NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/20/paraguay.elections/index.html

Looks like Paraguay's one party domination is over as they elect a former Bishop over the ruling party's candidate.

Sweetness...even if retrenchments in democratic institutions are occurring elsewhere in South America, even greater progress is being made.

Also, the Colorado Party? What on Earth could their ideals be?

Also, the Colorado Party? What on Earth could their ideals be?
Right Wing conservatism, the new guy with a strong Catholic bent to serve the poor and in this case, the indigent natives and the overall destituteness of the country, I do believe will be regarded as a socialist type of move to the left because it's a different kind of 'right wing' then it was before.

There are three trends sweeping Latin America right now:


Increased democratic reforms.
Increased economic stability.
Increasingly leftist governments.


Coincidence?

There are three trends sweeping Latin America right now:


Increased democratic reforms.
Increased economic stability.
Increasingly leftist governments.


Coincidence?

Center-left, actually.

And you can't forget increasing legal integration with the US Economy in the form of bilateral trade deals, amongst other factors. Latin American countries are emulating, increasingly, turn of the century Europe, without the monarchs.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/20/paraguay.elections/index.html

Looks like Paraguay's one party domination is over as they elect a former Bishop over the ruling party's candidate.

that guy is a leftist we better start a coup get the CIA on the phone.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/20/paraguay.elections/index.html

Looks like Paraguay's one party domination is over as they elect a former Bishop over the ruling party's candidate.

All I can say is that I'm glad I don't live in Paraguay.

Center-left, actually.

And you can't forget increasing legal integration with the US Economy in the form of bilateral trade deals, amongst other factors. Latin American countries are emulating, increasingly, turn of the century Europe, without the monarchs.

I was defnitely simplifying the situation with my three generalisations, but my point still stands, even though I didn't make it very clearly. As the electorate gets more democratic freedom, they seem to be voting for people who are more leftist than the previous governments. At the same time, we see the economies also improving under these governments. One can't help but infer that the Latin American populace found the right-wing free market dictatorship model to be unsatisfactory on many levels.

All I can say is that I'm glad I don't live in Paraguay.

Why not?

I was defnitely simplifying the situation with my three generalisations, but my point still stands, even though I didn't make it very clearly. As the electorate gets more democratic freedom, they seem to be voting for people who are more leftist than the previous governments. At the same time, we see the economies also improving under these governments. One can't help but infer that the Latin American populace found the right-wing free market dictatorship model to be unsatisfactory on many levels.

The model of dictatorship, coup, and counter-coup has never been one that has fostered stability and economic strength, such behaviors have shattered the ability of the regional economies to grow and develop as they should, in a pattern similar to East Asia, a significantly analogous region.

Even at that, the structure of the market has not been significantly altered in most of these states, where center-left leadership has been elected. At most, mild social welfare policies have been, or are being implemented. In fact, the only country in which significant economic revision is occurring is Venezuela, where democracy has suffered significant retrenchments over the past several years, and economic growth has not occurred independent of skyrocketing oil prices.

More than that, the dictatorships rarely intersected with free-market policies, and were rather akin to fascist/corporatist policies and kleptocracy.

that guy is a leftist we better start a coup get the CIA on the phone.

Zing.

All I can say is that I'm glad I don't live in Paraguay.

Why do you say that?

Why not?
Why do you say that?
\/this\/
former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo,

Yeah, I'm glad I don't live in Parador.

\/this\/

In other words, you do not know why you said that.

In other words, you do not know why you said that.

I got it. I know exactly what he means. Hes glad he doest live there because a former Bshop is about to be elected as the leader.

This is not surprising, Paraguay is in a similar situation to Cuba under Batista, massive amounts of the population are landless and the only way to solve the problem will hurt the landed elite in the country. Couple this with the fact that Paraguay has been a one-party right-wing dictatorship for much of it's history under the Colorado Party.

Lugo is not a leftist. He's registered with the Christian Democratic party and his vice president is leader of the Radical Liberal party, the main opposition.

I got it. I know exactly what he means. Hes glad he doest live there because a former Bshop is about to be elected as the leader.

which makes no sense since this bishop is left wing. Unless that is what he's objecting to.

Lugo is not a leftist. He's registered with the Christian Democratic party and his vice president is leader of the Radical Liberal party, the main opposition.
He's part of a coalition of parties actually that includes left-wing and liberal groups.

which makes no sense since this bishop is left wing. Unless that is what he's objecting to.

Meh, a Bishop is a Bishop. I question whether hes "left wing" or just economically left wing.

Meh, a Bishop is a Bishop. I question whether hes "left wing" or just economically left wing.

Most of the so-called 'social christians' in Latin America are only economically left-wing, Rafael Correa is a good example of one.

Most of the so-called 'social christians' in Latin America are only economically left-wing, Rafael Correa is a good example of one.

Yeah, my point exatly. Hes still going to be religiously conservative on everything but economics.


That does not make you a "leftist". At best it makes you moderate.

He's part of a coalition of parties actually that includes left-wing and liberal groups.

Yeah, but that doesn't make him a leftist. Most of what you will read on the stuff he is talking about paints him as neither left or right. He has risen in opposition to the incumbent right wing government but he has also distanced himself from the strongly leftist movement in South America that Chavez, Correa and Morales are at the forefront of.

Yeah, my point exatly. Hes still going to be religiously conservative on everything but economics.


That does not make you a "leftist". At best it makes you moderate.

I think a "leftist" is anyone who is not a conservative, which in turn is anyone who is not a leftist. In other words, there is no fixed standard; Paraguay's leftists may be France's conservatives may be Britain's radicals.

Just a side note: I am fairly certain this guy is not technically a bishop. As someone has mentioned, he is a former bishop, because presiding clergy are not allowed to run for public office. That's why the Haitian who became president and whose name I forget had to resign his post as priest.

Just a side note: I am fairly certain this guy is not technically a bishop. As someone has mentioned, he is a former bishop, because presiding clergy are not allowed to run for public office. That's why the Haitian who became president and whose name I forget had to resign his post as priest.
Bertrand Aristide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Aristide)?

Meh, a Bishop is a Bishop. I question whether hes "left wing" or just economically left wing.

More like "economically centrist, with minor lefty tendencies".

He seems to be more akin to an American liberal than anything.

Yes, I admit bishops becoming politicians doesn't have the best track record. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jozef_Tiso)

In other words, you do not know why you said that.
No, I know exactly why I said it, see KoL's response below.
I got it. I know exactly what he means. Hes glad he doest live there because a former Bshop is about to be elected as the leader.

which makes no sense since this bishop is left wing. Unless that is what he's objecting to.

No I'm objecting to a catholic bishop as the leader, ok former but still don't like it.

Oh, Dyakovo, I see now. You are simply making uninformed assumptions based on your prejudices.

Tell you what, if you can find any sort of intelligent or rational criticism about Lugo, we can discuss it.

Oh, Dyakovo, I see now. You are simply making uninformed assumptions based on your prejudices.
Yes
Tell you what, if you can find any sort of intelligent or rational criticism about Lugo, we can discuss it.
ok
As a side note, when exactly did I try to discuss anything about Lugo?

I bet this will fail to significantly change anything. This is unfortunate, as I lived in Paraguay and I think they definitely deserve better.

Bertrand Aristide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Aristide)?

Yes, him. I think I have a book he wrote, I should read it.

Funny how many fellow nations want European, Canadian style democratic governments all over the world such as in Paraguay. Yet most support full economic, political and social relations with the Cuban dictatorship government for life of Fidel and Raul Castro?