VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #1216 3321122
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281122Z NOV 06
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6094
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 7172
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 7615
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2633

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 001216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: ECUADOR, LEFTIST 
LEANINGS IN LATIN AMERICA; SAO PAULO 
 
 
"Latin America Sees Growth Of 'Pragmatic Left Wing'" 
 
International writer Raul Juste Lores commented (11/28) in liberal, 
largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo: "Leftist 
Rafael Correa's electoral victory in Ecuador resumed the discussion 
on Latin America's leftist leanings and Hugo Chvez's influence in 
the region. Candidates supported by the Venezuelan president in Peru 
and Mexico were defeated, and that fact was interpreted as a limit 
of Chvez's influence. But the victories of Daniel Ortega in 
Nicaragua and Correa in Ecuador have shown that Chvez is not alone. 
 Latin American political analysts, however, see in all this more 
than a supposed dispute between nations aligned with Venezuela and 
those pro-U.S. What prevails in the region is pragmatism, they say. 
Several governments are receptive to foreign investment, maintain 
good relations with Washington and did not reverse economic reforms 
carried out in the 90's. At the same time, they prioritize a social 
dialogue with income distribution programs for the millions of poor 
citizens who gained little with the neoliberal reforms.... In 
addition to an anti-American and anti-neoliberal discourse, Chvez, 
Correa and Bolivian President Evo Morales have in common the will to 
create their nations' political system and institutions.... Analysts 
also say that after his reelection, Brazilian President Lula may 
once again turn his attention to regional problems as a mediator. It 
is in the area of trade policies and international alignments that 
such speculations on ideologies become more concrete. A bloc that 
has more vigorously emerged in Latin America is that of nations that 
had signed bilateral trade agreements with the U.S. With the 
Democrats' victory in the U.S. midterm elections, this gradual FTAA 
will slow down and regional blocs like Mercosul will gain more 
power."  McMullen