Know Your Heads of State:
Obama’s decision doesn’t just affect America
People with lots of political power make decisions that have a ripple effect on the rest of the world
Know peoples view then you can predict their future decisions
Even the heads of some international organizations do affect the rest of the planet
BARACK OBAMA: US PRESIDENT
o
Most popular politician on the planet (everyone knows who he is)
o
World watches U.S. presidential election
o
About half of the U.S. doesn’t even vote and that makes the rest of the world very mad
because the USA is so powerful that the president has exceptional power (5:30)
o
Declare a war, end a war, change a tax policy, give aid to countries, take away aid from
countries
o
It’s the position that is powerful
o
Obama was just center left while Bush was just center right
o
99 percent of Americans can’t identify the political leader to the country north or south of
America
o
North America: US, Canada, Mexico
STEPHEN HARPER: PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA
o
o
Just center right
ENRIQUE PEÑA NIETO: PRESIDENT OF MEXICO
o
Just center left
o
FELIPE CALDERON: FORMER PRESIDENT OF MEXICO
o
o
Just center right
o
Started war on drug cartel
o
50-60,000 people have died in Mexico
o
The new president is taking a new tactic/policy on the drug issue
North American countries are representative democracies that are well established; Canada and
Mexico are huge allies and trade partners of the US; some of the largest unguarded borders; Canada
sends troops to back up the US all the time; Mexico typically doesn’t militarily back up the US even
though they have a very powerful military
Important theme: Latin American governments have been moving to the left for a decade due to
wealth disparity
HUGO CHAVEZ: FORMER PRESIDENT OF VENEZEUELA
o
o
dead
o
Self proclaimed socialist Bolivarian revolution (named after simon bolivar: independence
figures)
o
Taking Venezuela further to the left to redistribute to the poor by taking over the company
NICOLAS MADURO: PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA
o
o
in a state of crisis
o
Chavez died while in office
o
US hated Chavez and doesn’t like maduro and they didn’t like the US
o
Chavez took over oil industries which America did not like
o
US hates communism/socialism
FIDEL CASTRO: FORMER PRESIDENT OF CUBA
o
o
Full on communist; FAR left
o
Communist resolution of cuba
o
“socialist” is a better description of what cuba is
o
Will go to the right when fidel dies
RAUL CASTRO: PRESIDENT OF CUBA
o
EVO MORALES: PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA
o
o
First indigenous president of Bolivia (or Latin America)
o
On the far left
o
Drafted by pro soccer team in Bolivia
o
Not good relations with US
CHRISTINA KIRCHNER: PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA
o
o
On the left
o
Took over for her husband
o
Socialist
o
Leftist policies are crashing and burning
MICHELLE BACHELET: PRESIDENT OF CHILE
o
o
Fighting for more equal rights
o
Got re-elected
o
On the left
DILMA ROUSSEFF: PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL
o
o
