Latin Business Chronicle

"There's going to be a flood of money coming into the market."

Marcio Mello Silva Baptiste of law firm TozziniFreire on Brazil getting investment grade from S&P, as quoted by Globe & Mail, May 5, 2008

"From now on, Nestor Kirchner is fully in command."

Argentine opposition leader Elisa Carrio on the changes in economy minister, as quoted by AP, April 28, 2008

"There is not going to be a check written"

Chevron spokesman Kent Robertson on the multibillion lawsuit against the company in Ecuador, as quote by CNSNews,.com, April 17, 2008

"We feel these guys are nothing but con men"

Chevron spokesman Don Campbell on the Ecuadorian winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize, as quoted by AP, April 14, 2008

"If the United States takes the rug out from under us, we would look like imbeciles internally and in the region"

Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia's defense minister, on a defeat of the US-Colombia FTA, as quoted by The New York Times, April 14, 2008

"Colombia will buy tractors, mining equipment and fertilizer from Canada, France and Germany instead of Illinois, Georgia and Texas"

US Rep. Jim McCreary (R-Louisiana) on the results of not passing the Colombia FTA, as quoted by The New York Times, April 11, 2008

"Speaker Pelosi got her 3:00 a.m. call and said, ‘I’m not answering it.”"

John Walters, US Director National Drug Control Policy, April 10, 2008, on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's efforts to block a vote on the Colombia-US free trade agreement

"As the government failed to control inflation, it's trying to control the indexes"

Marcos Ochoa, a professor of macroeconomics at the University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires, on Argentina's failed inflation fight, as quoted by Bloomberg, April 10, 2008

"Doing nothing would be worse than losing"

Editorial in the Investor's Business Daily, April 7, 2008, on getting the US congress to approve or reject the Colombia FTA.

"I have a visceral hatred against the f....ng oligarchy."

Luis D'Elia, close ally of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, after beating up a government opponent, as quoted by La Nacion, March 27, 2008.

"The Bay of Rigs"

Headline of editorial in Investor's Business Daily, March 19, 2008 on Cuba's oil sector.

"Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is using his vast oil wealth to fund terrorism in his own backyard"

U.S. Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla), on charges that Venezuela is financing FARC, as quoted by AP, March 12, 2008

"Their ultimatum to our neighbors - either renegotiate or we'll repeal - was as arrogant as anything president Bush has done in the region in the past eight years"

Robert A Pastor, Latin America advisor to President Jimmy Carter, on Democratic presidential candidates' threat to pull out of NAFTA, as quoted by Latin Business Chronicle, March 4, 2008

"It was as if everything, including adolescent acne, would be resolved"

Dan Lund, president of polling firm Mund Americas, on how Mexican authorities oversold NAFTA, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2008

"It is a basket case, with a continuously shrinking basket"

Jorge Salazar-Carrillo, professor at Florida International University, on Cuba's economy under Fidel Castro, as quoted by Latin Business Chronicle, February 26, 2008

"Cubans have had a rotten deal from a miserable regime—and they know it."

The Economist, February 21, 2008

"Mussolini with bananas."

Mexican author Carlos Fuentes, describing Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez, as quoted by AP, February 14, 2008

"I'm certain we won't get pneumonia, just a little cold."

Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens on the expected effects on Mexico of a US slowdown, as quoted by Televisa, February 7, 2008

"Su Casa es Mi Casa"

Craig Kelly, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, describing populism in Latin America, at an AACCLA luncheon, Coral Gables, USA, January 24, 2008

"Ortega mentions Hugo Chávez more than I say the Hail Mary, and that's my favorite prayer"

Adolfo Calero, a Nicaraguan businessman and former legislator, as quoted in The Miami Herald, January 24, 2008

"Ortega is an employee of Chavez."

Nicaraguan opposition legislator Enrique Quiñónez on presidents Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chavez, as quoted by La Prensa, January 14, 2008

"The challenge is to bring more transparency within the system"

Bereket Haregot, vice president for Latin America global marketing for Chevron, in Latin Business Chronicle, January 2, 2008, on the challenge of corruption in Latin America.

