Pubdate: Sun, 02 Apr 2006
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2006 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: Philip Sherwell, in Washington
Map: http://www.mapinc.org/images/LatinAmerica.gif
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Latin+America
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Evo+Morales
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Bolivia
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/coca
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Condoleezza+Rice

RICE MOVES TO BLOCK CHAVEZ POWER PLAY

Condoleezza Rice, the American Secretary of State, is heading a
concerted, but little-publicised, diplomatic effort by Washington to
thwart the ambitions of Hugo Chavez, the firebrand Venezuelan
President, to create and lead an anti-American axis in Latin America.

Faced by a resurgence of Left-wing populism in the Hispanic world, the
Bush administration has decided to try "to do business" even with its
harshest critics, if it can block the regional power play by Mr
Chavez, backed by his friend Fidel Castro, the Cuban dictator.

Ms Rice had a friendly, first meeting last month with Evo Morales, the
new Bolivian President, even though he has threatened to nationalise
foreign businesses and announced the end of the ban on cultivation of
coca, the plant from which cocaine is produced.

The administration is also likely to adopt an initially conciliatory
approach towards Ollanta Humala - if he wins the Peruvian vote next
weekend. But the prospect is viewed with alarm in Washington.

Roger Noriega, the assistant secretary of state for Western hemisphere
affairs until last year, said: "He seems to have a military populist
instinct that will undermine the recent democratic
restoration."

Mr Noriega, who remains close to the administration, said he believed
that Mr Chavez's role in the Morales victory and the Humala campaign
has "probably been decisive".

Moderate Left-wing presidents have also won recent elections in Chile,
Uruguay and Brazil, but Washington maintains good relations with all
three governments.

The next headache for America is looming in Mexico, where the
anti-capitalist message of Andres Lopez Obrador has made him
front-runner for July's presidential vote. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake