As readers of the Moderate Voice are aware, for the past few weeks Worldmeets.US has been covering the creation of the Western Hemisphere’s newest international organization, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the distinguishing characteristic of which is the intentional exclusion of the United States.
This article from Colombia’s El Tiempo has some harsh words for the new organization. Dr. Sandra Borda Guzmán, professor and researcher in the Political Science Department at Colombia’s University of the Andes writes in part:
The message of Latin Americans to Washington by way of the new organization couldn’t be clearer: The region has no intention of remaining the U.S.’ backyard, and it recognizes the slow but unmistakable decline of the hegemonic power of the United States.
Although this political maneuver is legitimate and partially meets the nationalist and anti-imperialist demands of several countries in the region, the question is: why create this new organization? The decision to gain “independence” from U.S. influence is valid, but can it be achieved by creating an international organization that excludes the country? … The other argument is that the OAS is no longer good for anything and that we need a multilateral forum to facilitate the resolution of many of the challenges confronting the region. This implies that just because the U.S. isn’t present, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States would work. The problem is that there’s little evidence to back up the assertion.
If anything, the new community will eventually have the academic utility of finally demonstrating that contrary to all of the outdated and anti-imperialist speeches, the U.S. isn’t to blame for everything bad that happens in the region.
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