New President to Cut Salary in Half

In one of my previous blog entries I wrote about socialist Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez. Well it seems like he may have an ally in Bolivia's new president, Evo Morales. Morales was elected last week and will be Bolivia's first indigenous president (link). He ran with a strategy and platform similar to Hugo Chavez, appealing to the working class, citizens living in poverty, and challenging a free market economic system supported by the United States.

I am fascinated by Hugo Chavez, his policies, his rhetoric, and his influence in South America and around the world. After reading about Evo Morales, my interest in the region has only increased. Recently, Morales has announced that as President, he will cut his salary in half, and expects the rest of his cabinet and the parliament to follow suit (link). Seriously, read the article and tell me what you think about this move.

I think it is admirable. He is yet another South American leader that is following up his rhetoric with swift action, action that causes many people to do a double take, asking themselves, "did he really just do that?" But that question, atleast for me, is not a negative rhetorical question, but honest amazement and curiousity at policies that seem to offer a legitimate challenge to the status quo.

Another interesting reason to follow this story is that, like Chavez and Venezuela, Bolivia has enough oil for the United States to take an active interest in the outcome of elections and the implementation of specific policies. Bolivia has one of the largest oil reserves in South America second only to Venezuela. In addition, Morales says that his first trip as President will be to Cuba to visit the country he has long admired. Hmmm, a cause for concern?

How will the United States react to Morales and his policies? How will South America continue to change with leaders like Chavez and Morales filling the pages of local, national, and international newspapers? How will future leaders respond to and/or learn from the tactics and policies used and implemented by Morales and Chavez?

All I can say is that a leader who cuts his salary as president in half to further fund education (Morales), a leader who sells oil to low income residents in Boston and New York at a 40% discount during the cold winter months (Chavez), a leader who wants to use the revenue from resources on his country's land to benefit the poor who live on that land (Morales), and a leader who hands management and decision making power of factories over the workers in those factories (Chavez), are interesting individuals.

I will be honest, I hope both these presidents are successful in their efforts. And by success I mean I hope the promises behind their policies actually produce. Chavez may be struggling to get his citizens out of poverty but I hope things change. I think that "third world" countries have for too long been exploited by an elite, wealthy minority, both in and out of their countries, and it is about time that these wealth and opportunity gaps are addressed by revolutionary policies and leadership. Those who have traditionally been in positions of power and influence attempt to stifle and discredit these efforst for fear that they will lose those very positions.

Morales will be an interesting story to follow. Tell me what you think...

Peace Out,
Daryn