FPA Latin America Blog: Venezuela’s Constitution, Letters on Cuba and Brazil’s Rising Power

The state of Latin America has changed a great deal since the start of 2009. The fate of many nations in the region have been affected by recent losses in oil revenues, problems with financial liquidity and questions about the future of populism in recent economic crisis. Economics, while always an issue in the region has also placed many countries in the position to aid in strategy developments abroad regarding international economic worries while others might have voted in placing wheels on economies in decline. Rights and the changing face of some nations remain undetermined, while bloggers and writers at FPA explore many of these issues in weekly blogs.

The first major change in the region was the referendum on term limits in the Venezuelan constitution. With a slight percentage majority, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has won his ongoing battle to allow him to reform the Venezuelan Constitution of 1999 and allow the two term limit of office for the Presidency to be extended indefinitely for elected leaders in the country. Supporters of Chavez and the opposition in Venezuela have vigorously debated on the legitimacy of the vote. Many anti-Chavez activists felt that media suppression, threats, and claims of political violence have arisen out of the last years of Chavez’s Presidency since the loss of the last referendum two years ago. Legal debate on the issue has also abounded as democracy in the country has adopted many legal and political characteristics. A history of the term limits and activities by Chavez and the opposition can be seen here.

The new 2009 FPA Blog on Cuba started last month with many interesting and in-depth posts on the world’s most famous island. The attention on Cuba comes with three major events which will affect the country greatly this year. The 50 year anniversary of Castro’s revolution was celebrated by many Cubans this year, but also frowned on by many anti-Castro activists in Cuba and abroad. A great effect as well is the move from Fidel’s rule to that of his brother Raul Castro. With the health and age of Fidel Castro waning slowly over time and Raul taking up positions of full control, the end of Fidel may come about with celebrations this year as well. With Obama and Raul Castro, there has been a slight move towards a thaw between US-Cuban relations. Some polls suggest that many Americans, and even those in Florida’s Cuban expatriate community have also become more open to relations with Cuba, mind you slight developments only have lead to very slight progress at the moment. The year of 2009 may change things permanently in Cuba if these three elements become larger issues this year.

Another intriguing FPA Blog that will have many crossposts with the Latin America blog is the FPA’s Rising Powers blog. Fascinating posts on Latin America’s influence on the globe have been published, focusing on Brazil and with references to Mexico and their relations to other Emerging Markets have taken shape since the beginning of 2009. With blogs on Latin America, Mexico, China Trade, Cuba and Rising Powers all producing great articles, there will be a lot of future coordination between FPA bloggers in the process. Please refer here to FPA’s Rising Powers Blog where blogger Roger Scher takes a look at Brazil as Latin America’s arising giant.