"It's a bad day for authoritarianism"

Peruvian President Alan Garcia on the signing ceremony of the US-Peru free trade agreement, December 14, 2007

"The oil your nation needs ... is here, as much as you need for 100 years, 200 years"

Hugo Chavez to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, as quoted by AP, December 9, 2007

"I won't change a comma in the reforms"

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez defies the referendum results, as quoted by El Universal, December 3, 2007

"What I don't understand is how labor will be helped if there is no FTA"

US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez on union opposition against the Colombia FTA, as quoted by Time magazine, November 28, 2007

"They're managing the precarious balancing act between Milton Friedman and Santa Claus"

FIU Professor Jerry Haar on Latin America's leftist leaders running Argentina, Brazil and Chile, as quoted by Time magazine, November 15, 2007

"A trip to Madrid? A thousand euros. Another to Barcelona? 1,500 euros. Shutting up Chavez? Priceless. "

Popular Venezuelan joke, referring to recent request by the Spanish king for Venezuelan president Juan Carlos to shut up, as quoted by El Pais, Spain, November 18, 2007

"Why don't you shut up?"

King Juan Carlos to Hugo Chavez at the Ibero-American Summit in Chile, November 10, 2007

"Kirchner 2011 is like ‘2001: A Space Odyssey. It is a fictional movie"

Cristina Fernandez, on speculation that Nestor Kirchner wants to succeed her as president, as quoted by The New York Times, Nov.1, 2007

"Neither Evita nor Hillary"

Cristina Fernandez, frontrunner in Argentina's presidential elections, on comparisons with Hillary Clinton and Evita Peron, as quoted by AP, October 24, 2007

"His main "achievements" were the repressed inflation that led to rationing and the expropriation of all private banks"

Jorge Salazar-Carrillo, Florida International University, remembers Che Guevara, as quoted by Latin Business Chronicle, October 15, 2007

"The people of Costa Rica have said "si" to opportunity, "si" to investment, and "si" to a prosperous future."

US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, October 8, 2007, on the CAFTA vote in Costa Rica

"This is probably like a bucket of cold water over them"

Ecuador Oil Minister Galo Chiriboga on the government's decree to hike its royalties from 50 to 99 percent, as quoted by Reuters, October 5, 2007

"Why does a central bank need to be independent? It is a grand fallacy of the 1990s"

Ecuador President Rafael Correa, quoted by Bloomberg, September 25, 2007

"Buying Banespa was like a snake devouring a cow -- it takes a long time to digest"

Luis Miguel Santacreu, Austin Rating, on Santander's acquisition of Banespa, as quoted by Bloomberg, September 17, 2007

"It's impossible to isolate politics from the sanctions on Shell"

Francisco Mezzadri, former head of CMS Energy Corp.'s Argentine unit, on the Kirchner government's repeated actions against Shell, as quoted by Bloomberg, September 6, 2007

"When it comes to forecasting Argentina’s inflation these days, there is consensus among economists: whatever figure the government announces will be wrong"

Financial Times, September 5, 2007

"Unless things change, Argentina has a date with crisis sooner or later"

Fernando Navajas of the Foundation for Latin American Economic Research, in the Financial Times, September 5, 2007

"They have allowed the relationship to be defined by an extremist fringe"

Robert Pastor, former Latin America advisor to President Jimmy Carter, on North American leaders being too defensive when it comes to NAFTA and SPP, FOCALPoint, August 2007

"If the process continues like this, it will become a judicial farse"

Ricardo Reis Veiga, Chevron, on the bias and incompetence of court-appointed expert in $6 billion lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador, in Latin Business Chronicle, August 13, 2007

"Since Kirchner couldn't fill the financial pothole, now he's asking his usurious Uncle Hugo to help him."

Ricardo Lopez Murphy, Argentine presidential candidate and former finance minister, criticizing Nestor Kirchner's close relations with Hugo Chavez, as quoted by The New York Times, August 8, 2007

"He's being used"

Maria Conchita Alonso on Sean Penn's visit to Venezuela, as quoted by AP, August 3, 2007

"Our sovereignty is at risk"

Luis Tascon, pro-Chavez legislator, on problems at PDVSA, as quoted by The New York Times, July 23, 2007

"It's just great that Canada's showing some leadership in Latin America."

Scotiabank CEO Rick Waugh on Canadian PM Stephen Harper's trip to Latin America, as quoted by Canada.com, July 17, 2007

"They are wearing our patience thin"

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, blaming private energy companies for the current energy crisis, as quoted by Bloomberg, June 29, 2007

"National sovereignty does not automatically fill the tank"

The Economist, warning that Venezuela may follow Iran's oil rationing, June 28, 2007

"We should have a foreign policy that involves more than a good friendship with Chavez"

Buenos Aires Mayor-Elect Mauricio Macri, as quoted by Bloomberg, June 27, 2007

"If we have a strike, that's going to be a big problem, but we are not going to die"

Petrobras CEO Jose Sergio Gabrielli, as quoted by Bloomberg, June 19, 2007

"We have grown a lot, but the country has still not left hell."

