Letter from Panama (Quarterly Regional Round-Up)

There is an increasing awareness in Latin America of a clash between liberal democracy and populism and there is no greater proponent of the latter than Hugo Chávez. His closest ally is Fidel Castro and he has proudly declared himself a Fidelista, a follower of Fidel Castro. The United States of America is alarmed by such developments after having spent decades trying to ensure that South America would not have another Cuba. George Bush has been adamant that Latin American countries have, in his words, "an obligation to promote and defend" democracy in the region. Condoleezza Rice, the president’s secretary of state, has been even more forthright: "There are clearly some troubled democracies in Latin America". Venezuela found that statement provocative and this particular variety of rice to be unpalatable, prompting harsh words from Hugo Chávez who saw this as foreign interference.