Junquillal December 29, 2010

Former Costa Rica Ambassador Proposes Latin America Agenda For Obama

I am not often in agreement with positions taken by The Hudson Institute. However, the conservative think tank's Jaime Daremblum, who served as Costa Rica’s ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2004, has outlined a policy the U.S. should consider in Latin America. The following was published yesterday in The Weekly Standard:

A Latin America Agenda for Obama: Seven things the president should do in 2011.

Jaime Daremblum

December 21, 2010

Nearly two years have passed since his inauguration, and President Obama has yet to unveil a major policy initiative for Latin America. Regional officials are hoping that Obama ends this neglect in 2011 and increases U.S. engagement. Here are seven ways in which his administration could demonstrate its commitment to Latin America.

(1) Convince Nicaragua to end its illegal occupation of Costa Rica. Several weeks ago, in the midst of a river-dredging project, Nicaraguan troops invaded Costa Rican territory and began occupying Calero Island (which is located in the San Juan River). The Organization of American States (OAS) has demanded their withdrawal, only to be rebuffed by President Daniel Ortega. So far, the U.S. response has been dismayingly weak. By tolerating Nicaraguan military aggression, we are emboldening the Sandinista government and sending a dangerous signal about the lack of U.S. leadership in the region.

It’s past time for Hillary Clinton and other U.S. diplomats to get tough. They should sternly inform the Nicaraguan regime that continuing to occupy Costa Rican territory will affect its access to future economic aid and jeopardize its participation in Central American free-trade agreements. 

Read the full article here:

The Weekly Standard--A Latin Ameria Agenda for Obama