Posted on 8-11-2004

Oh Well, Uruguay Has Turned Left

by Alan Marston
 
.... for first time in 170 years Uruguay votes in a leftwing president.
Alright, that's South America not North America. The thing is`the people'
are desperate for something to balance the unremitting rightwing morons
that seem to be able to keep a majority of US Americans bowing to a
political theocracy.
 
The God Bless America theme seems to mean to North Americans God Bless
Only America, I mean only North America, and to hell with the rest of the
universe. The simplicity of the average US citizen is astounding - and
dangerous to civilised life. Sir Kenneth Clark, who I respect on matters
of civilisation, said that all great forward movements in civilisation
were made in periods of internationalism. Well that's bad news for
civilised people of the current era, never have the
political/economic/military forces of the world been so firmly in the
hands of narrow minded, greedy, corrupt nationalists; the so-called
neo-liberals who set the agenda in the USA today.
 
In the longest shadow even a single lighted match will dispel gloom.
Uruguay's first leftwing president in its 170-year history yesterday
celebrated his election victory, consolidating a political swing to the
left across South America. Tabare Vazquez, 64, the leader of a coalition
of former extreme leftwing guerrillas, socialists, communists and social
democrats called the Broad Front-Progressive Encounter, won in the first
round.
 
Mr Vazquez, a cancer doctor and the former mayor of Montevideo, told
jubilant crowds: "Celebrate, Uruguayans, celebrate. This is your victory."
His victory follows similar moves to the left in Brazil, Argentina, Chile,
Venezuela, Paraguay and Ecuador.
 
Mr Vazquez, who will take office on March 1 2005, last week said that he
would "review" the ambitious bilateral investment treaty that his
predecessor signed with the US last September. He has talked of finding a
"third way" between protectionism and state-organised economic activity on
one hand, and the privatisation of state-run industries and lowering of
trade barriers on the other. He favours closer ties with other South
American states in the Mercosur customs union, subsidised agriculture, and
public works projects financed by higher taxes. "The change has already
started in other Latin American countries," Mr Vazquez told the crowd at
his last rally before the vote. "We have to stop being a rich country with
a poor population."
 
Heard it all before, but need to hear it again, and again, and again...