The November 2nd midterm elections that swept Republicans into power in the House of Representatives will bring in a more firm policy towards Latin America’s budding autocrats, Ambassador Otto Reich, former Assistant Secretary of State, recently told Americas Forum.

Just two weeks ago Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL), the Ranking Republican in the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, sent a letter to President Obama strongly urging that the President curb Russia’s support to Hugo Chavez’s nuclear ambitions before endorsing that country’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“Last week’s news that Russia is assisting Venezuela with the development of two nuclear reactors is extremely troubling.  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is not a man who can be trusted with nuclear energy.  This is the same man that has befriended and works with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, supports internationally-recognized terrorist organizations like the FARC, and continues to threaten the stability and security of the entire hemisphere,” stated Mack.

“What’s more troubling, however, is that the Obama Administration has done little to stop this threat dead in its tracks.  It is outrageous that the Administration continues to turn a blind eye to Chavez’s dangerous antics…  We must not consider allowing Russia into the WTO while they continue to supply weapons and nuclear capability to rogue states like Venezuela.  And we should put Venezuela on the state sponsor of terrorism list once and for all.” (text of Mack’s letter can be read here)

Congressman Mack is in line to be the new chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Sub Committee on the Western Hemisphere when the newly elected Congress is sworn in January, 2o11.

Venezuela State Sponsor of Terror

In a press conference in mid-August in his Doral, Florida office, Senator George LeMieux spoke of the need to declare Venezuela a State Sponsor of Terror (SSOT). “Just as we are good to our friends, we must be tough in our relations with our enemies,” LeMieux told those in attendance.   “The people of Venezuela deserve better. We have one too many dictators close to this country. We do not need another.”

The new Congress is expected to more closely reflect this hawkish outlook on Latin America as the House of Representatives changes over to Republican hands. LeMieux was joined at the event by Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, both known to be staunch proponents of an uncompromising policy toward anti-American autocrats such as Chavez and the Castro regime.  Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is slated to be selected as Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the new Congress.

Mack and Ros-Lehtinen are expected to reveal their policy objectives toward Latin America in a Capitol Hill conference on terrorism and human rights in Latin America on November 17th. The conference is open to the public, and will feature two panels of experts from Washington and Latin America, as well as remarks by the lawmakers. (conference details here)

Source: Americas–Forum.com