Argentine president Nestor Kirchner to Spanish lawmakers, as quoted by Latin American Advisor, June 22, 2006.

"We don't accept an illegitimate government"

Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, refusing to accept the latest recount of votes again showing him losing, as quoted by Bloomberg, August 15, 2006.

"This is a mockery of what government is supposed to be."

Mexico City shoeshiner Carlos Cano, complaining about losing business as the local police lets AMLO protesters paralyze the city, as quoted by Bloomberg, August 22, 2006

"Lula together with the Brazilian constitution enshrining the nanny state, spells four more years of mediocrity at best"

Mary Anastasia O'Grady, commenting the outlook in Brazil after the likely re-election of President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva, in The Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2006

"There are just two candidates...Hugo Chávez and George ‘Devil’ Bush.” "

Hugo Chavez, on the December presidential elections in Venezuela, as quoted by the Financial Times, September 4, 2006.

"Sooner or later, AMLO will face away."

Nicolas Mariscal, Chairman, Grupo Marhnos, Mexico, as quoted in Latin America Advisor, September 7, 2006

"The fact that [Mr Ortega] has been in charge of the Sandinista movement for 25 years or more gives you a clue about his democratic tendencies."

US Ambassador Paul Trivelli in Nicaragua, warning against Daniel Ortega, in the Financial Times, September 14, 2006

"Money will not go where there is danger"

General Bantz Craddock, Commander, US Southern Command, warning against the rising tide of crime in Latin America, at the America Conference organized by The Miami Herald, September 14,2006

"As they are set to win the election Lula will likely stick to his peace and love message, but we may see some changes after Oct. 1, when Brazil may tell Bolivia to get ready to take it on the nose"

David Fleischer, professor of politics at the University of Brasilia, on the relatively reserved reaction after the Bolivian nationalization and restrictions of Brazilian gas operations, quoted by Bloomberg, September 15, 2006

"It seems he would rather try to rule from the streets now than to wait six years and run again for president"

James Wilkie, history professor at the University of California in Los Angeles, on plans by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the loser of Mexican presidential elections , to have himself declared president by his supporters, as quoted by Bloomberg, September 17, 2006

"Yesterday the devil came here. Right here. [crosses himself] And it smells of sulfur still today."

Hugo Chavez at the UN General Assembly, Sept.20, 2006

"Chavez would put the last nail in the coffin with his off-the-wall narcism-Leninism"

Miami Herald columinist Andres Oppenheimer on the damage to the UN if Venezuela gets a Security Council seat, September 21, 2006

"Hugo Chavez fancies himself a modern day Simon Bolivar but all he is is an everyday thug"

Nancy Pelosi, leader of the Democrats in the US House of Representatives, Sept.21, 2006

"Capitalism is the way of the devil and exploitation."

Hugo Chavez in Time magazine, September 22, 2006

"Regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans' concern over derogatory comments about our country and its leadership recently made by Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez."

7-Eleven spokeswoman Margaret Chabris on one of the factors behind ending the company’s contract with Citgo, Sept. 27, 2006

"The Lula camp has fallen apart"

Walder de Goes, a Brasilia political scientist, quoted by the Financial Times, October 2, 2006

"If we don't sell it here, well then, we will try to sell it in Panama."

Dionisio Marenco, the Sandinista mayor of Managua and head of the Municipal Association in Nicaragua, on the failure to sell oil donated by Hugo Chavez, as quoted by AP, October 9, 2006

"You have money spent on guarding stuff rather than making stuff. "

Michael Hood, Latin America economist for Barclays Capital, on the negative effects of Latin crime on the region’s economy, as quoted by The New York Times, October 16, 2006

"The Lord has a way of vindicating and in the Chavez matter he’s vindicating every day."

Pat Robertson on his controversial criticism against Chavez in August 2005 and the recent Chavez speech at the UN, as quoted by WordNews.org, October 18, 2006

"This color symbolism, this `love' nonsense, is what they've rolled out to soften the image of the rock star Hugo Chavez."

Riordan Roett, Latin American studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, on Chavez changing official campaign colors and message, as quoted by Bloomberg, October 20, 2006

"This is a tremendous success that deserves a Nobel. But the one for Economy, not for Peace."

Carlos Alberto Montaner, on the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize going to Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus, in El Nuevo Herald, October 22, 2006.

"If this was an election-minded decision, well in the sin there lies the penance."

