Thanks Rodrigo.

I'd like to know more about the dynamics of the struggle in Bolivia, Venezuela etc. Are social classes in conflict, and which ones. What in your view is the nature of the Governments there? Is this top down "socialism" (or socialism in waiting) or bottom up class struggle? Which classes? peasants, workers, counter mobilisations by the middle classes and the ruling class?

It's interesting that the Monroe doctrine in practice looks weaker today than any time in recent history, although the attempted US deposing of Chavez was a close run thing.

The costly and what will eventually be unsuccessful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus the US economic crisis, will put real pressure on the ability of the US to wage war against or overthrow South American leftist regimes, I think. But never underestimate the beast, especially in the backyard of its lair.

Around 150 years ago or so, there was great debate between which part of the Americas would become "dominant", the "Anglo North" or "Hispanic South".

Direct comparisons were made between the economic fortitude and potential of Argentina and USA and the predictions were even.

These days, USA and the Northern continent has some problems

But

they pail into insignificance when compared to the charnel house of repression, murder, drug running, corruption, revolution (Bolivia being classic) and general lawlessness which seems to be an insoluble feature of Southern America.

Whatever the politics, the social/cultural values which prevail in South America, sadly condemn it to a seriously inferior experience as far as "Life Quality" is concerned.

No South American politician seems to be able to address this, they are possibly too fixated upon

"who owns what of what there is"

instead of

"how do we achieve better with what there is".

Maybe they should be recolonised and administered by someone with a clue, for they don't seem to have one between the lot of them.

It IS about "who owns what of what there is". It's why Morales was elected to start with - an attempt by the poor majority to get a slice of that country's incredible wealth being siphoned off by the plutocracy. Dirt poor countries generally don't worry about the niceties of life, which gives excellent cover for political agitators. Venezuela's a fine example. Chavez is no saint but his enemies appear to have even fewer scruples.

The US has seen a number of such diplomatic snubs lately, which seems inevitable given their policies towards south America are unchanged from the mid C20th.

A bit unkind Col to suggest they be recolonised. Who's best placed for this? The end of colonialism is one of the great achievements of the last century.

Suggest Col_Rouge read Naomi Klein The Shock Doctrine or any number of histories of South American politics. The United States hasn't been a good neighbour or beneficial to the societies of the Phillipines, Cuba as well as most Latin American countries. Canada can heave a sigh of relief that American racism respects the english speaking status of Canaadians.

The only thing that Col Rouge might be happy with is that Bolivians distribute contraceptive under skin implants extensively in the Altiplano where 70% of the population live in absolutely dire poverty despite the Pope's various encyclicals against contraception.

I was shocked to see the disruption caused to Bolivian transport caused by the removal of rail lines that has occurred since 1978 making travel between major cities problematic as people travel on buses over dirt roads between cities that previously had regular passenger trains.

In Venezuela wealth is concentrated on the ruling family and their 2000 odd descendants the rest of the population live in dire poverty. Venezuela has the same size GDP and population as Australia. To be truthful I haven't visited Venezuela but I imagine that the majority of Venezuelans live in similar circumstances as the favela dwellers of Brazil and Indians of La Paz, Bolivia.

Col Rouge:
"they pail into insignificance when compared to the charnel house of repression, murder, drug running, corruption, revolution (Bolivia being classic) and general lawlessness which seems to be an insoluble feature of Southern America."

Excuse me!? Did you not read the article? The repression, murder, drug running, and corruption occurring in Bolivia is on the part of the local opposition, the wealthy elite massively supported by the taxpayers in the murder capital of the world, the USA.

As for "revolution (Bolivia being classic)", the Morales government was democratically elected in 2005 with an unprecedented 54 percent majority, reasserted in the recall referendum of 2007 with a 67.4 percent majority. That is real democracy, not like the phony competition between millionaires that passes for democracy in the US.

Bolivia is a prime example of how general lawlessness is no longer "an insoluble feature of Southern America", demonstrating that ordinary people, indigenous and non-indigenous, by working together can overcome the dictatorship of the corporatocracy and reclaim their country.