Largely because everyone is ignoring Latin America, I haven’t had much to say, but it is a place that has a special place in my heart. I don’t have much to say about Haiti because while I am not comfortable with how Aristide was overthrown, I have little faith in Aristide himself.
However, the retrograde jackasses from the Reagan administration are inserting themselves into the El Salvadoran elections.
During past Salvadoran elections the U.S. has maintained a hands-off policy. The American ambassador has said the U.S. will respect the electoral process again this time and work with whoever is elected. That’s a wise policy. It is not, apparently, a policy shared by everyone in the Bush administration.
Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega was quoted by Salvadoran media as warning voters to think twice about their choices and the possible impact of an FMLN victory on relations with the U.S. During a recent visit, Noriega met with almost all of the candidates, but snubbed the FMLN’s.
More troubling were White House Special Assistant Otto Reich’s remarks last week that the “U.S. could not have the same confidence in an El Salvador led by a person who is an obvious admirer of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez.” He also mused about the impact on commerce and migration policy if the FMLN were to win.
Reich’s analysis may be correct, but the decision to voice those thoughts just a few days before the election undercuts the U.S. ambassador’s pledge of neutrality. It sounded more like a warning to vote “the right way.”
Reich is uncommitted to democracy and for those that wonder why I don’t take the administration’s word for it when the neo-cons start spouting claims about democracy, you can look to him and Noriega.
I have little use for the FMLN either, but they aren’t the ones trying to subvert Democracy in this case.
I’m not comfortable with Bush and would feel uncomfortable with him being overthrown. Impeached? Yes. Exported by Haitian Marines? Delicious!!!