Friday, June 20, 2008

Gimme Your Cement

Hugo Chávez, not content to bathe in a week of good press from the foreign media, today nationalized 60 percent of the assets of Mexico cement giant Cemex.

Calderón has worked hard to repair relations with the Venezuelan leader, avoiding direct attacks throughout his presidency, and only once implicitly criticizing him. And what does he have to show for it? This. There was a line of thought in American opinion pages after Calderón's election that he could be Latin American to stand up to Chávez (rhetorically, at least). This was a silly idea, and one we should all be thankful that Calderón ignored. At the same time, the improved relationship hasn't bought him any favors.

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