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Picking the President: Bush more engaged with Latin America
12:05 PM CDT on Sunday, October 3, 2004
Why should the two major presidential candidates – not to mention, the folks living here in North Texas – care about what goes on in Latin America? Simple answer: Because what goes on in your neighborhood affects you. On issues ranging from trade to immigration to drugs, what happens in Latin America affects the United States.
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Whenever the Mexican economy hits a rough spot, immigrants stream into the United States in greater numbers. According to Colombia's ambassador to the United States, his country is responsible for 80 percent of the cocaine consumed in the United States. When U.S. workers complain about unfair trade practices and the outsourcing of jobs, it is Latin American nations that often wind up front and center in the debate.
So how do John Kerry and President Bush compare with respect to their policies, priorities and perspectives toward Latin America?
Mr. Bush got off to an encouraging start, in 2001, by building on his relationship with Mexican President Vicente Fox and kicking off negotiations for an immigration accord. And in Peru, the Bush administration applauded the ascension to the presidency of Stanford-educated economist Alejandro Toledo after former President Alberto Fujimori fled in disgrace.
Then came Sept. 11, 2001, and the administration turned its attention elsewhere. When Argentina's economy collapsed, the United States – and much of the world – decided that the situation was too fluid to simply throw more foreign aid at Buenos Aires. And with regard to those countries in whose affairs the White House did maintain interest – like Cuba and Venezuela – the approach was often to try to swat mosquitoes with cannon fire.
Lately, according to Roger Noriega, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Latin America, the administration has been rebuilding its relationship with the region. Mr. Bush has not stopped trying to drum up support for a new immigration accord with Mexico. And Mr. Noriega says the administration is even helping Argentina dig itself out of its financial crisis.
If only Mr. Kerry seemed as interested in Latin America. Listen to his speeches. Read his press releases. You'll have a tough time finding any evidence that he's given much thought to this part of the world.
Our fear is that, like many Eastern politicians, Mr. Kerry's foreign policy expertise is of the trans-Atlantic variety, that when he hears the phrase "foreign affairs," his gaze immediately fixes on Europe. Perhaps that is just as well. On those rare occasions when he has turned his attention to Latin American priorities – say, trade – his views have been indecipherable. Mr. Kerry voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement, and yet when his campaign for the presidency took him to union-friendly states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio, he blasted the agreement. In fact, he said, if elected president, he would push to renegotiate NAFTA and all existing trade pacts.
That sort of flip-flopping is not likely to play any better in Latin America than it does here at home.
Mr. Bush has a steadier hand. Once he focuses on an issue, his resolve is never in doubt. That trait will serve him well in dealing with Latin America in a second term. This is a complicated part of the world. Yet Americans have no choice but to be fully engaged. President Bush is the better candidate when it comes to dealing with our neighbors to the south.
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9/12: America-first Bush better on national security
9/19: Domestically, we have to call it a draw
9/26: Bush leads recovery, though deficit crisis looms
10/3: Bush is more engaged with Latin America
Coming soon: Our final recommendation
LTTE would be recommended. I just wonder what the final recommendation will be? /sarcasm/
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