Venezuela’s Chavez warns Mexico’s Fox: You better not mess with me amigo…

At the recent Summit of the Americas, Chavez (L) eyed Fox (standing at attention) like a hunter stalking his prey

Fallout from the recent Summit of the Americas in Argentina seems to have affected diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Mexico more than between Venezuela and the U.S. as was generally anticipated. And, things took a rather nasty and puerile turn last week when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called Mexican President Vicente Fox “a puppy of the [American] empire” for supporting the U.S. inspired Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) draft agreement. (One wonders what diplomatic words he has in store for Canadian President Paul Martin who [along with U.S. President Bush] is the other major sponsor of this free trade proposal.)

Then, true to the machismo tradition, Fox threatened that if Chavez did not issue an immediate apology, he would do whatever is necessary to “defend the honour of the Mexican people.” But, in equally machismo fashion (made more menacing by his paranoid megalomania), Chavez responded on Sunday by warning Fox on live TV: “don’t mess with me [amigo] because you’ll get stung!”

(Right gentlemen…take 10 paces turn and…sting?)

So today, Mexico and Venezuela are in a diplomatic stand-off – having recalled their ambassadors pursuant to reciprocal temper tantrums. And, the world waits with bated breath to see how long it takes for these Latin hotheads to cool off….

Note: Ultimately, this row amounts to nothing more than a pissing contest between these two equally matched heads of state. However, it portends more dire consequences for leaders of less powerful nations in the Americas (like those of CARICOM countries) who see in Chavez a reliable foil to the hegemonic power of the President of the United States. Because his preemptive personal attack on Fox demonstrates how quickly Chavez can turn on friends who disagree with him, and betrays what little regard he has for diplomatic protocol and the sovereign prerogatives of foreign leaders.

Indeed, it is becoming patently clear that unless one is a peasant farmer begging for a handout, it is risky business befriending or trusting Hugo Chavez.

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