Standing on their own two Feet

A political tide is sweeping across Latin America.

With the election of Evo Morales, the indigenous leader of the Movement to Socialism party, Bolivia has become the latest country in the region to elect a left-wing government.

In Chile, the socialist Michelle Bachalet looks set to become the first female President in the country's elections on January the 15th.

And earlier this week, in a bold popular move, Argentinian President Nestor Kirchner announced the decision to pay off the remaining debt owed to the IMF before the year is out. The prescribed economic policies of the IMF have proven disastrous for Argentina and everywhere else they have been implemented in Latin America.

"In reaction to more than a decade of free-market reforms that failed spectacularly to end poverty but exacerbated extraordinary levels of inequality, left-leaning governments have been elected in one country after another."

North American influence in the region has been greatly weakened in recent years, with more and more countries opting to take their own economic decisions, form their own alliances on their own terms and take control of their own natural resources. Kirchner and Brazilian leader Lula Da Silva teamed up at last November's Summit of the Americas to attack the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

In an interview in El Pais today, Evo Morales talked about Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan leader who has proven to be such a thorn in the side for Washington and, with the country currently flush from oil revenues, an alternative source of financial asisstance for countries wanting to liberate themselves from America's influence. (He offered Kirchner two Billion dollars to help pay off the Argentinian debt). Asked if he trusted Chavez, Morales replied that he had great respect and admiration for him.

"He fought alongside his people for their dignity, their sovergnity, their natural resources. When a leader defends his people, my experience is that his people will defend him. This is the case with Chavez. Imagine, having to suffer so many blows: one from the military, one economic, one from the media, and one democratic, including the referendum to revoke his position, which he turned into a referendum of confirmation. And he continues standing, stronger than ever."

Some countries in the Latin American region could prove to be models for other devoloping nations if their radical approaches to tackling poverty and inequality are successful, and if they are allowed time to flourish without interference. Time will tell.