Rice, Venezuelan Official Spar Over Closure

Aside from the obvious motives of Hugo Chavez’s decision to close Venezuela’s Radio Caracas Television (“Rice, Venezuelan Official Spar Over Closure” June 4, 2007) due to its involvement in a failed coup against him in April of 2002, U.S. diplomacy has made the matter much worse by bluntly handling the case. The fiery comments traded by Condoleezza Rice and Venezuela’s foreign minister at a recent Organization of American States General Assembly meeting revealed a key weakness in U.S. foreign policy. Ms. Rice commented that “disagreeing with [one’s] government is not unpatriotic and most certainly should not be a crime in any country, especially a democracy.” While her comment presents an ideal that all countries should strive for, she must have forgotten about the recent congressional hearings concerning Big Brother’s censorship of scientific findings on climate change. But other countries may not have forgotten; whatever the issue and regardless of the level of veracity, Washington’s accusations have often alienated the Bush Administration from all of Latin America.

With the ever-tarnishing reputation that the U.S. government bears throughout the region, Washington diplomats would be wise to tread lightly in order not to appear over-domineering and imperial. This country has long pursued a hegemonic ‘big stick policy’ in the Western Hemisphere, yet as U.S. influence wanes, diplomats such as Condoleezza Rice need to sagaciously use every opportunity to appear as a constructive force on hemispheric issues. When events such as Chavez’s closure of RCTV arise, the U.S. should look to respectfully oppose such actions in conjunction with like-minded states.