Russian President Gets In America's Face, To Make Latin American Tour

Russian President Medvedev is about to make a Latin American tour which most American experts say is all about statement - statement to the U.S. leadership that there's no respect for the U.S. coming from Russia. Putin's little cabin boy, Medvedev, is scheduled to visit Cuba, Venezuela and two more countries. Here's some of the details from the article over at Breitbart:

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is embarking on a four-nation Latin American tour seen as sending a defiant message to the United States at the close of the George W. Bush presidency

"The current level of cooperation could be broader than in the Soviet era. Latin America has already ceased to be the United States' backyard," a Russian diplomat told the Russian daily Kommersant ahead of Medvedev's arrival from Portugal.
"Now the region is following its own line, which gives Russia an opportunity to strengthen our position," said the official

This is all a combination of the strong stance the Americans took against Russia in their invasion of Georgia and of course, the missile defense systems to go up in Poland. And at the same time, Russia is trying to address their teetering economy by trying to form some trade agreements with Latin America which of course will bring Russian influence to the region. Considering the economies of Cuba and Venezuela, I hope the Russians enter into a long term agreement with those clowns - so I can watch them both go down in flames.

Russian leader makes defiant Latin America tour

Medvedev was to arrive in Peru early Saturday, meeting Bush at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, where Russia's anti-US stance and absence from the World Trade Organization contrasts with most APEC states.
Officials said Bush and Medvedev would discuss the global financial crisis, the August war in Georgia and the touchstone issue of US missile defense plans in eastern Europe.
On Sunday, Medvedev was also to hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, whose own Latin American tour this week underlined growing outside interest in the region.
Bush met with the Chinese leader on Friday.
Russia analysts say Moscow's quest for influence in Latin America is intended to counter US influence in the former Soviet satellites of eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
On Monday, the Russian leader heads to Brazil, a key trading partner.
On Wednesday, he goes to Venezuela for talks with President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of Washington, as Russian warships prepare for joint exercises in the Caribbean Sea.
Russian media say officials will pursue arms and energy deals with Venezuela, whose Russian weapons purchases have prompted concern that arms stockpiles could fall into the hands of leftist rebels in neighboring Colombia.
Lima-based analyst Alejandro Deustua, of the country's Diplomatic Academy, criticized Russia's role in South America, saying it was time for Russia to "explain plainly to each South American country what their intentions are with these military exercises."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted Russian weapons sold in Latin America were defensive rather than offensive and that Russian moves were not aimed at "third countries" -- a clear reference to the United States, RIA Novosti reported.
Medvedev rounds off his tour in Cuba, the flagship ally of the Soviet Union in the Cold War and the United States' communist foe in the western hemisphere since the late 1950s.
Russian energy firms have been seeking projects in Latin America such as possible involvement in a planned South American gas pipeline.
A proposed Russian purchase of Spanish energy company Repsol -- a major player in the region -- could advance such goals.
But Medvedev's tour drew sniping from the influential daily Kommersant, which said Russia's plans were falling apart as oil prices fell and Moscow's economic fortunes plunged.