Hugo calls Hugo a "bombastic autocrat"

In an August 2006 conversation with US Embassy officials, then FMLN congressman Hugo Martinez called Venezuela's Hugo Chavez a "a bombastic autocrat who uses a hypothetical invasion of Venezuela by the U.S. to manipulate public opinion and silence dissent." Martinez is now the Foreign Minister in Funes' government.

Here's the summary from the Wikileaks cable:

In a wide-ranging discussion with poloff, moderate FMLN Legislative Assembly Deputy Hugo Martinez commented on the deadly July 5 violence tied to the FMLN (reftel B), and speculated on his party's prospects for the 2009 presidential elections.  The conciliatory tone of Martinez's message, likely coordinated beforehand with the party's orthodox leadership, appeared to be an effort at mending relations with the Embassy, which have been strained recently by the July 5 events and in the face of FMLN opposition to CAFTA, the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), and the proposed Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) project for El Salvador.  Martinez's longterm future in the FMLN remains uncertain at best, but his Legislative Assembly seat appears secure until at least 2009. 

Martinez is one of the few remaining moderates within the FMLN given that the revolutionary socialists have been firmly in control since 2005. These more radical members are intent on the socialist transformation of the country and bringing the country closer to Venezuela, something which Martinez and Funes are trying to prevent. This makes the 2014 election all the more important for the FMLN and El Salvador.

Chavez Skips El Salvador

Following President Obama's state visit to El Salvador in March, there was a little controversy about whether President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela would go to El Salvador in April or March to celebrate the opening of a new oil refinery. Would the President Funes invite Chavez or would it just be an FMLN-only invitation?

At the time, I said that I didn't think that it was a good idea for El Salvador to be extending an invitation to Chavez within hours of Obama's visit. 

On the one hand, Funes and the FMLN have the right to invite anyone they want to El Salvador and Funes has the right to visit other heads of state as he sees fit. Funes just returned from a trip to visit President Santos in Colombia and more recently hosted President Obama. That sounds like a non-aligned foreign policy to me.

On the other hand, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I thought that the importance of Obama's trip to El Salvador was more symbolic than anything else. However, I had also hoped that the symbolism of the state visit would lead to a more productive relationship between the two countries (specifically the FMLN) built on mutual respect. We would then be able to make progress on comprehensive immigration reform, tinkering with CAFTA, regional security, etc. All of which require sacrifice from Obama and the US and Funes and El Salvador.

Well, yesterday Chavez did not make the trip to El Salvador. According to the mayor of Apopa and one of the managers of Alba-Petróleos company in El Salvady, Luz Estrella Rodríguez, doctors did not Chavez permission to travel abroad just yet due to health concerns.

Chávez was scheduled to attend the inauguration of Alba-Petróleos's $120 million storage plant in Acajutla, Sonsonate. The plant has a capacity of 350,000 barrels of oil. Alba-Petroleos El Salvador is a joint venture owned by municipalities controlled by the FMLN and Venezuelan state-run oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa). 

This is the second time that Chavez did not make an expected trip to El Salvador. He also did not attend Funes' inauguration in 2009. Chavez was not the only one absent at the inauguration. El Salvador's own president, Mauricio Funes, did not attend either.

Funes has tried to maintain a cordial distance from Chavez, the Venezuela government, and the international Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA), which consists of Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Bolivia. However, FMLN General Secretary Medardo Gonzalez took the opportunity to call the inauguration of the refinery as the the "realization of ALBA" in El Salvador. 

Gonzalez also took the opportunity to criticize ARENA and the country's oligarchy. Their relationship with petroleum-based multinational corporations never had the social development of the country in mind. Instead, he seems to hope for a relationship with Alba-Petróleos and Venezuela more along the lines of the relationship that Nicaragua. For example. Nicaragua currently sells livestock, meat, coffee, and other products in return for fuel. 

While FMLN leaders clearly want to strengthen the country's political and economic ties with Venezuela, it's pretty clear so far that that will not happen while Funes is president. However, his term ends in 2014 and, as of right now, the FMLN has a good shot at retaining the presidency because of the discord within the right. The 2014 elections are a long ways away, but we should have a better picture following the 2012 legislative and municipal elections.

Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out

Good-bye Mr. Obama, Hello Mr. Chavez.

Salvadorian President Mauricio Funes confirmed on Thursday the likely visit of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, to take part in the opening of a fuel storage facility in El Salvador.

The fuel storage facility was built in Acajutla port, 52.8 miles (85km) from the capital by Alba Petroleos, a joint venture of the Venezuelan government and El Salvadorâ�Ös ruling party, the FMLN. Its opening is expected to be next April 29.

Funes said that the joint venture, created in 2006, is interested in extending an invitation to Chavez to the ceremony.

He told the press that it is possible that Alba Petroleos asks him to invite Chavez to be present at the opening, and that if he is so requested, he will.

The president added, though, he has not been invited to the opening of the plant and is aware of the matter through comments made to him by the ruling party, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN).

He said that he will attend the request of Alba Petroleos to invite Chavez, because the venture has an interest in the participation of the Venezuelan president in its opening.

Funes commented that there are suspicious sectors that are saying that President Chavez's visit is designed to placate left-wing sectors after the visit of President Obama. He added that the visit would be for the opening of the plant, and would not be an official visit nor a state visit.

Funes also announced that he will travel to Caracas in the coming months in response to an invitation Chavez made to Latin American presidents. (Prensa Latina)

There appears to be some confusion whether President Funes will, might, or has already invited Chavez to the opening of the facility. The FMLN already has, but Chavez hasn't responded it sounds like. Or he hasn't been officially invited by the government of El Salvador, but maybe some else has invited him. Saber. Funes also said that he is likely to travel to Venezuela as well.


On the one hand, Funes and the FMLN have the right to invite anyone they want to El Salvador and Funes has the right to visit other heads of state as he sees fit. Funes just returned from a trip to visit President Santos in Colombia and more recently hosted President Obama. That sounds like a non-aligned foreign policy to me.

On the other hand, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I thought that the importance of Obama's trip to El Salvador was more symbolic than anything else. However, I had also hoped that the symbolism of the state visit would lead to a more productive relationship between the two countries (specifically the FMLN) built on mutual respect. We would then be able to make progress on comprehensive immigration reform, tinkering with CAFTA, regional security, etc. All of which require sacrifice from Obama and the US and Funes and El Salvador.

I wasn't overly optimistic before the visit and now with this announcement, I am less so. I hope I am wrong though. (It's still a developing story but Funes seems to have made enough contradictory statements that it's not going to turn out well for him.)

Hugo's Wisdom

Once you get passed the failed state part, Hugo Chavez says something that shouldn't surprise any realists in the crowd.

On his website, Chávez blasted the State Department for ordering U.S. diplomats to collect biometric and financial information on regional leaders and United Nations delegates.

"It's a failed state, an illegal state that has thrown its ethics and respect for its allies overboard," Chávez wrote. "The United States doesn't have allies or friends. It has interests."

(my emphasis)