Presidential Election

     Some WAISers defend Allende President Lagos against his critics. I will not say which WAISers are waiser. Salvatore Bizzarro, a Chilean specialist, writes:
     "Carlos Lopez' analysis (not counting his displeasure at the result that another Pinochetista was defeated at the polls) fails to notice the obvious, that after 27 years another Socialist (this time not really a Marxist) was elected by turning away from Chile's violent coup and focusing on economic issues and the future of the country. A moderate Socialist, Lagos has distanced himself from the Marxism espoused by Allende and by Gladys Marín.
     If the Communist vote went to him to make up the near 3% difference between him and Lavín, it was more because the "left" could not stomach having a Pinochet's clone assume power. As a leading figure in the fight for a return to democracy in 1988, Lagos is closer to Tony Blair in England or Gerhard Schroeder in Germany than to Lavín or even Eduardo Frei. Yes, Chileans wanted a change, and they voted Lagos in."

Ronald Hilton - 1/19/00