Category Archives: International

Plunging to new lows

Posted on March 11, 2013 by

In a sign that Hugo Chávez has indeed made headlines in corners of the world we never thought we’d be in, get this: there is a growing controversy in Iran over Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s embrace of doña Elena Frías de Chávez … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavez cancer, International | 29 Comments

Radio Times on WHYY Philly

Posted on March 11, 2013 by

I spent an hour this morning across from George Ciccariello-Maher on Radio Times, a current affairs show from the NPR affiliate in Philadelphia, WHYY. It was easily the best radio show I’ve done in the last week.

Posted in In Other News, International chavistas | Tagged | 27 Comments

Llegó la hora … de pagarle a los chinos (Updated)

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

A publisher friend (more on that later) sent me a copy of José Toro Hardy’s Llegó la Hora, and I found a piece of news that I wasn’t aware of. It turns out that the Chinese are not subsidizing us, but … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Oil, The Economy | 18 Comments

Rory Carroll. Jon Lee Anderson. Richard Lapper. The big guns.

Posted on February 27, 2013 by

Courtesy of The Frontline Club. These are serious people, and it’s a good discussion, but one thing that struck me as badly misguided is the treatment of Barrio Adentro.

Posted in International | 80 Comments

The China connection

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

Over at Foreign Policy’s Transitions blog (apologies, but you need to log in to read the piece), I take a break from my vacation to discuss the link between last week’s devaluation and Elías Jaua’s ill-fated trip to China: In … Continue reading →

Posted in Bonds, CADIVI, China | 44 Comments

Chávez and the Saudis

Posted on January 14, 2013 by

One of the least explored aspects of Hugo Chávez’s foreign policy has been his relationship with Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have long been advocates of moderation within OPEC, by virtue of their alliance with the United States and their large … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Oil | 20 Comments

The gang’s all here!

Posted on January 13, 2013 by

It has been a crowded weekend in Havana so far. First, two Latin American presidents tried unsuccessfully to visit the comandante presidente: Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Peru’s Olanta Humala. At least Cristina met with both Castros for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavismo, Diosdado Cabello, International, Nicolas Maduro, Politics | 33 Comments

Marco Aurélio García vs. Ernesto Villegas

Posted on January 8, 2013 by

One of Brazilian President Dilma Roussef’s top foreign policy advisors,  Marco Aurélio García, has gone on the record saying nothing will happen on January 10th, since the government can just call a 90-day “temporary absence” under Article 234 of the Constitution, and … Continue reading →

Posted in International chavistas, Politics | 26 Comments

Pepe ex machina?

Posted on January 7, 2013 by

Now this is interesting, Uruguayan president José Mujica will travel to Caracas on Wednesday, Montevideo daily El País has confirmed… The Uruguayan Senate plans to meet tomorrow Tuesday to authorize Mujica’s trip. Last Wednesday, Mujica cancelled a trip to Havana … Continue reading →

Posted in International chavistas | 25 Comments

Pretty please, could our next radical left wing president be a little bit more like Pepe Mujica?

Posted on January 5, 2013 by

If Simón Romero’s profile doesn’t make you smile, you have no heart. Polls show that his approval ratings have been declining, but “I don’t give a damn,” insisted Mr. Mujica, emphasizing that he considered re-election to consecutive terms, already prohibited … Continue reading →

Posted in International chavistas | 33 Comments

Conservative anti-imperialism

Posted on January 4, 2013 by

In Foreign Affairs, Javier Corrales coins a term I had not heard before: “conservative anti-imperialism.” It describes Chávez’s approach to relations with the US: antagonistic, but not that much; virulently vociferous, but eager to make a sale. The money quote: … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Oil | 17 Comments

¿Por qué no te callas?

Posted on December 28, 2012 by

Remember the problem we have with the sencillo? Well, it’s no longer a domestic issue. Spanish newspaper ABC reports that the one Bolívar Fuerte coin is now used by small con artists there to pay in stores, buses or bars. Given … Continue reading →

Posted in In Other News, International, The Economy | Leave a comment

Where’s Waldo? (Hint: Not in Brazil)

Posted on December 6, 2012 by

The point of my “Where’s Waldo?” posts, which I started a few weeks back, was to keep track of Hugo Chávez’s increasingly rare public appearances. These posts, however, are no fun if the President simply vanishes. As of today, Hugo … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavez cancer, International, Military, Nicolas Maduro | 33 Comments

New planes for Conviasa, junk for the rest

Posted on November 13, 2012 by

Venezuelan flag carrier Conviasa has started to recieve the first group of the twenty Embraer E-190 aircraft it bought in late 2011 to Brazil. The state airline, which was already in an urgent need of renewing its fleet and looking … Continue reading →

Posted in In Other News, infrastructure, International, Society, The Economy | 5 Comments

Well, this happened…

Posted on November 12, 2012 by

The Bolivarian Republic won the right to be a member of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. It will join Argentina and Brazil as representatives of Latin America. Two months ago, the Chavernment denounced the American Convention on Human Rights, … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, In Other News, International | 14 Comments