As many of you know I have increasingly been traveling in Latin America. I have also begun to study the region by reading books and articles on the region. I am exploring the idea of living there some day.

I have made some friends down that way and over the past week I have been genuinly touched by how they reached out to me as an American to try and comfort my pain.

IMNSHO during the Cold War Latin America was the back waters of American Foreign Policy. I believe that our coming War on Terrorism will work against this troubled region. Don't get me wrong, I strongly feel that we have no alternative but to crush the people who initiated this attack as well as their state sponsors. No es gente, son puercos.

I am hoping that we can find ways to maintain some perspective on being a positive influence on the countries south of our borders. Not sure how this can come about. If I haven't put you to sleep by now, try the following brief article.

http://www.stratfor.com/home/0109141530.htm

que les vaya bien,

Gitano

Interesting news letter. They seem to be fairly negative on the short term future of much of Latin America.

Gotta agree with them on the short term. Most of Central America has severe economic/political problems. Even economic stalworth Costa Rica is feeling the pinch. Intel, tourism, and coffee are their mainstays and all are off. The earthquakes in El Salvador have devastated an already fragile economy. A friend told me on the phone the other night that they are still experiencing aftershocks on close to a daily basis. It's been 9 months from the first big one. Nicaragua has had a drought and Guatamala appears to be unstable.

In South America there's the war in Colombia, Chavez moving to the left in Venezuela, spiraling economic down turns in Brazil, Argentina, and Ecuador.

Mexico had been doing comparatively better, but a large part of their economy is generated from the US.

A US focus away from the overall region won't help.

Good subject;

I think you've hit the nail on the head... these folks are going to take a back seat in US foriegn policy for awhile(let's hope all hell doesn't start breaking out down there, while were focused on the Middle East).

Fox might as well forget about striking any kind of new deals with the USA right now... he better start concentrating on what he can do in his own country... but it SURE WOULD BE NICE, if we heard more words of encouragement from our Latin American neighbors - like many have been saying; we are going to be judging WHO ARE FRIENDS REALLY ARE, by how they react to this situation... and I haven't heard ONE SINGLE LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY REALLY OFFER ANY HELP SO FAR... I guess they really aren't our friends...

I read 5 Latin American newspapers on a a daily basis. El Universal (Cartagena), La Prensa Grafica (El Salvador), La Nacion (Costa Rica), Frontera (Tijuana), El Universal (Mexico City). All have been pro American. I have friends in Colombia and El Salvador. They have sent me e-mails and called to offer their best wishes during these troubled times. At this time Latin America seems very pro-American.

I can't agree with you more Gitano. However, i still don't get the "helping hand feeling" that Diego mentioned, especially after seeing the jubilant festivities that took place this past Sat night..

As in Pakistan, the papers and government don't really count... it is what the PEOPLE are doing and saying.

I also have had e-mails of support from my FRIENDS in Mexico - but I've also heard a lot of bad-mouthing of the USA has been going on too.

The fact that 3 of these assholes had been hiding out in San Diego, and many others in Texas and Arizona, can't have helped matters(you didn't/don't see any of them hiding out in Idaho and Montana)... the US Federal Govt. is going to be taking a hard line on loosening up immigration restrictions now. I wonder how that is going to sit with the Mexicans?

I suppose it is possible that we will just go ahead and give 'em all amnesty and citizenship, so that we DON'T have such a problem with so many undocumented folks in this country.

Here's another interesting Startfor article on Latin America. This one concerns spiraling crime rates.

http://www.stratfor.com/premium/010829.htm

Yes, how will our anti-narcoterrorist campaign fare, in the lean years to come?

http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id1434

Please, try not to read too much of this newsletter. You'll begin to see conspiracies everywhere. Sure, they are real, but ignore them, they will go away.