Mexican president Vicente Fox, on US president George W. Bush signing the law for building a border fence, as quoted in Inter-American Dialogue's daily Latin America Advisor, October 27, 2006

"Brazil’s Stockholm syndrome, a love for a state that holds the economy hostage."

The Economist, October 28, 2006

"As president, Daniel Ortega will be the best friend the Nicaraguan private sector ever had."

Paul Reichler, international lawyer with Foley Hoag LLP and former advisor to Ortega, as quoted in Inter-American Dialogue's daily Latin America Advisor, November 8, 2006

"The same people that elected me, that elected Kirchner, that elected Daniel Ortega and that elected Evo Morales without doubt will elect you president of Venezuela."

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvatells Hugo Chavez during a visit to Caracas, quoted by AP, November 13, 2006

"Milton Friedman was physically a small man, but he was an intellectual giant."

Venezuelan economist Jose Cordeiro in Latin Business Chronicle, November 20, 2006

"Correa is going to be a friend, not a client of Chavez."

Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, on Ecuador's president-elect Rafael Correa who won't need oil money from Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, as quoted by The New York Times, November 28, 2006

"Chavez is not a dictator. But he's not a Thomas Jefferson, either."

Teodoro Petkoff, Venezuela's former planning minister and editor of Tal Cual newspaper, as quoted by The New York Times, December 5, 2006.

"We need a political Viagra"

Hugo Chavez, on the need to get more power to speed up South American integration, as quoted by AP, December 9, 2006

"If you know an old person who is a leftist then (this person) has problems...At 60 we change."

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, quoted by AP, December 14, 2006

"We’re turning into another Zimbabwe."

Bolivian businessman Branko Mavinkovic, quoted by The New York Times, December 26, 2006

"Pack your bags and turn off the lights"

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, announcing the shut-down of independent radio station RCTV, as quoted by Bloomberg, December 28, 2006

"Any economic plan in Brazil must go through the surgery room and not simply the make-up room."

Paulo Leme, Goldman Sachs, quoted by Bloomberg, January 1, 2007.

"This is like banning the auto industry because there are lots of cars in the streets"

Fernando Lago, president of the Argentine Construction Chamber's public works commission, on the temporary ban of construction in Buenos Aires because of utility problems, as quoted by Bloomberg, January 4, 2007.

"Dr. Insulza is quite an idiot, a true idiot"

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez on OAS General Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza after the latter questioned Chavez' decision to pull the licence of a TV station, as quoted by Associated Press, January 8, 2007

"It's difficult being a socialist country when your top partner is the United States."

Peter Hakim, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, on plans by president Hugo Chavez to consolidate power, as quoted by El Nuevo Herald, January 10, 2007

"The horse has somewhat bolted."

Bryan Squibb, managing director of insurance broker Aon, on request for asset insurance after Hugo Chavez announced his nationalization plans, as quoted by Bloomberg, Jan. 10, 2007

"I swear I will devote my days, nights and entire life to the construction of socialism in Venezuela"

Hugo Chavez, as quoted by the Financial Times, January 11, 2007

"We are twins"

Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua's new president, standing next to Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez during his swearing-in ceremony, as quoted by the Financial Times, January 11, 2007

"An autonomous central bank, what sense does that make?"

Rafael Correa, Ecuador's new president, in a TV speech after being sworn in, as quoted by Bloomberg, Jan. 15, 2007

"It's global capitalism that's funding the socialist turn in Venezuela"

Shannon O'Neill, adjunct fellow for Latin American studies, Council on Foreign Relations, as quoted by Bloomberg, January 15, 2007

"There's no magic in economics."

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the gradual reduction of interest rates, as quoted by Bloomberg, January 26, 2007

"Instead of taking steps to attract the billions of dollars looking for new opportunities, President Correa is doing his best to ensure that it never crosses Ecuador's borders."

Walter Molano, BCP Securities, February 6, 2007

"Today Vinto, tomorrow we don't know who."

Bolivian mining minister Gullermo Dalence, on the expropriation of Swiss-owned Vinto, as quoted by the Financial Times, February 9, 2007

"He has a funny understanding of the problem"

Alberto Bernal, Latin America economist at Bear Stearns, on the move by Hugo Chavez to cut three zeros from the Venezuelan currency to fight inflation, quoted by Bloomberg, February 16, 2007

"Inflation isn't a problem that you solve with a few detentions"

Carlos Caicedo, head of the Latin American office at London-based political risk advisers Exclusive Analysis, on Venezuela's anti-inflation policy, as quoted by Bloomberg, February 16, 2007

"Happy Valentines Day from Alberto to the investment community"

Rupert Stebbings, trader at Asesores en Valores in Medellin, on Finance Minister Alberto Carrasquilla's news of the strong 2006 economic results in Colombia, as quoted by Bloomberg, February 14, 2007

"Put an end to this nonsense."

