US State Department refutes leadership crisis in Latin America because of Anglo-American war on Iraq

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Friday, March 28, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

In the continuing battle of words between the Bush administration and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias, State Department Richard Boucher has dismissed allegations that the Anglo-American war on Iraq has led to a loss of US leadership in Latin America. 

President Chavez Frias says the scant support in Latin America shows that the US is losing out south of the border. 

Referring to Chavez Frias' latest challenge, Boucher says, "It's neither a logical argument nor has it an base in reality ... the fact that some countries in the western hemisphere have stood up and asked to be counted in this matter is important for us."

Calling seven Latin American countries "volunteer members of the Coalition," Boucher says the Central American countries of Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua support the Anglo-American war on Iraq, along with Colombian and the Caribbean country of the Dominican Republic. 

Boucher did not comment President Chavez Frias' allusion to Brazilian President Lula da Silva's anti-war statements and Chile's initial position on the UN Security Council.