IBEROAMERICA: The Tenth Ibero American Congress

The tenth Ibero American Congress has been held in Panama. These congresses are a retort to the Organization of American States, which seems to have disappeared from the news, its meetings have frequently been forums at which Latin American countries ganged up on the United States. The Ibero American congresses are really a new version of the old Hispanidad. Perhaps we should invent a new word, Iberoamericanidad. The Spanish royal couple make a point of attending these gathering of its ex-colonies plus Portugal and Brazil, which from 1580 to 1640 were an unhappy part of it. The term "Iberoamerica" has been promoted to bring them back into the family, but they play only a minor part in the congresses. The royal couple were the guests of honor, while the Spanish delegation included Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and Foreign Minister Josep Pique.

The term "Bolivarian" is in fashion, thanks largely to Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, with implications of Latin American solidarity against the United States, echoing the attitude of Bolivar in his later years. The President of Panama, Mireya Moscoso, recalled that Bolivar had promoted a united America with headquarters in Panama, and she obviously dreamed that it could assume that role. The former imperial power, the US, not present at the Ibero American congresses, was the implied target of many criticisms, like those at the OAS conferences. There was much talk of Latin American poverty, with suggestions that the United States was responsible, but no mention of the disgracefully uneven distribution of wealth for which only the Latin Americans are to blame. There were demands that the debts of Latin American countries be cancelled, but not that Latin American countries reduce their military expenditures. The US-sponsored Plan Colombia was the object of attacks

A loud discordant note came from Cuba. Fidel Castro was prominent in the discussions, but the warm treatment he received as a David confronting Goliath suddenly went cool when Cuba abstained from a unanimous vote in support of a Spanish motion condemning ETA terrorists. Castro left it to his young foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque to justify the abstention. He said the resolution should condemn all terrorism without singling out ETA. It was not clear if he was justifying failure to act against ETA terrorists hiding in Cuba. "Terrorists" is a loose term. It could be used to describe the Colombian guerrillas, whom Castro backs, but for Castro ":terrorists" are US-backed military forces. Needless to say, the Spanish delegation was not happy. It could console itself with the especial warmth with which President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico greeted it.

Ronald Hilton - 11/18/00