Friday, April 22, 2011

Humala, like Chavez or like Funes?

Authors:
Luis Alberto López Rafaschieri and José Alberto López Rafaschieri
www.morochos.net

Ollanta Humala and Hugo Chavez came from the military, they reached the same rank of lieutenant colonel, and are those who believe that yelling at a battalion is the same as governing a country. Ideologically, they seem to agree on several things, at least in words, because Humala also wants to come to power by talking about Constituent Assembly, referendum, nationalization, "a great transformation," and praising past military regimes. However, Humala's intentions and discourse are not entirely sufficient to assume that, if this ex-coup leader becomes president in Peru, we will see the consolidation of another Chavez in the Andes.

Humala's time is different. For 2011, the social, economic and democratic crisis in Chavez's Venezuela is well known; while the former governments of Lula and Bachelet, in Brazil and Chile respectively, are considered the two best examples for Latin American leftists.

The last imitator of the Venezuelan comandante appeared in 2007 in Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega. Since then, almost all leftist groups in Latin America have tended to resemble their Brazilian and Chilean comrades.

Mauricio Funes came to power in El Salvador in 2009, with the help of radical leftists and former guerrilla combatants. Chavista style policies were also feared in El Salvador in that moment, but Funes was wise enough to realize that following the Chavez path would be a mistake. Today, Funes is one of the most prestigious Latin American leaders because he is not ignoring democratic principles.

If he wins the presidency, Humala will have to choose in similar circumstances to those of Funes. Will he be so foolish as to copy the political crises caused by Chavez imitators in Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua?


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