Las Politicas

Women in Mexico City no longer need to put up with men groping, verbal harassing and leering at them on city busses because the city now provides women only busses. Finally, a progressive step that completely stops the problem. Women have complained for years about the treatment that they received on busses which often progressed into the women being followed off the bus into city streets. I think it’s a brilliant idea to have all women busses. A similar attempt was made on the subway system during peak hours. The police segregated platforms and had women only cars. This idea helped women on the subway, but no on city busses…until now.

Mexico City’s lady-only buses run along three busy routes throughout the day for now, but the city plans to add them to 15 other routes by April, said Ariadna Montiel, director of the public bus system “Women were asking for this service because of the sexual harassment, especially groping and leering,” Montiel said.  While some men have complained that they have to wait longer for a bus, she said the women are thrilled: “The women are really happy and we have been getting a lot of e-mail and letters from them.”

Caroline

President Calderon has announced plans to build a much needed new international airport in Mexico City. A few years ago, Fox attempted the same endeavor and almost ended up with a revolution on his hands. The current airport has been marred with serious overcrowding problems on the runways and in this calendar year is expected to serve near 30 million passengers. It only makes sense to build a bigger airport that can accommodate such a large passenger base. The incident that occurred close to five years ago was with the then president, Vicente Fox. Fox planned to build the airport on land that was ( under his direction) appropriated by the government from indigenous peasants. A cardinal rule that should always be followed in Mexico is that the government should never take land away from the indigenous population…..ever. Agrarian reform is what the Mexican Revolution stood for and what over a million people lost their lives for. Upon hearing the plans that Fox had for their land…the indigenous people took up arms and vowed to fight for the land.These sorts of blunders were par for the course under Fox’s administration and the plan was finally aborted…thus leaving the growing problem ignored. Until now…Calderon is going use Federal land that is close to the current airport.  

I’ll be glad as I will be one of the 30 million people flying in and out of there. FYI…Mexico City has the BEST duty free anywhere. 

Caroline

In a step that will hopefully advance Mexico economically or otherwise, Felipe Calderon appointed a new Secretary of the Interior and removed the former Secretary. Calderon’s former Secretary was removed amid an upsurge in drug-fueled killings and criticism that he has cracked down on opposition protests.

The new Secretary, Juan Camilo Mourino, is a Spanish national who was educated in the United States. Mourino hopes to bring a refreshing approach as the Secretary who acts as the president’s chief negotiator. An economist well versed in free market principles, Mourino will begin the steps of the much needed privatization of PEMEX. PEMEX is still flagged by endemic corruption and remains one of the only state owned oil companies that loses money for its native country. The new Secretary is the third cabinet switch in Calderon’s administration, switches that will hopefully begin the advancement of a better Mexico.

Caroline

Yesterday was a historic day in Argentina when former first lady, Christina Fernandez was sworn in as the first female president in her fair country. Fernandez’s husband helped improve the devastated economy in Argentina during his tenure as president. Latin American economists and political scientists attribute Fernandez’s victory to her husband’s economic reforms that were so instrumental in improving the economy.

 During her hour long inaugural speech, Fernandez vowed to expedite the slow moving court investigations into the near genocide that occurred in Argentina during the Dirty War.  That part of inaugural speech seems oddly reminiscent of Vicente Fox’s speech about getting to the bottom of the same brand of human rights violations that occurred around the same time in Mexico. Nothing has changed in Mexico, but then not as many people died at the hands of “democracy” as they did in Argentina.

 Go for it, old girl! 

Caroline

For roughly the past year I have dedicated at least one post out of ten to Hugo Chavez. That will not be happening anymore. Hugo’s antics and my acknowledgement of them on Las Politicas is causing strife. Chavez is simply too much of a lightning rod of controversy to be discussed and unfortunately, I am calling a moratorium on Chavez posts.

Caroline

As we all know, Chavez lost his chance at the referendums that would have granted him the power to be president for life.  It was a stunning defeat that, Chavez seem to accept gracefully.  Gracefully accepting anything negative directed towards him is something that, Chavez seemed unable to do.  Many in Latin America and in the political world feel that we have not seen the end of Chavez and the referendum business.  Why the sudden change in behavior? It’s like the school bully who stops stealing lunch money overnight.

The question that everyone is asking is why did the voters turn on him? Was it Chavez’s perennial insults thrown at foreign opposition? The topic was only lightly covered, but Venezuela relies heavily on Colombian exports for eggs, milk and cheese. When Chavez began his abusive criticism of President Uribe the exports came to a screeching halt to the detriment of the poor.  Chavez’s  21^st century  Socialism failed to provide for its main target…the poor . Shopping malls were packed as were the streets and highways of the country. Those images don’t exactly conjure a Socialist paradise, but in fact a post industrial Venezuela. Perhaps to the voters of Venezuela…their country was not the up and coming model for Socialism, but in fact a service based economy that was causing more problems for the poor. The students also had a role of paramount importance…they clogged the streets showing their opposition to Chavez and his referendums.

