Weekly Report - 9 March 2004
Quotes of the week...
"For a representative democracy it is bad to have such promiscuity between the Planalto palace and congress in order to prevent the legislature from carrying out its noblest task: to supervise the executive."
Senator Heloísa Helena, former member of the ruling PT, on government manoeuvres to block a congressional inquiry.
"We shall be a government with big ears, with the eyes of an owl and with a very small mouth, to speak as little as possible."
Senator Rodolfo Nin Novoa, vice-presidential aspirant of Uruguay's leftist EP-FA.
"There is an orderly and constitutional political process under way in Haiti [...] The rebels have no role to play in this process, and they need to lay down their arms and go home."
Richard Boucher, spokesman of the US State Department.
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LATIN
AMERICAN SPECIAL REPORT
Who is competing for power in Latin America |
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Five countries are scheduled to elect new governments this year: El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. The latter is expected by many analysts to mark the leftist Frente Amplio's first real opportunity to outvote both of Uruguay's traditional parties together, and make it to the presidency. In El Salvador and Panama leftwing parties (FMLN and PRD) are hoping to do likewise, but their chances are not as clearcut; indeed, for the FMLN they seem to have been decreasing. In the Dominican Republic, after a most unusual nomination process, the fear of fraud hangs over the elections themselves. End of preview - This article contains approximately 600 words Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Enquire Now |