Chilean President Ricardo Lagos: Will he be the next Allende?

[JanMichael]

EDIT~ I meant to ask if you thought that the US would arrange the same sort of "End" for Lagos as we did for Allende.

The 20 year marking of the brutal CIA/Kissenger/Bush? attack on the Allende Presidency, which led to 17 years of Pinochet Fascism (and a renewed interest on my part), has eventually led that country back to a Socialist President, Lagos.

He's quite a person who has elite US university degrees and actually knew Allende as well as risked his life protesting Pinochet's "Iron Heel".

A great interview with this man is available here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/pdf/int_ricardolagos.pdf

An exerpt:

INTERVIEWER: Do you believe that the term "socialist" used to describe you is an adequate term or a bad term?

RICARDO LAGOS: I think it's adequate. I mean, what "socialist" means is the very old aim of mankind to live in a world where you have some kind of social justice, where everybody has equal opportunities. Now, 200 or 300 years ago, the differences between the haves and the have-nots occurred over the ownership of land. One hundred and fifty years ago, the difference was what Mr. Marx used to say was the ownership of the means of production. How can you explain today the difference between the haves and the have-nots when you have a Mr. Bill Gates? Apparently today what explains the difference mostly is education, creativity.
In other words, if you want to be socialist today, I would say that education is the most important.
================================

A very compromised view in my opinion, it ignores massive populations, but...

I personally think that Lagos is an amazing individual...Yet I wonder how his reforms will last against a continuing/persevering financial elite that will constantly load the media with images counter to the ideals that he (The People) believes in. Throw in the International banking pressures to create "Privatisation"/Oligarchy and I wonder how this Fabian (Legislative, "Democratic", Socialism) Socialism can be sustained.

The Chilean "Elite" will eventually consolidate corporate media power against him and the people of Chile.

TV will send out both the benign wealth worship, so common to America, as well as load the news with anti-Lagos propaganda.

How is this to last?

How is any permenant societal progress to be achieved with the damnedable Corporatised TV in every private and public space?!

I don't have the answers, just questions tonight...

[Dirk39]

1. What's his strategy towards...

the WTO, the IMF and the Worldbank. I'd judge, if someone talks to this organisations or doesn't refuse to pay credits back, forget about him. If he doesn't, he might soon be "liberated"
Greetings from Germany,
Dirk

[JanMichael]

3. He talks about that in the interview.

IIRC he agrees with the WTO protestors (Apparently there are many that accept the existance of the WTO but wish to change the idiotic/hateful policies through Law) that wish to remake the Laws that rule the World.

[sistersofmercy]

2. Sounds like a remarkable human being. I wasn't sure if your question

was implying that he would be like Allende in spirit or if the current US regime would try to take him out as Allende was taken out.
If it's the former, from what I've read about both so far I'd say yes.
If it's the latter, I think the S American leader our regime is currently trying to take out politically is Chavez in Venezuela. They're on their second try currently. One just has to wonder what they'll pull next.

[JanMichael]

5. OK, I was unintentionally obtuse.

I blame Shakeydave and 7-9 beers for that.

On both counts though I agree that he meets the ends.

Chavez is less polished than Lagos and has a different economy to deal with so the US "Attention" is on him.

Chile is either in the works or soon to be so IMHO.

[Clete]

4. Allende was actually a communist, the communist party

being legal in Chile. The reason the Nixon administration got their underwear into a wad was because the communist party in Chile at that time had ties and funding from the Soviet Union and this is the thing that sent up the red flags, not the socialism.

They didn't understand that, as a legally elected President, Allende wasn't going to turn Chile into Cuba overnight. The overeaction to an imagined threat, as it turned out, caused the nightmare that followed. If Allende had been allowed to finish his term he would have been voted out the next election and all would have been right with the Western Hemisphere. Chileans usually vote social democrats into office anyway, who are just a little right of the communists.

I don't think there will be a problem. Also, with the ME mess, Bushco has it's hands full. Shrub probably thinks Chile is part of Mexico anyway.

[mkregel]

6. Excuse me...

can you prove Allende was a Communist?

Victor Jara may have been a card carrying member, but I don't think there was any proof Allende was.

[Clete]

9. I was living in Chile a couple of years before Allende got elected.

There was a communist party at that time that all the labor unions and farm workers belonged to.It was well known that Russia provided them with funds and it wasn't illegal. When Pinochet took over the communist party was outlawed. This is what started the purge and the killings. Anyone associated with the communist party could disappear.

Chile, before Pinnochet was very open to political ideas. I attended cocktail parties where politics were openly discussed and you could have a range of people at them ranging from extreme fascists to extreme communists and no one tried to kill each other or arrest them. Conversation was very open, very intellectual and very free.

On edit I forgot to answer your question. I would have to do some research to prove to you he was a communist. I do remember him campaigning though and it was as a communist, but since that was forty years ago, it may take some digging to get some proof.

[mitchtv]

12. Allende campaigned as a Marxist, I don't remember if he called

himsef communist it was so long ago. Marxist is the term most commonly used to describe his politics. it was rumored(unsubstantiated) that he was arming the campesinos. there were in fact takeovers at the latifundias. The were many Cuban invoved a cuban ship in Valparaiso was shelled.I was in Lima when Gen Schneider was murdered for believing in democracy.

[Clete]

13. I am mostly going from memories too.

But everyone referred to him as "comunista" including his supporters. I also worked in the Industrial Relations department of my dad's company when I went home during summer break. This is where the company did it's dealings with the unions. They all referred to themselves as commnists and proudly so.

I don't believe Allende did those things he has been accused of. My understanding was that the take over of the fundos and mines was spontaneous and not directed by him. It was something he couldn't control. I think he tried to reign it in, but couldn't or so it was said through the grapevine.

[madrchsod]

7. you threw me for a minute

it was 30 years ago...

[JanMichael]

8. The more things change...Yep.

The more they stay the same.

The same "elites that profitted from Pinochet are the ones fighting Lagos.

The same. It's really amazing, I'd a thought they'd all be dead and gone by now.

[oasis]

10. He spit in Colin Powell's eye when the general begged for Chile's

support for the second resolution on Iraq. This was to cover Tony Blair's ass before the invasion.

Of course Chimpy cancelled the whole business by withdrawing the resolution because they didn't have the votes.

"We'll see what the whip count is" said the Chimperor. "Show your cards."

"show your cards" :puke:

[David Zephyr]

11. Lagos Has Balls! Here's Some Complimentary Articles.

JanMichael, thanks for your post. Lagos is terrific.

Here's some inspiring stories out of Chile for you! :hi:

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fg-chile11sep11001427,1,1735025.story

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-stadium9sep09,1,487885.story

[JanMichael]

14. Amazing articles.

What's fucked up though is that the very SAME motherfuckers that killed all of the activists/politicos are STILL in politics and STILL ciould "win" elections!

This is the eternal problem...They simply don't stop trying to screw Society.