President Obama's Touch

      The peripatetic President Obama, perambulating across the world stage, percolating positive pleasantries with passion has once again charmed and mesmerised his detractors. In Europe, even the "burnished'' and " nip and tuck" Berlusconi, the " melancholy nein-frau" Merkel, the "smug" Sarkozy and the "burdened" Brown were smitten. They could not wait to get in his presence, especially when the cameras were around and rolling, and that was all the time. While he did not get all he wanted, he laid the foundations for the future. From London to Istanbul, they came out in huge numbers, because the people, for too long without hope and adrift, saw in him and his approach, a brighter and more promising future. Woe be unto any leader who dare to tread upon this.

      Latin America had for too long been the playground of the United States, meddling in their affairs, overthrowing duly elected leaders from Chile to Guatemala, installing and propping up corrupt regimes from Argentina to Venezuela, waging "dirty wars" from El Salvador to Nicaragua and begarring the the poor from Brazil to Uruguay, and let's not forget the exploitation from Cuba to Honduras or the "the Banana Republics". Tens of thousands died, many more thousands were uprooted and made refugees and dreams and hopes were crushed. The "Yanquis"wreaked havoc in their " national interests". 

      Pres. Obama was walking into a hornets nest of anger and hatred. Chavez, Orteda, Morales, Correra and even Kirchener and Lula were chomping at the bit to have a go at him. It started with a 50 minutes harangue by Ortega, but then something happened. The mood changed and no more verbal darts were thrown. Instead, Chavez began making "goo-goo eyes" and professing friendship..."I want to be your friend", he cooed.He was seen shaking Obama's hands twice and presenting him with a book... " Las Venas Abiertas de Latin America" (   The Open Veins of Latin America), by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, about the colonial past and the exploitation of the region. It was signed " For Obama with affection". Obama responded by saying that he thought that it was a book written by Chavez and that he wanted to give him one that he had written. The chill was over.

      In his speech, Obama, acknowledged the sentiment that the Americans had meddled in the affairs of the region but that they cannot blame America for every problem that arises in the region...." That's the old way and we need to find a new way". In response to Ortega, Pres. Obama said " I am grateful that President Ortega did not blame me for things that happened when I was 3 months old. Too often, an opportunity to build a fresh partenarship of the Americas has been undermined by stale debates. We"ve heard all these arguements before" " We must learn from history but we can't be trapped by it", he continued. He promised a "new beginning" and " equal partnership" with the region. He won the day and the tone changed. Kirchener of Argentina..." A different dialogue has been opened". Correra of Ecuador..."The start of a new and interesting era in our relations" and Evo Morales was surprised by " his outreach to the region".

      Much of what happened was due to the new approach to Cuba, that was announced prior to the meeting in Trinidad. This took the major sticking point out of the projected attacks on American policy. The rest was up to Pres. Obama and as he showed in Europe, he was fully up to the task. Another set of ruffled feathers have been smoothed. America's "cool" relations with Europe and its "strained" relations with Latin America have been mollified. Pres. Obama has been able to defuse tensions, but he has to follow through, as Morales stated. Cuba is the next step. This is a thorny issue. Do not expect rapid changes. First family , then business and only then will there be further steps to normalisation. It is a good start and now it is Raul Castro's turn to ante up.

      Three months and over fift-five heads of government...from London to Istanbul to Trinidad.....Well Done Mr. President. Now on to the economy.

                        Update......April 21, 2009.

      A hand shake, a shoulder tap, a smile and a book and now a return to full diplomatic realations, between USA and Venezuela. This is the breakthrough that Pres. Obama was looking for. 

      Raul Casrto has signalled that everything is on the table......human rights, political prisoners (first time acknowledgement) etc.

      The  craven, redundant Republicans, out of touch and leaderless are hyper-ventillating and wringing their pathetic hands.