How can the US improve its foreign policy toward Latin America?

Let's mix things up a little. Bellow is a more political post on the broader topic of geopolitical relations between the United States and the Latin American continent. Feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, different points of view! Cheers.

The United States has adopted a paternalistic foreign policy with the majority of the developing world for decades. US-Latin American geopolitical relations have been marred with interventionism, be it militarily or economically. The current political and financial crisis in Brazil suffices to depict the current standstill on the American continent. Washington policymakers seem to be rightly concerned by turmoil on the American continent but repeatedly neglect to advance free trade agreements, foreign investments or the business climate. I will begin by suggesting several political approaches that would help redefine US foreign policy toward Latin America, while then focusing on the importance of improving these inter-dependent economic dynamics.
Historically, Latin America continues to remember the perverse effects of US military interventionism. Conversely, the United States seems to view its southern neighbors strictly from a Cold War perspective. For example, the State Department has been quick to ostracize nations with left-leaning political views such as Venezuela or Bolivia. These diplomatics stalemates seem to have greatly affected the perception of US foreign policy in the region. Most recently, the simple suggestion of political asylum from Ecuador for government employee runaway, Edward Snowden, was extrapolated into threats of closing free-market relations. Similarly, the Secretary of State’s naive declaration that the Western Hemisphere is the “backyard” of the United States resulted in the expulsion of USAID in Bolivia. The Latin American continent does not need another colonial power to remove its socialist leaders or eradicate its drug cartels. Those are domestic realities that ought to be dealt with over time. On the other hand, the United States offers a democratic model with the rule of law, checks and balances in power as well as a free society. That is why US foreign policy ought to present Latin American nations with the opportunity for a balanced dialogue where all American countries might engage as economic partners in the advancement of their national self-interests.
During the last century the world’s geopolitical center has shifted from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. US-Asian trade has surged to the detriment of Latin American countries. The southern hemisphere continues to be exploited for its natural resources and agricultural productivity rather than its rising middle class potential. The region has also experienced strong and constant economic growth while foreign investments remain scarce. The United States would therefore be strengthening both its foreign policy and economic heterogeneity by advancing private-public partnerships in these developing countries. Latin America has successfully emerged as a stable and influential trading partner. Moreover, the United States is not the superpower it use to be and must learn to interact in an interdependent global economy. Major conurbations have developed along the Latin American coast and present a high demand for services. US diplomats ought to be advocating for commercial investments rather than military subsidies. Indeed, Latin America remains plagued by government corruption and US foreign policy could be a key player in lobbying for greater transparency. All things said, the United States would greatly increase its presence and understanding of Latin America by improving its economic presence in the region.
To conclude, US foreign policy holds the opportunity to partner with its Latin American neighbors both diplomatically and economically. US military interventionism failed to stabilize the continent whereas the middle class has succeeded in progressively strengthening the political and economic climate. That is why US backed economic development in Latin America would be a gateway toward a stronger foreign policy in the region.

