However, the Bolivian Left is ornery and they're on the move again.

Meanwhille back in Uruguay, the Frente Amplio has recieved much support from abroad with Brazillian President Lula and Argentinian President Kirchner openly campaigning for Vazquez . Kirchener has been particularly aggressive in his support. This is important since the Uruguayan community living in Argentina is estimated in 300,000. Most of them - not surprisingly are working class. Kirchner gave them all the day off to go home and vote.

Remember Che.

Salvador Allende was elected by the people. Chilean's couldn't be trusted with democracy, according to the madman and the doctor.

And so have Brazilian's spoken. And Uruguayan's, and Bolivian's .. and Venezuelan's and more to come, hopefully. Colonialism/capitalism cannot survive without enforcement by military junta.

Another important facet of the election was the referendum victory against the privatisation of water, a huge issue in many countries now.

There is no comparison between a Third-World country protesting against abuses by "foreign" (imperialist) banks, corporations and international financial institutions and people here who talk about "furriners"or "foreign countries"...

[ 02 November 2004: Message edited by: lagatta ]

Of course it reamins to be seen whether "revolution" by the ballot box will work either. Kirchner has been more "revolutionary" than Lula thus far - and he was from an "old line" party. Ironically the US is forced to lie in the bed Reagan made in the 80s. Faced with growing criticism of US support for dictators and hoping to win a PR war against the Sandinistas, the US began to push for "democracy" albeit in a stilted unfair form that guaranteed the results they wanted. Thus Chile became "democratic" but with a key role for mass murdering despot Pinochet. Thus Nicaragua held elections that led to the defeat of Daniel Ortega. It was deemed safe to go "democratic" since most of the Left had been killed off (literally) and the deck was stacked anyway.

Quebec, at least, has an arguable claim for membership in "Latin" America. But all of Canada, including francophone Canada, has profited much more from our past dealings with USian capital than have those in South and Central America. On which side is our bread buttered?

[ 04 November 2004: Message edited by: robbie_dee ]

Of course, Canada can still find common cause with progressive leaders. The OAS is increasingly becoming a venue for dissent instead of ass-kissing. There's no reason why Canadians couldn't join join other progressive leaders and form a front on key issues like this.