June 16, 2003
“A lot of people looked at what this guy was engaged in and it was clearly inconsistent with U.S. law and democratic principles,” said an American official in Washington who is familiar with State Department policy on the matter. In rescinding Mr. Medina’s visa, American authorities invoked regulations barring foreigners who endorse “terrorist activity.”It’s probably a measure of my hard-earned cynicism about this crowd that I expect to eventually learn that this was just a calculated feint in a game for bigger and nastier stakes, but just for the moment I’d like to enjoy the idea that someone in the current administration has an ounce of sincerity and the ghost of a clue. Hey, it could happen. (Via Beautiful Horizons, an outstanding English-language weblog focussed on Latin American politics.) [09:24 PM]
Parts of the government, including the military-industrial complex, finally figured out Latin America sometime in the mid nineteen-eighties, and it shows.
This after futzing around in the area dating back to President Monroe, with a real turn-for-the-worse under Wilson.
There have been bad bits, of course, in the general upward trend. But I'm proud of a lot of what I did in my little way there back then. A big part of it was coming to the conclusion that we ought to act like we believed in this "democracy" thing. Democracy really is a great system. I like it a lot.
Also thanks. Hopefully, there will come a time in the near future when our foreign policy focus can shift from the mid-East to South America - a lot going on down there with Lula de Silva and Chavez.
Dear Mr Nielsen,
What surprises me is why don't you do the right thing by posting about the other type of news about Venezuela.
I see you mention Beautiful Horizons as your source. The author in that website confesses that his blog is "A gringo's perspective on Latin American politics".
What about getting a local's point of view? Additionally, from what I read a this site, this guy is spread all over the globe (note the multiple newsfeed about Burma, and no, Burma is not in Latin America). Where does the author live? I bet you that he does not live in Venezuela (and I suspect he does not live in Latin America).
For a local view of the country, please visit the websites of local newspapers/TV channels:
www.el-nacional.com
www.el-universal.com
www.globovision.com
(Spanish required, being this a Latin American country)
This way you will be able to read about the latest shenanigans by Chavez and his Administration.
Kind regards,
Some guy in Vzla
(if you want to pursue this conversation in private email, please post a reply)
Hard-Hitting Moderator: Teresa Nielsen Hayden.
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