VIENNA (Reuters) – The leftist presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia confronted European and Latin American leaders with their brand of socialism on Friday, claiming a new era had dawned on their continent.

Hugo Chavez, who once led a failed coup attempt before winning power via the ballot box, condemned the pro-market policies which many Latin American states have adopted in the last 20 years but are increasingly out of favor with voters.

“Neoliberalism has begun its decline and has come to an end,” Chavez told reporters after posing for a photograph with nearly 60 other heads of state from the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean at a summit in Vienna.

“Now a new era has begun in Latin America. Some call it populism, trying to disfigure our beauty. But it is the … voice of the people that is being heard,” he said.

Mexican President Vicente Fox earlier said the region had failed to overcome its historic problems, including “populism” and inconsistency of policies.

Bolivia and Venezuela have increasingly riled governments on both sides of the Atlantic.
nytimes.com

Viva.

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