Jim Hoffa, general president of the Teamsters, comments on the US-Mexico truck test in a February 23, 2007 statement.

"The second Lula government has not hit the ground running, but stumbling"

Political analyst David Fleischer, on the delays in naming cabinet ministers in the 11-party coalition, as quoted by the Financial Times, March 2, 2007

"For too long and in too many places, opportunity in Latin America has been determined by the accident of birth rather than by the application of talents and initiative"

President George W Bush in a speech on his Latin America policy, at the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, March 5, 2007

"There are notorious difficulties with our relationship with Argentina."

Danilo Astory, Uruguay's Finance Minister, quoted by the Financial Times, March 8, 2007

"What is this man doing holding protests in other countries with our money?"

Venezuelan opposition leader Manuel Rosales, on Hugo Chavez' protest rally against the Latin America visit of U.S. President George W. Bush, as quoted by Bloomberg, March 9, 2007

"We can have that American Dream in our own countries by promoting education, by improving infrastructure,by implementing CAFTA."

Guatemalan president Oscar Berger during a press conference with U.S. president George W. Bush in Guatemala City, March 12, 2007

"Bush started his presidency playing cowboys with Fox on his ranch and he is ending it playing Indians in some Mayan ruins"

Jorge Zepeda, a political analyst in Mexzico City, on lack of progress after Bush's first visit to Mexico and before the current one, as quoted by Financial Times, March 14, 2007

"Demagoguery and showmanship will do nothing to solve Venezuela’s 20 percent inflation rate"

Editorial in The New York Times, March 23, 2007

"CAFTA provides a guarantee, but CAFTA was not elected president of Nicaragua"

Jerry Haar, professor of management and international business, Florida International University, in Latin Business Chronicle, March 26, 2007

"The dollar has been a complete failure"

Rafael Correa, Ecuador's president, on the 2000 dollarization, as quoted by Bloomberg, April 3, 2007

"He has created a cult of personality with no personality at all"

Marc Falcoff on Argentine president Nestor Kirchner, LBC, April 9, 2007

"There has to be a degree of political trust among us"

Brazil President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva at the World Economic Forum on Latin America, Santiago, Chile, April 26, 2007.

"It will have a chilling effect "

Jeffrey Sturchio, a vice-president at Merck, on the Brazilian government's disregard of the company's patent on its Efavirenz AIDS drug, as quoted by Financial Times, May 4, 2007.

"Forget it. It's over."

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, on the local and international calls for him to reconsider closing RCTV TV station, as quoted by the Financial Times, May 8, 2007

"This is agrarian terrorism encouraged by the state"

Fhandor Quiroga, a landowner and head of Yaracuy's chamber of commerce, on the attacks against landowners in Venezuela, as quoted by The New York Times, May 16, 2007

"They've invited us to play in first division"

Chilean foreign minister Alejandro Foxley on news that the OECD has invited Chile to join, as quoted by AP, May 16, 2007

"When I was born, my father put my name in the civil registry and on the phone company's waiting list at the same time. It took about 25 years to get a phone line."

Chilean Central Bank President Vittorio Corbo on the changes in Chile, as quoted by Bloomberg, May 17, 2007

"You can always judge a man by the company he keeps"

Sam Taliaferro in his Panama Investor Blog, May 19, 2007, on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega renewing relations with North Korea in addition to close relations with Iran and Venezuela.

"It's not the president who governs in Honduras"

Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, charging that the country is really governed by the owners of media opposing him, quoted by the Associated Press, May 23, 2007

"It's difficult for me to picture him saying he screwed up"

Alberto Bernal, Bear Stearns, about Hugo Chavez not leaving the IMF as he originally announced, as quoted by Bloomberg, May 25, 2007

"The non-renovation of the RCTV concession is a democratic victory for Venezuelan society. "

Venezuelan communications minister William Lara, as quoted by AP, June 3, 2007

"Fidel is the grandfather, Chavez is the son and Correa the grandson"

Alberto Ravell, president of Globovision in Venezuela, quoted by AP, June 4, 2007

"Venezuela's television has become a one-man show"

Miami Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer on the shut-down of RCTV, June 7, 2007

"Brazil is doing so well that not even the worst pessimist can be pessimistic."

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, quoted by AP, June 18, 2007