Trouble In Our Back Yard (washingtonpost.com)

Someone that gets it at the Washington Post. Columnist Jackson Dielh in his Trouble In Our Back Yard (washingtonpost.com) article illustrates quite well the problems that the US is facing with a Chavez full of cash and bent in subverting democracy in Latin America. He is not afraid of words when he writes:

But even the strong democracies, like Brazil and Chile, have grown weaker: Both have leftist presidents who frequently strike poses against President Bush's policies but have little stomach for taking on a menace such as Chavez. Even if they were to challenge the Chavistas, the Latin democrats would find few followers in the OAS assembly. Venezuela has bought off a raft of governments with subsidized supplies of oil.

That is, enough Caribbean and Central American votes to avoid major trouble at the OAS. See for example the latest refusal of political asylum by San Salvador.

At least word is spreading in the US, even on the fake victory of August 15:

President Hugo Chavez has responded to his victory in a controversial recall referendum by aggressively moving to eliminate the independence of the media and judiciary, criminalize opposition, and establish state control over the economy.

Mas claro no canta un gallo.