The real questions are

1) Will he actually TRY to be Social Democratic?

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The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) represents the first attempt at regional integration that is not based primarily on trade liberalization but on a new vision of social welfare and equity. Alternatives are often either theoretical to the point of impracticality, or so micro that scaling up presents huge challenges; ALBA is both large-scale and, to an increasing degree, taking concrete shape. While many aspects of the project are still unrealized or only in the process of realization, and despite some apparent contradictions between theory and practice, ALBA is an important case study.
The fact that ALBA is spearheaded by Presidents Chávez, Castro and, more recently, Morales, of Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia respectively, the hemisphere´s 3 biggest bogeymen for neoliberal imperialism, only makes the tale that much more interesting. When US President George Bush turns up in Latin America to promote the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA), he is routinely cold-shouldered; Chávez on ALBA is greeted like a rock star.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ken Burch:
http://tinyurl.com/2s98xq

The real questions are

1) Will he actually TRY to be Social Democratic?

2) If he does, will the Guatemalan military and the Bush regime allow him to live?

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I suspect that Bush et al welcome social democratic governments as opposed to some of the more radical alternatives. At least that's how I read Harper's recent statements in Chile.

quote:

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"Too often some in the hemisphere are led to believe that their only choices are — if I can be so bold to say — to return to the syndrome of economic nationalism, political authoritarianism and class warfare, or to become, quote, just like the United States," Harper said, in what appeared to be a reference to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. "This is, of course, utter nonsense."

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He cited Canada and Chile as examples.