Hugo Chavez is dead

[Anomalocaris]

I'm sure the CIA will be rounding up a suitable replacement. We can't keep our noses out of Latin America.

I disagree.

Since Lula da Silva became president of Brazil and since the military juntas collapsed South america`s are no longer the US`s playball.

Why not? What has south america suddenly obtained that would give it much increased bargaining power and leverage against the still overwhelming economic and military power of the US? Superficial signs of influence may wax and wane, but underlying leverage and power disparity is the long term steady determinant of who is the big dog.

The only development that might pull south America away from US would be rise of brazil. In such a case it would not be clear whether south America will do better in Brazil's orbit rather than the American orbit. But the day brazil attain such powered is at least many decades off, if it would arrive at all. Even brazil's recent windfall offshore oil discovery that otherwise might give it earlier leverage over the US has been nullified by the developement of shale oil and frakking extraction in US proper. I am also sure the US will play Argentina off against rising brazil long before brazil rises very far to nullify the latter's influence and allow the US to retain preeminence in south America.