Latin America's further turn to the Left

Yesterday, Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez more commonly known as Fernando Lugo was elected president of Paraguay, this is the first time that the Colorado Party has lost an election in 61 years.

Lugo is one of twelve Latin American presidents to have a "leftist" rhetoric as the South American continent becomes a continually "leftist" region. Lugo is often referred to the "bishop of the poor" but has attempted to distance himself from the radical Hugo Chavez of Venezuela who in the past decade has stirred up anti-American, anti-imperialist, and anti-globalization fervor among the populations of Latin America.

Other Latin American "leftist" leaders include...

• Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua
• Evo Morales in Bolivia
• Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in Argentina
• Rafael Correa in Ecuador
• Lula da Silva in Brazil
• Raul Castro in Cuba
• Tabaré Vázquez in Uruguay
• Michelle Bachelet in Chile
• Alan Garcia in Peru

This surely poses a least a minor threat to American and international economic interests in the region but few have aligned themselves with Chavez's more extreme message. Perhaps the people of Latin America are standing opposed to the neo-liberal economic policies enforced by the IMF/WTO during the 1990's which saw economic growth but further socio-economic inequality among the regions poor. Maybe we shouldn't be living a consumer driven lifestyle which requires millions of people to live in abject poverty so that we can wear $49 dollar running shoes...just a thought....