Financial Crisis: The key role of multilateral action

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

One of the actions that in 2008 and 2009 helped to reduce the impact, and the duration, of the financial crisis that began in United States, was the unprecedented international cooperation adopted by the world's most developed countries.

This time it could be said that was possible to orchestrate a global anti-crisis policy, where the main heads of states and the world's central banks agreed to take joint actions against an economic problem that affects everyone.

Considering the recessive nature of the crisis and the low inflation in the countries involved, the most powerful governments were able to implement an aggressive economic stimulus plan: governments cooperated to dramatically increase public spending, while central banks implemented a process of cuts in benchmark interest rates.

Mechanisms that are useful by themselves, but much stronger if used in an organized manner and at the same time by several governments, as demonstrated on this occasion, which means a great learning experience for the crises to come.

In a globalized world where economic problems are spread more easily, this will surely be the kind of internationalized crises that we will face more regularly. So the reference of the 2008-2009 financial crisis will be very important for the future.

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Similarities between the coups against Zelaya and Ledezma

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

- President Manuel Zelaya and Mayor Antonio Ledezma were elected by the people in democratic elections, but both were stripped of nearly all the constitutional powers of their offices through pseudo-legal mechanisms and abuse of power. Which means that the deprivation of authority they are suffering is a coup d'etat, because it is an unconstitutional replacement of the existing regime.

- In each case the coup was against an executive branch. Zelaya was the head of the national executive of Honduras and Ledezma was the regional chief executive of the Metropolitan District of Caracas.

- Both coups were justified as lawful.

- On the two occasions the coup d'etat was caused by the differences of these officers with other divisions of government in their respective nations. Zelaya against the legislative and judicial branches of Honduras, Ledezma against the executive and legislative branches of Venezuela.

- Zelaya is usurped by Roberto Micheletti, a de facto authority appointed for the convenience of the powers that oppose Zelaya, and not elected by the people. Ledezma is usurped by Jaqueline Farias, also a de facto authority named to suit the powers that oppose Ledezma, and not elected by the people.

Related articles:

- Coup if it is rightist, revolution if it is leftist

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Chavez's and Insulza's plan for Honduras is wrong

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

To resolve the Honduran political crisis of June-July 2009, Hugo Chavez and Jose Miguel Insulza have proposed that Manuel Zelaya should return to Honduras by force, to make street protests, regain the military's loyalty and take power anyway, without measuring consequences.

Unfortunately, these political geniuses will not have realized that insisting on this "solution" would lead to a completely unintended outcome for almost all: There would be two factions warring for control, violent clashes, dozens of deaths, and at the end would get the power who received more acclaim from both civilian and military sectors, wild style.

Certainly in Honduras there were many irregularities in the deposition of Zelaya, that few people doubt it, but when someone is in the position of Insulza, no one can be so irresponsible as to think that a coup, or a political crisis, will be solved by promoting confrontation between conflicting parties.

The solution for Honduras should be institutional, formal and peaceful, although the current government has constitutional defects. At least that is what a responsible leader should try.

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Analysis of the results of the July 2009 legislative elections in Mexico

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

In the Mexican elections of July 5, 2009, were elected the 500 members of the National Congress. The results of these elections gave victory to the PRI, with 37% of the votes, leaving in second place the PAN -the current government's party- with 28% of the ballots, followed by the PRD who received just 12%.

According to these results, it is noted that, from an ideological point of view, Mexicans voters shifted from the left and right toward the center, as the parties representing these tendencies -the PRD and the PAN- suffered a significative loss of voters regarding the legislative elections of 2006. In 2009 the PAN got 15% less representation than in 2006, while the loss of representation of the PRD was close to 59%, so the Mexican radical left is the greatest loser in these elections.

However there is another reading of these results. We cannot ignore the fact that Mexican voters punished the ruling party by changing the control of the legislature in favor of the opposition PRI, which implies that there is disenchantment with the policies of the PAN.

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Honduran crisis, July 2009: Chavez violates the sovereignty of Honduras by transporting Zelaya

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

Yesterday, Sunday, July 5, 2009, a plane owned by the Venezuelan state -piloted by Venezuelans and under the orders of President Chavez- made a stealth flight in Honduras' skies with a second Venezuelan plane that was used as bait, trying to introduce Manuel Zelaya in Honduras to return him to the presidency.

Chavez undertook this action based on the fact that Manuel Zelaya has legitimate reasons to claim he was removed from power illegally, a fact that is true. However, this in no case justify that planes belonging to Venezuela, sent by Chavez, carried out illegal activities in the airspace of Honduras.

Is Chavez empowered to determine where the Venezuelan planes fly and land in Honduras? Is that the OAS resolution to suspend Honduras authorizes a government to make illegal overflights that violate the Honduran air sovereignty? Or is that, for Chavez, Insulza and some countries of the OAS, the irregularities in the deposition of Zelaya justify the perpetration of other transgressions?

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Analysis of the results of the June 2009 legislative elections in Argentina

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

In the elections of June 28, 2009, the Argentine people chose half of the representatives of Congress and the third part of the Senate. According to the results achieved by this vote, the forces opposing the government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner were winners, getting together 53.7% of the votes counted, while the Kirchner's party received only 31.03 % of popular support.

That is, for every vote received by the president's party, those parties who reject her administration won nearly two, which reflects disenchantment with the current Argentine government.

There is no doubt that the corruption scandals, the constant attacks on the media and the farmers, the alliance with Hugo Chavez and government inefficiency are the main causes behind the deterioration of the legitimacy of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's government, who will now have to learn to govern with the legislature controlled by the opposition.

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Crisis in Honduras, June-July 2009: Coup if it is rightist, revolution if it is leftist

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

Latin America's leftist leaders and Jose Miguel Insulza claim that the Cuban dictatorship of the Castro brothers should not be excluded from the OAS. However, these same people say that the new de facto government of Honduras should be isolated until it returns the democratically elected President to power.

Ironically, Castro came to power in Cuba through a violent coup and do not share power with anyone, because apparently only the Castro's blood has the right to rule in Cuba. So, with all its undemocratic flaws, this regime is supported by the Latin American left as an example of social achievements.

But those who executed the coup in Honduras, despite having set the date for elections to return the country to democratic normality, are mercilessly attacked by the leftist Latin American governments, and even received an ultimatum from Jose Miguel Insulza .

It is as if being left-leaning meant an excuse for some governments in the region to justify their human rights violations.

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