Sorry to say, Chavez…but…whammy!

Caroline

Ivan Stalin Gonzalez, the student movement leader that has become a thorn in Chavez’s side is now being recognized in geo politics. Stalin, as he prefers to be called is a Marxist law student at the University of Venezuela who is opposed to Chavez’s model of “21^st Century Socialism”. Over the course of several weeks Stalin and other student leaders have organized protest marches that include tens of thousands of students opposed to Chavez. The student’s main concerns are the constitutional referendums that are set to occur December 2. These referendums will grant Chavez the power to seek perpetual reelection.

Students opposed to government in Latin America is not a new occurrence …irrespective of political affiliation. Castro’s role as a student leader was pivotal in the revolution of Cuba. Students in Mexico were mercifully massacred in 1968 as they tried to peacefully protest. If Chavez were not such an inflated buffoon that made himself so visible in geo-politics the same fate may have befallen these students.  The protests were marred with armed violence, but no lives were lost. Instead, Chavez fell back on his favorite and effective political strategy of name calling…stating that the students are a bunch of “pampered rich pretty boys”.  Hmm…rich pretty boys that attend a university that charges no tuition and are named Stalin.  The name Stalin doesn’t exactly conjure up the image of a decadent capitalist. Stalin came from meager beginnings within a household that dreamed of a Marxist Venezuela. His father was a high ranking member of the Bandera Roja, a hard line Marxist guerrilla party.

Caroline

During the Ibero American summit in Chile this weekend, Chavez was told to do something that was long overdue…he was told to “shut up”. It’s about time someone told him to shut his yapper. The real kicker is that the person that told him to do so was the king of Spain. Throwing royal decorum to the wayside, King Juan Carlos shouted that in reaction to Chavez’s constant name calling of Spain’s former Prime Minister. Chavez continually berated the Prime Minister by calling him a fascist…. prompting the King to react.  Even leftward leaning publications in Spain called Chavez’s behavior intolerable. Although King Juan Carlos’ reaction was received well by most…some are of the opinion that he should remain out of politics. Juan Carlos won the confidence of the Spanish people through Democracy in 1975 after Franco ( an actual fascist)  died . I can honestly see why Juan Carlos would become upset over such words. The outburst only lasted a few minutes, Chavez did not heed the royal advice and instead waffled on about having a right to speak. Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet….  and the Summit’s host quickly interjected and ended the outburst.  

Quite the diplomat, Old Chavez!

Caroline

God help us… Naomi Campbell and Hugo Chavez met in Venezuela….those two are the last people that should be meeting. Why on earth is she meddling in international politics? The last “political statement” she made was appearing nude in an anti-fur campaign. I believe that if she were really concerned with the direction of geo politics she wouldn’t fling cell phone’s at people. Could it be that her modeling career is in its twilight and she wants any kind of attention she can get?

Chavez seemed to really enjoy her visit and stated that she was “a very special lady”, but then his speech quickly degenerated into his hate for the United States and President Bush.  Although, Naomi is actually British her visit was used by Chavez as a pulpit to continue his barrage of insults to the U.S.

On a different note…I attended a Halloween costume party last night at the Alden hotel. A few local celebrities were there including, Whitney Casey, the host of Great Day Houston. I met her, she was really nice and really tall. She is 6 feet tall and was wearing three inch heels.

I went as a gypsy…see picture above.

Caroline 

Unfortunately… any sort of vindication on behalf of those who wanted Pinochet’s family found guilty will have to wait because all charges have been dropped in regards to corruption allegations. The Santiago Court of Appeals also dropped charges against 10 of the late dictator’s former associates and aides.

From the AP..

 “A judge failed to question the Pinochet family and former associates before indicting them on the corruption charges, the appeals court ruled. It also ruled that the Pinochet family could not be charged with misuse of state funds because none of them was a government employee.The indictments against two Pinochet associates were upheld, Fuentes said.

Pinochet’s eldest son, Augusto, 62, also remains under inducement because he did not file an appeal.Prosecutor Alfonso Insunza said Friday’s ruling will be appealed before the Supreme Court.

The relatives of the late dictator have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and called the indictments politically motivated. They said Pinochet’s funds were legitimate, resulting from savings, investment and donations he received.They also claimed Cerda was biased, and noted the judge flew to the United States immediately after issuing the indictments to receive an award for his work on behalf of human rights.

Cerda is now under investigation by his peers to determine whether he broke internal rules by criticizing Chile’s judiciary while in the United States. He said Chile’s Supreme Court has failed to update the law on human rights issues.”

Interesting…

Above is a picture of Petra ( Dr. Studly’s lady’s dog) and I watching the beginning of a race this weekend.  

Caroline