Caracas Daily Journal (Vincent Bevins): Arias Cárdenas has been designated Venezuelan Vice-Minister of Foreign Relations in Latin America. As a result, he will vacate his post as ambassador to the UN. President Hugo Chávez announced his nomination during the inauguration of the Hospital Dr. Osía in Cúa in the state of Miranda.
As ambassador to the UN, he led an ultimately failed battle to earn a place for Venezuela in the Security Council. No replacement for him has been announced.
Cárdenas' nomination as UN representative in 2006 was met with reluctance by some Chavistas, who considered him a traitor. Luis Tascón, for one, withheld his vote.
Cárdenas, a career military officer and politician, held a position in the second government of Rafael Caldera, and then ran for governor of Zulia on his own account. Then he was considered as an opposition candidate for the presidency against Chávez.
Since then, he has clearly gained the trust of Chávez, or can be considered an example of the Chávez government's certain degree of plurality. In his role at the UN, there is no reason to believe he operated against the interests of the government, despite the controversy.
However, it is unclear if this change-up is a promotion or demotion, or simple a change-up. Many have argued that Venezuela's shot at a security council seat was hurt by Chávez calling Bush "the devil" at the UN...
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This is one of the many lies in the world that are accepted as 'conventional wisdom' -- but by who, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteThe reason Venezuela did not get the Security Council seat is not so much because Hugo Chávez spoke his mind, but because a majority of the people who run the countries of the world have their own personal interests in mind -- not those of their own people. And the yanqui imperialists know this, and are masters of exploiting it. In fact, it is their main means of manipulating and controlling as much of the world as they can control. Which ain't all of it -- and never will be -- however.