Not a Laughing Matter

I was checking on BBC this morning and found out that our president is currently on a tour of Latin America. This inspired a few articles on BBC about the state of things in Latin America and how our foreign policy has impacted those things. Basically, we've lost all ties to our southern neighbors and by our war in Iraq have driven up the price of oil in Venezuela, not exactly out closest allies, and put them in a position to control the price of oil from now until kingdom come. We're talking more oil in Venezuela then all the countries on earth combined. Let me shake your hand, Mr. President. Said country has also formed an alliance with Cuba and Haiti (two more US foreign policy failures) and meanwhile, China is making buddy buddy with Brazil. Whoot.

Speaking of Cuba...did you know that the infant mortality rate in Cuba is two times lower (at 7 per 1,000 births) then it is for African-Americans (at 14 per 1,000 births) and that Cuba has the lowest HIV infection rate in the Western Hemisphere and all those Cubans that do have HIV receive Cuban produced HAART (highly active anti-retro viral therapy) at no cost. And! As if that wasn't enough to make us look like idiots, most Cubans receive better health-care then do our own citizens who live in Washington, D.C. right under the noses of our fabulous law makers. Huh. And all this in the face of an illegal and intense embargo from said "most powerful nation." This info was taken from Pathologies of Power by Dr. Paul Farmer, whom I just had the privilege to hear speak at Seton Hall. This info is heavily cited in the extensive notes and references section of the book, in case anyone is interested.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.
Here's the link about Venezuela and oil.
Here's the link about the current state of Latin America.
And finally, here's the one about Brazil and China.
Finally, here's my favorite quote from this article on different views on Bushes visit:
"What has President Bush done for Latin America in the past six years? Let's see. He accepted the overthrowing of an elected government in Venezuela - the US was the only country in the hemisphere to do so, and then looked ridiculous when Chavez regained power. He is building a fence with Mexico. He keeps an illegal embargo on Cuba. He supports a government in Colombia that has alleged links to paramilitary groups. On and on we can go. We are poor in Latin America, but wise enough to know that this US president is no friend of ours."
Agustin Yerovi, Montevideo, Uruguay