U.S. indifference toward Latin America evident at forum

By DAVID ADAMS
Published June 8, 2005

FORT LAUDERDALE - Put it down as another missed opportunity.

The United States hosted the annual meeting of the top political forum in the Americas this week, yet came away pretty much empty-handed.

Meeting on U.S. soil for the first time in more than two decades, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States could have been an occasion for the Bush administration to re-engage with a hemisphere it has overlooked in recent years.

Instead, the meeting painfully demonstrated how out of touch the United States is with its southern neighbors.

To be sure, Washington has plenty on its mind with the war on terrorism and economic relations with China. Even so, President Bush seemed in an awful hurry to leave the stage after a 13-minute speech Monday. His address was so scripted and devoid of substance that it only served to further demonstrate U.S. indifference.

Bush welcomed the 2,000-plus delegates to multicultural South Florida, saying it was the "perfect place" to talk about Latin America. He went on to point out that his brother is married to this "fantastic woman from Mexico, the first lady of Florida."

This fact is by now well-known to anyone from the hemisphere. But Bush family ties and Florida demographics are hardly a substitute for good diplomacy.

In his remarks Bush also went out of his way to welcome Florida's members of the U.S. Congress attending the meeting, including Miami's three Cuban-American members. Only then did he welcome the newly elected head of the OAS itself, Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza, Chile's former foreign minister.

The departure from protocol was a not-so-subtle sign of where this administration's foreign policy priorities lie. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met privately Monday with local Cuban-Americans. But the group was made up of the usual suspects - exile hard-liners - ignoring thoughtful critics of U.S. policy in the Cuban community.

Rice, the official chair of the three-day meeting, also didn't hang around for long. She flew back to Washington after lunch on the second day. Seemingly disoriented by her foray into this part of the world, she inexplicably excused herself saying, "I have to go back to the United States."

Rice had entered the meeting with tough talk, urging the OAS to adopt a U.S. proposal to create new "mechanisms" to reprimand those countries that stray from the democratic path. It's a worthy concept, say analysts, who worry about political turmoil in the region.

But the move was poorly executed diplomatically. U.S. officials had not laid the groundwork, and the proposal was too obviously directed at Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Latin America's newest bad boy.

It also flew in the face of a long-standing principle of nonintervention. No surprise then that it ended up being watered down Tuesday into a toothless statement about the OAS "creating space for reflection" to promote democracy. Hmmmmm. Isn't that what the OAS is already?

The recent record of U.S. diplomacy at the OAS speaks for itself. During recent elections for a new secretary-general, the United States failed to get enough backing for its candidate in a contest it normally expects to win. Its second-choice candidate was also defeated.

So, why has the United States lost its influence in the region? U.S. moral authority has not been helped by the war on terrorism, or alleged abuses of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay naval base.

More important, the United States has failed to address a growing left-wing trend in the region. While U.S. officials focus on free trade and political and civil rights, Latin America is far more preoccupied today with social and economic issues affecting millions of poor people in the hemisphere.

Seven countries in the region have recently elected left-wing governments. Despite his reputation, Venezuela's Chavez currently enjoys a high public opinion rating (70 percent), well above Bush's latest numbers.

All may not be lost. Insulza, the new secretary-general, comes to the job with impeccable credentials. Ironically, it may help that he was not Washington's candidate for the job, giving him a greater aura of independence.

A socialist, he was exiled under Chile's military dictatorship. But he is firm believer in free trade and defending democracy.

A socialist free-trader may be just what the region needs.

--David Adams can be contacted at dadams@sptimes.com

[Last modified June 8, 2005, 01:08:09]