The Practicalities of South American Politics

“U.S. Fears of a Lurch to the Left in South America Fail to Materialize” (May 6), on Latin American leaders often known as liberators because of their anti-Yankee rhetoric, sustains the American-sided view that these new leftist presidents -- now in the center -- are implementing policies sustaining market economics because of the realization that leftist, state-led economics do not work.

This notion clearly stigmatizes the Latin American leaders as opportunistic politicians and even traitors when in fact most of them, particularly President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and President Nestor Kirchner of Argentina, initially tried to seek a leftist agenda to help out the middle-class people and, especially, the poor.

However, once in the government they soon realized that moving on with leftist ideas usually means getting no money from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and also signifies sustaining a never-ending struggle with the U.S. government and small, local economic elites.

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela chose the latter and received a lot of heat from both ends. His administration is in complete disarray as a result. The rest simply decided to move over to the center. I call this playing smart, good politics while giving something to the poor.

Humberto Caspa

Costa Mesa