The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, shakes hands with the US president, Barack Obama, at the Summit of the Americas. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/REUTERSQuotes from the article at guardian.co.uk:
Even Hugo Chávez, who once called George Bush the devil, appears to have fallen under the spell of Barack Obama.
"I want to be your friend," the populist Venezuelan leader told the US president at the summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad,
What is striking, though, is the amount of goodwill that Obama has generated wherever he goes, from US troops in Baghdad, crowds in Istanbul and now fellow leaders in Latin America.
Even Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan leader who was a thorn in the side of Ronald Reagan, introduced himself to Obama.
The most telling indication so far of Obama's political effectiveness in diplomatic terms is that he is forcing others to play on his terms. Just like a superior tennis player, he is dictating play. He is moving his opponents around the court, not the other way round.
Take Iran. Ahmadinejad has had to change his tune. With presidential elections coming up, the Iranian president is under fire for sticking to a hard line that helps perpetuate Iran's pariah status.
The situation between Israel and the Palestinians could suddenly deteriorate, putting Obama in a tight spot.
But for the time being, Obama is being given the benefit of the doubt by many leaders - carping from Nicolas Sarkozy aside - and is moving deftly to exploit the political capital he has aplenty in the bank.
Even Chávez, so long a darling among fellow Latin American leaders, knows he can only play second fiddle to Obama.
Posted by Mark Tran Saturday 18 April 2009 16.46 BST guardian.co.uk
