Michael Shifter
Michael Shifter
Michael Shifter is President of the Inter-American Dialogue and an Adjunct Professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and writes for the Council's journal Foreign Affairs. He is also a member of the Latin American Studies Association, and a contributing editor to Current History...
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Clearly in Latin America, things are not happening the way the United States would like to see them happen. And the question is: Will the US try to be more engaged and be supportive of the people who believe in the same thing as it does, or will it react to these trends as threats to the US, which could turn them into a self-fulfilling prophecy?
blocking opposition parties seen tries
If the opposition parties are seen as not being constructive and blocking everything Morales tries to do that would not be in their own interests.
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I haven't seen any indication of a willingness to tolerate Morales' positions, and you have to remember that eradicating coca is a core element of U.S. drug policy. This is where the passions are greatest, especially in Congress.
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If he governs by really carrying out his agenda, which is quite a radical agenda, I think it's going to be very difficult for him.
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It remains unclear how pragmatic Morales will actually be once in office, and whether he'll be able to strike the formula of accommodating both his base and national and foreign capital that have a strong stake in Bolivia's economy. Finding that balance will pose the most severe test of Morales's political skills.
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It looks like we are headed for a collision. Chavez realizes that the U.S. doesn't have an idea of how to deal with him.
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It's given new life, and of course great resources, to this fear that's hung around Washington for decades, of (Cuba) exporting revolution.
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So far, it's a stage of exploration and posturing, and certainly could turn into something more serious. But it's very hard to predict right now.
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At a moment when relations between the US and Latin America are at their lowest point since the end of the cold war, this fence proposal is viewed as a terrible affront.
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The two countries are locked in a situation of mutual dependence at an economic level because of oil, while being locked in a massive clash, a lot of rhetoric.
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He's got lots of money and clearly has grandiose schemes, seeing himself as an important global player. There is a reality to it. Oil is at record prices, and he's willing to spend both in Venezuela and in the region. But the question is, how much influence is he gaining
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You can say CAFTA went through, but what it revealed is that free trade is on life support, ... It barely squeezed through Congress and doesn't bode well for future deals.
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It could have been worse if Bush had been embarrassed, or humiliated.
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I think they're not as quick to dismiss his bluster as they used to be.