Los Yungas de Coroico: Entre las nubes y la jungla

After flying through the Andes, I got to drive through the South American mountain range as well. The three hour trip from La Paz to the jungle town of Coroico was spectacular and rich in emotion. I have never been on a more exciting road, be it passing through snowcap peaks, clouds, tropical forests, dirt roads or more! Leaving the city proved to be difficult as usual but we soon reach the pass of la cumbre, which sits at 4,670 meters (Wikipedia is wrong) or roughly 15,320 feet (you’re welcome). The descent leaves you breathless as the windy two-lane road overlooks ravines of several hundred feet. The most interesting fact about this 55 mile road is that it is one of most expensive in the world. A regular road in the Altiplano region cost roughly $1 million every 4 kilometers whereas the newly paved part of el camino de la muerte (great nickname!) is said to have added up to nearly $2 million per kilometer! Yes, Bolivia is the poorest country in Latin America. However, I must confess that the architecture and layout of the route is extremely impressive. The road turns nearly every 300 feet, there are dozens of bridges built in to contour waterfalls and above all the ever-threatening rock-faces are well-secured. Enough said.
We eventually arrived to a local hotel tucked away in a beautiful valley. Once again, I was awestruck by the dramatic change in scenery and climate. The cold dry weather seemed far behind us as we set foot into the warmish humid forest of Los Yungas. We were also welcomed by the early festivities of el 16 de Julio, which is the day of La Paz in Bolivia. The surrounding villages were seemingly thrilled to have an excuse to make a racket and we realized half way through the night that the music would probably never stop. Nevertheless, we had a fantastic time running around this lower-middle class like hotel water-park, jumping off rocks into the nearby gushing river and chilling for lunch in el pueblo of Coroico. A memorable three day weekend to say the least.
I am now back in La Paz and can unfortunately count the days that are left until my departure. This week has been incredibly stress free though with sunny afternoons in lovely downtown coffee shop while Claudia takes illustration classes in la plaza San Pedro. Our last trip with friends will take us to la Isla del Sol on lake Titicaca, which is near the Peruvian border and only a short boat ride away from the ethereal town of Copacabana.

Cochabamba: Ciudad de los Flojos y de la Buena Vida

Beyond my political sentiments and observations, it must be said again that Bolivia is simply gorgeous. Flying over El Alto is a unique site as the red brick homes fade endlessly into the horizon. It doesn’t take long to reach cruising altitude as the township sits at over 4,000 meters. The half hour flight to the hillside country is flabbergasting as the snowcap Andes soar above the clouds and the terrain progressively becomes flatter and browner in front of your very eyes. Before you are even able to finish your matesito, the plane is already descending and the laid back city of Cochabamba settles into the foreground.

Cocha is the place to be for young, social and lethargic individuals. People eat, drink and eat. It is an amazing town filled with cobble road streets, colonial style plazas and copious restaurants. I had my first pique macho and devoured an entire duck with some good friends. People are lighthearted, the nightlife is tremendous and taquina is actually not that bad. But above all, everything seems to be cheap. Rumors say that you can live as a king for less than a thousand dollars a month. I’m pretty sure that is about the equivalent of minimum wage in France. Talk about contrast.

One may argue that this depiction is the life of a select few and that the majority live with less than two dollars per day. While there is some truth here, I was surprised to find that the everyday Cochambino adopts similar cultural patterns. The layout of the third largest Bolivian city is quite heterogeneous and it is not uncommon to find a chicheria tucked away right next to a bar. The atmosphere is always jovial in these cheap family owned homes and everyone seems to be playing cacho, not unlike the average middle class. I am not trying to brush away disparity, I simply find it fascinating that the warmth of the Latin American culture is visible in all walks of life.

I am back in La Paz but tomorrow we take off again for Coroico, a notorious landmark in the Yungas jungle. Photos to come!

“Todos son iguales antes la ley”

Evo Morales is more than a president, he is a symbol. Some have portrayed him as a communist, others like to think he is an anti-imperialist. I guess it just depends which politically-motivated newspaper you read. In my opinion, one thing is certain though. Morales has sought to reconcile a highly divided nation and restore the dignity of people groups who have been mistreated for centuries. Today you will see various colorful wipala patterned flags soaring next to the green yellow and orange national banner. Today you will see little white papers plastered in tiendas that proudly read: “Todos son iguales antes la ley!” Today you will only hear the word chola murmured at most.

But there is more to the story. The law refers to a piece of legislation that was passed in 2004 and has been effectively used to favor the downtrodden. As a result, it has helped restore land, resources and honor to many indigenous people who rightfully deserve it. All of these things are incredible accomplishments in my mind. However, positive discrimination has also been used with a political agenda as a means to an end. President Morales has seemingly used class politics to nationalize the private sector, restrict foreign investments and close the economy. I could care less for McDonalds or Starbucks, but shunning emerging neighbors (think, trivial land disputes with Chile and Peru) and chastising Western investors (remember that Spanish oil company?) is simply poor foreign policy and terrible economics. In summary, class politics has become a double-edged sword: the economic force of the country has been frightened and effectively brought to a standstill while the poor continue to grow impatient with the lofty promises of an idealist reformer.

