Tariq Ali on Hugo Chavez, the Axis Of Hope and His New Book “Pirates of the Caribbean”

Voting in the race for Latin America’s open seat on the UN Security Council will go into a second day after delegates failed to end a deadlock between frontrunners Venezuela and Guatemala.

Neither country obtained the 125 votes needed to win, but after ten rounds of voting, Guatemala established a wide lead with 110 to Venezuela’s 77. The balloting resumes Tuesday and could last days until one country prevails or the Latin American group decides to bring forth a compromise candidate. Guatemala’s bid for the open seat is heavily backed by the United States.

Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez, has become one of the foremost challengers of neo-liberal policies and a constant critic of American foreign policy. First elected in 1998, Chavez’s influence continues to be felt throughout the region. Just this weekend, presidential elections were held in Ecuador that resulted in a run-off between two candidates - leftist economist Rafael Correa will face- off against Alvaro Noboa in a run-off next month. Correa is a close ally of Chavez, while Noboa is openly pro-Washington. Chavez’s social-democratic reforms and his constant taunting of the Bush administration have brought intense hostility from Washignton. Venezuela’s U.N. Ambassador Francisco Arias Cardenas has complained that the US is actively trying to prevent Venezuela from winning the rotating seat on the U.N Security Council.

Well a new book examines Chavez, his influence and his legacy. In "Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope," author Tariq Ali looks at how Chávez’s views have polarized Latin America and examines the aggression directed against his administration. Ali also analyzes the leaders of two other countries – Cuba and Bolivia and looks at how together with Venezuela, they are sharply challenging American foreign policy.

Tariq Ali joins me in the firehouse studio. Author of several books, his latest is "Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope."

* Tariq Ali, author of several books including "Bush in Babylon: The Recolonization of Iraq" and "Clash of Fundamentalisms." His new book is called "Pirates of the Caribbean: Axis of Hope."

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