Wednesday, April 6, 2011

"Obama has returned to seek common solutions to Latin America"

Less than I expected, but more than I had. Analysts, politicians and scholars agree to assess what have been the first two years of the Obama Administration as to the relationship with Latin America is concerned. Maybe, there is a consensus that some promises are fulfilled. And there are some that, despite the problems on the agenda, see advances and progress, returning to the path that had been traveling before George W.

Bush (2001-2009). That is the case with David Scott Palmer, a professor of International Relations and Political Science at the University of Boston, for whom, "despite temporary fluctuations (in the U.S. foreign agenda), the initiatives that began in the Government Bush Sr. (1989-1993), still in force.

If we look at foreign trade, economic assistance programs, we see that has grown and maintained. " Scott Palmer acknowledges that it does "Obama came to power with expectations too high. There was no way to answer them all", so not much has been achieved in their plans related to Latin America.

The academic, who spent some time in Spain as guest professor at the Institute for Latin America at the University of Salamanca, is the author of several books on Latin America and the U.S. relationship with the southern continent. Also participated on Tuesday in Madrid, in a panel discussion on the elections in Peru, organized by the Casa de América.

To Scott Palmer, if Barack Obama gets a second term, the White House is put your foot on the accelerator on some issues affecting the region. "In the coming years is to build a new immigration law. Urge, has to be done and will do at one time or another. In addition, the drug program is being assembled an effort to put more emphasis on aspects home, prevention and rehabilitation, not just in law enforcement, "he said.

In the regional, two key U.S. partners are clearly Mexico and Brazil, although of course with different roles. Scott Palmer believes that "it is obvious that Mexico is the country with more relations with the U.S.. In a broad context, is the most important in Latin America for U.S. for all elements that occur interdomésticos share 2,200 miles of border." Meanwhile, Brazil "has demonstrated its ability to spread to other parts of the hemisphere and around the world.

Has proven to be a top player in regional and international stage." For this Washington "must do everything possible to have good relations with Brazil." "My impression is that in recent years, the Obama has returned to multilateralism, has returned to seek common solutions [in the region], which was the initiative of Bush Sr.

Bush Jr. but was rather for unilateralism. I think in that sense rather not talk about a hierarchy of allies, "he said.

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