Under Bush Jr, the United States lost two ambassadors in South America. The Obama administration has lost another, bringing the total to three.
Those countries are Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela. So President Obama’s recent trip to Latin America did little to mend relations.
Even U.S. ally Columbia, is leaning towards Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
Looks like the U.S. just doesn’t get Latin America.
From 1998 to 2008 Venezuelans increased their caloric consumption by 55.5%. That’s according to a study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Also, between 70-75% of the food is produced locally. It reflects Venezuela’s focus on increasing domestic production.
Venezuela also has a law that says the government must keep three months worth of food, for an estimated 27 million people, stocked up for emergencies.
For the past three years Iran has been building updated dairy production centers and corn flour mills in Venezuela.
Iranian ambassador, Adbolessa Mesri, said the project is meant to upgrade Venezuela’s technology in milk and flour production. The deal gives Venezuela the rights to export the technology to other South American countries.
On Wednesday, October 20th, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, announced they had signed several energy deals, and, that they are working towards a new world order of their own. Ahmadinejad stated; “We are united and determined to end the current injustice which dominates the world and replace it with a new world order based on justice.”
An example of how ignorant our government, and U.S. political advisers, have gotten, foreign policy analyst, Rick Casper said this deal between Iran and Venezuela was proof that U.S. sanctions are working. What an idiot! He also said; “There is no other country willing to do business with Iran except Venezuela.” Idiot! Who do you think is building Iran’s nuclear power plant? Russia! Iran also has deals with China, and many Central Asian countries, as well as European countries. This is the level of intelligence of U.S. foreign policy analysts?
It’s interesting how our government, and main stream media, is so rabid about going after Iran’s nuclear power ambitions. And now, in the back yard of the United States, Venezuela has signed a deal with Russia to build a nuclear reactor. I’m not seeing any rabid war mongering coming from our government, or media, about it. Mmmm. Here’s what U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley had to say about it; “It is certainly a right of any country to pursue civilian nuclear energy, but with that right comes responsibilities,”. Not as tough sounding as with Iran.
Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, is traveling the world. His first stop, Russia, where he gave a speech denouncing the United States, and expressing sorrow for the fall of the Soviet Union. The nuclear plant deal was part of a larger economic deal with Russia. Another part of the deal involves the sale of Venezuela’s stake in four oil refineries that are co-owned by a German company. Other petroleum deals with Russia involve the sale of Venezuelan assets co-owned by British Petroleum (BP, remember those guys). Gee, that doesn’t sound like a communist thing to do? Chavez stated; “I’m a socialist, but also a good merchant.”
Chavez also stopped in Ukraine, and had a tour of the famous Antonov aircraft factory.
In a Russia Today interview, President Chavez blamed the current violent state of the world on the “…Yankee Empire.” (I wounder how many U.S. citizens know that ‘Yankee’ refers to them). Russian President Medvedev said Russia and Venezuela are working to create a world order not dependent on the United States; “…a world order where our future would not depend on the will, desire, or mood of some country, but on joint efforts of the international community, and, indeed, internal development.”