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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Introduction to the new changes in Latin America, May 21, 2007
This review is from: Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope (Hardcover)
Tariq Ali, in his classic, highly-intellectual style in which he brings forth to the reader not just historical and political information but a literary and poetic background so often missing from many great non-fiction writers gives a solid introduction to the goings on and changes in Latin America(and perhaps more importantly) the reasons for such changes.
Latin America, long the "Empire's Backyard" and home to some of the most ruthless exploitation by multinational companies and highly un-democratic institutions such as the WTO and World Bank, have now begun to build powerful popular movements, representing the great majority of the population, to wrest control from these parasites of exploitation their own economies, their own resources, their own production, in short, their own country.
While much of what Ali says may not be new to those familiar with the situation in Latin America, Tariq Ali is never a boring read and there is always something to discover from his writings (for instance, the connection between Simor Bolivar, Marx, and Chavez) even if you are, like me, someone who does like being well-informed of important global events and Latin America in particular.
The appendixes at the end of the book are not to missed as well; the interviews with some of Chavez' advisers about the CIA backed coup of 2003 are fascinating reads.
All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the new politics of Latin America (which I might add, English-language books from a left-wing perspective of Latin America are greatly needed) and would highly-recommend this book to anyone who wants an introduction to the new movements and politics of this often tumultuous region of the world.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The South American challenge to U.S. power, August 25, 2007
This review is from: Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope (Hardcover)
"Pirates of the Caribbeab" by Tariq Ali is a good introduction to the Bolivarian Revolution that is reshaping life and politics in South America. Mr. Ali provides an astute blend of historical, biographical and analytical commentary that serves to help the reader appreciate the significance of the continent's challenge to U.S. power. In addition, an extensive appendix includes a short essay and interviews with key figures as well as reprints of speeches delivered by Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales, with the latter allowing us a rare opportunity to assess these leaders in their own words.
Mr. Ali discusses how the corporate media has spewn a great amount of disinformation about Presidents Chavez and Morales who should be understood as embodying a mass populist response to the failed policies of neoliberalism. Mr. Ali provides short histories of Venezuela and Bolivia to show how corporate interests in the U.S. have for many decades allied with South American elites to exploit natural resources for profit. However, social movements driven by the continent's extreme conditions of inequality has given impetus to political struggles that have culminated in the free elections of Mr. Chavez and Mr. Morales to office. In fact, Mr. Ali recalls the dramatic story of how the Venezuelan people rallied to the defense of Mr. Chavez during the failed coup attempt of 2002 which was engineered by the Venezuelan oligarchy with the tacit encouragement and support of the U.S. government. Mr. Ali enlivens his narrative with first-hand interviews conducted with Mr. Chavez and others during several visits to the country.
Mr. Ali also visited Cuba to study and reflect upon the significance of that country's longstanding revolution. While acknowledging many faults with the Cuban experience (such as the continued repression of free speech), Mr. Ali contends that Fidel Castro's leadership continues to provide inspiration to others. Specifically, Mr. Castro's dedication to revolutionary principles following the collapse of the USSR has shown that alternatives to globalization are possible. Mr. Ali goes on to discuss the special relationship forged between Mr. Castro, Mr. Chavez and Mr. Morales, including the key role Cuba played in ensuring the survival of the Chavez government when a strike by Venezuelan healthcare professionals and teachers threatened to bring many essential national services to a halt.
A short biography of Simon Bolivar details the revolutionaries' extraordinary life and seeks to show how the mutual support and cooperation between Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela could be a sign that Mr. Bolivar's dream might finally be taking shape in our lifetime. Interestingly, Mr. Ali finds a significant number of characteristics shared between Mr. Bolivar and Mr. Chavez, including a vision of South American unification, an opposition to empire, a recognition of the relationship between economic underdevelopment and national disempowerment, and an underestimation of their leadership skills stemming from their opponent's racist beliefs. While acknowledging the immense challenges that lay ahead, Mr. Ali believes that the socialist ideals championed by Mr. Chavez could help inspire humans around the world to question the status quo and find enduring solutions to violence, economic inequality and environmental destruction.
I highly recommend this throughly readable and fascinating book to everyone.
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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
VIVA LA REVOLUCION BOLIVARIANA!, June 3, 2007
This review is from: Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope (Hardcover)
Viva Chavez! Viva Venezuela!
This Book is right to the point, it clearly explains the mechanisms of the WC (Washington Consensus) and how the LACAYOS from the Oligarchy in Latin America further their (WC) aims. As a Latino Americano I feel Thankful to Tariq Ali for His excellent work and accurate research. I am Latino I lived in My country most of my life until I was a young adult and I can say I seen what he explains first hand, they overthrew every single government in Central America and South America in the 50's 60's (Arbenz Guatemala 1954, Allende in Chile SEP 11) and now they want to do the same thing to Venezuela. thank God they are so pre potent (WC) that they taught they didn't need to renew their modus operandi so they went ahead with their plans with that outdated method of coups de at (2002) in Venezuela, Thank God HUGO CHAVEZ was light years ahead of them and by being a witness of how they work trough the years he went ahead and devised a mechanism of defense in case that happened! Guess what? IT WORKED! The people from Venezuela and their collective subconscious activated the plan to defend their President, they took to the streets with out anybody telling them to do so, the majority of the Military stayed loyal to Chavez too and they swear they were going to defend the constitutionally elected government (CHAVEZ) as their oat with the country demanded! so CHAVEZ PROVED THE WHOLE WORLD by saving his government with the overwhelming help of the same people he have EMPOWER years before that you need more than a 1960's plan to overthrow governments and more than a white minority with greed on their veins (the elite in Venezuela that want to see Chavez fall is of direct European decent, they are Spanish Speaking WHITES in majority).
Sigue La Revolucion Bolivariana! 'Le Monde' said "we all are Americans"
I Say We all are Americans from America the Continent that Bolivar wanted to Unite and now Chavez is doing it.
I say WE ALL ARE BOLIVARIANOS AND VENEZUELANS!
Bitter Fruit: The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala, Revised and Expanded (David Rockefeller Center Series on Latin American Studies)
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