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Aleftward tide in Latin America
Election victories for Luis Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil (2002 &2006), Evo Morales in Bolivia (Dec 2005), Michelle Bachelet in Chile (2006), Martín Torrijos in Panama (2006), Néstor Kirchner in Argentina (2004) and Tabaré Vásquez in Uruguay (2005) have brought a broad spectrum of left of centre and/or nationalist parties to power in much of Latin America's. Recen tvictories for Felipe Calderón in Mexico (Aug 2006), AlvaroUribe in Colombia (2006) and Alan García in Peru (2006) have shown the limit of this leftward tide although Daniel Ortega's recent win in Nicaragua shows that there is still strong reportfor leftist parties. The presidents of Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia on April 29, 2006 signed an agreement for their countries' participation in the "Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas" (ALBA) and a"People's Trade Agreement (TCP). ALBA is a free trade, investment and social integration accord, which was launched by the respective presidents of Cuba and Venezuela in 2005. This is reflective of an increasingly close relationship between the two countries. While the centrepiece of bilateral trade is still the oil—for—doctors program, broader economic links have also been developed including the redevelopment of the Cienfuegos refinery by PDVSA and commercial trading transactions. Cuba and Venezuela have also worked closely on the foundingof a new Latin American television station, Telesur and theextension of “Operación Milagro" to 15 countries. |
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On 21 July 2005 a trade agreement was signed with the Mercado Común del Súr (Mercosur), a Latin American trade block, at the organisation's Argentinean summit attended by Mr Castro and a high level delegation. Cuba has been the location for recent talks between representatives of the Columbian government and the ELN (Colombia's second largest rebel group). |
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