President Obama has put democracy and human rights on the back burner at least in Latin America. Our celebrity in chief achieved his fundamental goal at the recent Summit of the Americas: He got the region's dictators to like him.
Rather than vigorously defend American interests and values, Mr. Obama used the occasion to cozy up to Venezuela's strong man, Hugo Chavez. Mr. Obama referred to Mr. Chavez as his "amigo." The photograph of the leader of the Free World shaking hands with a smiling Mr. Chavez was seen all across the world.
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