”

Lula Meets with Fidel and Raúl in Havana

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Cuba and met with ex-President Fidel Castro and his brother President Raúl Castro to reinforce commercial ties with the island as well as an agreement for Brazil’s state-run company Petrobras to pursue deep-water oil exploration with Cuba Petroleos. The leaders also announced that Raúl will attend the Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development in Brazil on December 16 and 17 in his first trip overseas since elected president.

Interior Minister of Mexico Dies in Plane Crash

An accidental plane crash in Mexico City claimed the lives of eight people and injured roughly 40. Among the dead was Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, who served as the president’s top aide and a leader in the fight against the country’s drug cartels. The young minister, 37, was considered a possible political successor to the Calderón administration. El Universal provides special coverage of the tragedy.

Drug Cartels Spread Tentacles

The Latin American Thought blog examines recent arrests across Latin America of Mexican cartel members. Blockbuster parties in Mexico City, hefty drug shipments seized in Barranquilla heading for Veracruz, and cartel-style murders in Buenos Aires serve as a few examples of how Mexican criminal organizations have spread across the region.

Mexican Government Seeks to Draw Professionals Home

The Dallas Morning News looks at Mexican brain drain, interviewing several high-skilled professionals that moved from Mexico to Dallas to open new businesses or continue their medical, engineering, or administration careers. The Mexican government created the “Network of Talents” program that reaches out to Mexican entrepreneurs and invites them to return to or invest in Mexico.

Chinese President Makes First LatAm Trip—to Costa Rica

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry announced that China’s President Hu Jintao plans to make his first Latin American trip on November 17 to Costa Rica before heading to Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. In June 2007, Costa Rica became the first and only Central American country to recognize China and break relations with Taiwan. The two countries are expected to sign several agreements during Hu’s visit.

A recent AS/COA analysis examines China's new membership in the Inter-American Development Bank.

Bolivia Suspends DEA Operations

Bolivian President Evo Morales halted operations of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Bolivian territory on November 1, alleging that the agency was guilty of political espionage. The Los Angeles Times chronicles this new blow to strained U.S.-Bolivia relations, which reached a new low when each country expelled the other’s ambassador. Recently, the U.S. Department of State suspended trade preferences to Bolivia under the Andean Pact Trade and Drug Enforcement Agreement.

Honduran Reasons for Joining ALBA

The Economist explains the possible reasons why Honduran President Manuel Zelaya joined the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), breaking a historic trend to stand as a firm ally of the United States. ALBA presents an economic opportunity to access cheap oil from Venezuela and cash though the selling of Honduran bonds.

Social Networking on the Rise in Latin America

University of Pennsylvania’s Universia Knowledge takes a look at the widespread growth of online social networks in Latin America and how sites like Facebook, Hi5, and Orkut are tapping into new ways to create profits.

Editor's Note: This issue of the Weekly Roundup originally described Celso Amorim as Brazil's Minister of Defense. He is Brazil's Minister of Foreign Relations.