Revolutionary Trends

     Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador may be grouped together under the label Gran Colombia. The whole region should be viewed with concern by the U.S. In Venezuela Hugo Chavez followed the common Latin American pattern of an army commander seizing the presidency, although he "legitimized" it by a plebiscite. A friend and admirer of Fidel Castro, he counts on the fidelista mood of the masses to support him.
     His example is spreading. In Ecuador, a discredited army commander encouraged Indians to seize the national palace. They were ousted by the army, but their chief vowed to return and seize power. The U.S. wants to keep Ecuador stable as a bulwark against trouble from Colombia. The new president said he would keep the dollarization plan, which the rebels had vowed to rescind.
     Colombia had fallen into chaos. The government said the insurance companies should pay the cost of repairing the electric system in the Medellin area, wrecked by guerrillas. Chaos and natural disasters have made the housing situation intolerable. Three men had themselves crucified, and the crosses erected in protest, while others went on a hunger strike. The Church remained popular as it pushed building plans for adequate housing.
     The dance of the statues: In Bogotá, statues of Isabel la Católica and Colombus, symbols of Spanish imperialism, were to be moved again. They had been restored to a place of honor, but they were to be relocated again. The same music as the dispute over the location of the statuary group of Senator Stanford and his family on the Stanford campus, but played in a major key.

Ronald Hilton - 1/26/00