Chavez Watch update

Well, I have been away a long time, but I promise I have been busy with my life outside the blog--mainly school and the folklorico program, but I have been keeping an eye on that crafty Chavez and have mixed news to report. Most of my information is coming from The New York Times, CNN and NPR.

Chavez successfully got Venezuelan time zone changed to a half-hour system, which will brighten the Caracas sky half an hour earlier and, according to Chavez lead to more productivity--odd since he also has mandated a 6 hour work day, but never mind--he did it. Score one for the fruitcake, but in the meantime, people are worried that the half an hour less of light at the end of the day will only contribute further to the violent crime rate, which is surging in Venezuelan cities.

On the flip side, despite some juicy oil money inducements linked to the measure, Chavez was NOT successful in getting the public to approve, via referendum, a change to the constitution which would have allowed the crafty leader to be re-elected indefinitely. Score one for Democracy. Hope is alive.

But, don't get too happy, Chavez has got his Development Bank off the ground, with big, regional players like Brazil signed on for the ride. The bank is designed to right the wrongs of the IMF-style loans, which come with so many strings attached that they have brought some nations (notably Argentina at the turn of the 21st century) to their knees. Often the IMF and World Bank required free-market reforms and tax over-hauls that even the most capitalist of development nations don't live up to. This new bank will not require the strings, (whether there will be new strings, who knows?) but the idea of the same countries providing the funds for a bank as will be receiving the loans seems a bit fishy. Stay tuned.....

Meanwhile, Chavez pal, Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, is facing growing opposition from the relatively wealthy eastern area of his country. Evo, the first indigenous leader of Bolivia since its independence from Spain, is doing all he can to centralize power in the Andean region, home to many Amayan natives, but the East is not having it lying down. They are trying to decentralize and seek more regional autonomy. Could be a very volatile 2008 for that country.

On an interesting side note, the suitcase of cash (between $700,000 and $800,000) that was intercepted by Argentine authorities in Buenos Aires was confirmed to have been sent from the Chavez camp as a contribution to the campaign of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. No evidence as of yet that she knew anything about it.

If you haven't figured it out, I am a huge lover of South America and wish only the best for the entire region in the New Year. I also wish that our country would pay a little more attention to our neighborhood--not in a Big Brother kind of way, but in the concerned neighbor kind. Because people like Chavez will always be around to fill the void.