Columbia rejects Chavezism

The Sunday Telegraph:

Colombian voters will thwart the grand plan of Venezuela's Left-wing and populist leader, Hugo Chavez, to spread revolucion throughout the region if, as looks probable, they re-elect a loyal ally of George W Bush as president in elections today. Two other big Latin American countries are likely to follow suit in coming months.

Alvaro Uribe, the son of a wealthy landowner who has campaigned vigorously against Colombia's drugs trade, is expected to win a clear majority today. Conservative candidates in Peru and Mexico are also ahead in the run-up to presidential elections next month and in July.

If all three succeed, the result will be greeted with relief by the White House, which has become increasingly anxious at the apparent spread of Mr Chavez's radical, Cuban-inspired, anti-American politics - although the only other similar leader to be elected is Bolivia's Evo Morales.

Although most Latin Americans feel deeply resentful of imperialist foreign powers, who they say have pillaged their region's natural resources, they are wary of associating themselves too closely with Mr Chavez and causing a rift with America, their largest source of trade and aid.

Colombia is the most immune to the Left-wing fervour. Many Colombians are repelled by the Left because of the kidnappings and bombings unleashed on their country over the past 40 years by guerrillas fighting for a Marxist state.

"I would never vote for the Left-wingers here,'' said Laura Suarez, 42, in her Bogota café. "I think a lot of them are guerrillas in suits who want to turn Colombia into another Cuba." Even those who wish to vote for the Left face a dearth of options because Right-wing para-militaries have systematically killed off many of the country's Left-wing leaders.

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Uribe has been a good ally and it even more important with his border adjoing Venezuela. It is interesting how the left wing in Columbia has discredited itself. The same thing is probably happening in Venezuela.