America is losing influence in Latin America — and that's great news

It's time for the Western Hemisphere's heavyweight to stop micromanaging the politics of its southern neighbors

Evo Morales
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Juan Karita))

Is Bolivian President Evo Morales a despot, despite the fact that he just won a free and fair election? So argues The New York Times editorial board, calling him a caudillo because he might try to change the Bolivian constitution to run again in 2020.

Let's set aside the absurdity of smearing someone as an authoritarian based on speculations about future events. The real gripe of the Times board can be seen toward the bottom of the piece (well spotted by Glenn Greenwald): "This regional dynamic has been dismal for Washington’s influence in the region."

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Ryan Cooper

Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.