More on defining the left in Latin America

Further complicating the “leftist” label in Latin America, Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez has been talking with President Bush about trade, with the ultimate goal of a free trade agreement.

Vázquez is always cited as part of the leftist tilt, yet here he is negotiating trade with the U.S., and even taking a swipe at Evo Morales, saying that “he welcomed foreign investment and noted that his country respected its contractual obligations.” This refers to Bolivia’s recent nationalization of natural gas. Not the sort of behavior you’d expect from a “leftist.”