Bolivia remains one of the few Latin American countries with an indigenous majority. To my knowledge, it is also one of the only developing nations that has not been devastated by civil war. Therefore, I naturally have great hopes for reconciliation and am somehow stubbornly convinced Morales has a similar vision. However, politicians need to step away from a short term mentality. Democracy should not be defined by fair elections, to the contrary, the ballot ought to be a democratic outcome of a free society marked by equal access to economic opportunity. Community is a powerful instrument that can be used for better or worst. President Morales’ approval ratings have hit an all time low of 40 percent. Roughly two weeks ago, he even expressed sympathy towards President Obama and openness towards increased dialogue. Other notoriously left-leaning states have softened their language as well. For example, Cuba has recently begun to open its agricultural industry under the interim presidency of Raul Castro. Will these unpublicized diplomatic steps materialize or will politics continue to be dictated by the latest scoop?

No, I have not seen Snowden. But I have seen a united country that holds great economic opportunity and remains only divided by the woes of class politics.

La Paz: Ciudad de los Inmortales

After one week of passionate discoveries, I figured I should share some first thoughts. My latest adventure has brought me to the country of Bolivia. Despite having travelled to many places, I have not been able to stop contemplating this breathtaking environment. For starters, I'm sitting nearly 12,000 feet high and have quite literally learned to appreciate breathing. One can only marvel at the varying shades of dark brown and bright red rock formations that surround this spectacular city, be it the ever-glimmering Illimani or the restless municipality del Alto.

But why a city of immortals? Well, simply because that is how people jokingly describe the pedestrians who jolt across the street. It is funny at first until you end up pretty much doing the same thing. Moreover, I may be in the poorest South American country, yet I have never eaten so many delicacies throughout the day - every day. You truly have to pace yourself, be it maraquetta or cunape! One must fairly point out though that portions are significantly more reasonable (unlike in certain North American countries) and more balanced. For example, I still cannot begin to describe the flavor of exotic fruits such as papaya or chirimoya. Simply sublime.

Beyond my taste for fine-cuisine, I am also passionate about politics and development. Needless to be said, La Paz is a fascinating example of economic growth as well as disparity. I have spent the majority of my time strolling the streets of la Zona Sur and observing the thriving business of an upper-class society. However, these dozen of coffee shops do not eclipse the everyday poverty found in el Centro. One factual detail that must be known is that Bolivia remains one of the few Latin American countries to exhibit a majority indigenous population. As a result, reconciliation continues to be difficult between the poor and the rich. For example, last Sunday was the Aymara New Year, which is more commonly known as la San Juan. It was compelling to watch hundreds of average indigenous Bolivians stop working for three days in order to celebrate the calendar year, honor their ancestors, block roads for hours, dance around fires and drink a lot of beer. On the other hand, the top percentile Bolivian family continued to work strenuous 10 hour days, run errands in the marketplace and critique the lower classes with their neighbors that they had over for the special occasion. I find little sense in trying to resolve complacency or self-interest at the end of the day; however, bringing about reconciliation at an individual level seems to be a far more hopeful enigma. How would you go about it?

To finish, my presence is Bolivia has reminded me of the beauty, difficulty and power of love. I have been blessed with the opportunity to not only love a person who is dear to my heart but an entire family, culture and people. Love is truly immortal. A wise person recently told me that we must find el queder y el hacer. I have my own personal convictions but every journey seems to begin somewhere in community and in love. What does your spirit long for? Mine is simply thrilled to be in Bolivia.