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Column 062909 Brewer

Monday, June 29, 2009

Emerging Russian and Iranian Interest in Latin America

By Jerry Brewer

Communist posturing and maneuvering throughout Latin

America over the past decades left significant and potentially
permanent scars for democratic freedoms. And subversive
influence and activities throughout the region continue to
emerge in images of a past cold war and sinister specter.

Prior Soviet and Communist involvement in the Western

Hemisphere was widely believed to have a chief mission in
disrupting the democratic Pan American system and destroying
US influence. Too, the decade of the 1970s witnessed billions
of dollars being spent by the Soviets to support Marist-Leninist
guerrillas on the African continent, and the airlifting 20,000
Cuban troops in support of rebel forces.

In Nicaragua, the Sandinistas were described as “pro-Cuban,

pro Soviet, and repressive Soviet puppets.” The Contras were
seen as the “liberators of the oppressed people of Nicaragua.”

Meanwhile, then President Fidel Castro exhorted leftists

throughout the regions to initiate and pursue a course of violent
insurgency. Cuba was utilized as a strategic post for its military
and intelligence facilities for espionage against the US. The
initial indicators and smoking gun of this evidence was clearly
demonstrated by the surreptitious placing of intermediate-range
nuclear missiles on the Cuban island.

Soviet influence found its way into Mexico in 1971, and the
Mexican government tossed out five Soviet diplomats after
support of guerrilla training of Mexican dissidents was
discovered. Within that period three Soviet embassy officials
were expelled in Quito, Ecuador for “meddling in labor
problems.”

Now it appears that Russia, in part at least, is motivated by a

desire to regain the international influence it lost with the
collapse of the former Soviet Union. There have been
aggressive efforts by the government to control a formerly,
somewhat relaxed, independent media, and plans to regulate
the widely popular and free internet. Similar oversight and
restrictions of internet usage are being initiated in Iran and
Communist China. Many of these “cyber dissidents” and
journalists have been imprisoned. Russia is being described as
“increasingly authoritarian at home and aggressive abroad.”

Of equal concern for the southern western hemisphere is the

quest for influence by the Iranian government. Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates has stated, “I’m concerned about the
level of, frankly, subversive activity the Iranians are carrying on
in a number of places in Latin America, particularly South and
Central America.” Further, he said, “They’re opening a lot of
offices and fronts behind from which they interfere with what is
going on in some of these countries.”

A deteriorating security environment within Latin America, as

well as attacks on the independence of the media, is clearly an
attack upon freedom that breeds continued oppression against
citizens. In Venezuela in particular, a survey found that
Venezuela had suffered “the largest single decline in media
independence.”

Intelligence activities by the Russians are currently a major

strategic initiative within the hemisphere. These activities, other
than trade negotiations, designed to take advantage of anti-US
sentiments and continuous observation of the main political and
economic trends. Communist leadership and control in the
trade unions is prevalent. Russia now has one of the most
active roles in Latin America since the previous Soviet regime.
A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that
Russia is “increasing our presence in Latin America.”

Venezuela has purchased billions of dollars of weapons from

Russia in recent years. Military relations with Nicaragua and
Bolivia have also been strengthened. The former leader of the
Sandinista government in Nicaragua who is once again
president, Daniel Ortega, who also received military aid from the
Soviet Union in the 1980s, recently said he plans to “strengthen
ties with Russia.” Bolivia, citing a need to fight against drug
traffickers, has been seeking to close a deal with Russia for
helicopters, logistical support, and military training.

The irony of arming a revolutionary conflict in Latin America was

graphically brought forward by Fidel Castro, after the armed
struggle failed to topple the government of Venezuela in 1965,
with the Soviet leadership proclaiming the need for a “peaceful
road to socialism.” Fidel Castro had professed that armed force
“is necessary for the transition to communism." The Soviet
Union was quick to provide the assistance and weapons
through Cuba to various insurgent and other leftist groups
throughout Latin America.

What are Russia's real plans in future policy towards this

hemisphere? What are Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s
reasons and intentions for his travels to the region? A quick
history lesson may provide the answers for the future. The
threat of terrorism is also alive on the continent, especially with
Hezbollah’s presence. We can probably surmise that
democracy will continue to become scarce.
——————————
Jerry Brewer is C.E.O. of Criminal Justice International
Associates, a global risk mitigation firm headquartered in Miami,
Florida. His website is located at www.cjiausa.org.