LA Quick Hits: Fidel's Fine, Oscar the Ogre, Hugo's Failure, PAN & PRD Together! & Much More

• A 10 member delegation from the US Congress went to Cuba to lick Castro's boots. Which Castro did not matter but neither one showed up to meet with them. They came back with the news that Cuban officials informed them that Fidel will recover. Granma says that the group made time to meet with some lackeys and even tour Hemingway's former residence. What Granma doesn't mention is the delegation visiting with dissidents to the regime. For once though Granma wasn't hiding anything, the congressmen never bothered to call or meet with anyone opposed to Fidel.
• Oscar Corral is well on his way to be the most hated man in the Miami exile community. First there was the scandal that he set off that first led to the firings of three popular journalists of sister paper el Nuevo Herald then ultimately took out the Miami Herald's publisher and probably pushing its editor to early retirement. Now Oscar, who actually is not a bad guy or a self-loather, closely examines the shortcomings of TV and Radio Marti. My only complaint about Oscar is that he has a pretty awful blog.
• It's a shame that it isn't in English but a story on the structural failures of Hugo's 21st century socialism is fascinating. (en esp.) Among the tidbits - inflation is still rising at 14%, imports of basic needs have increased 136% during Chavez's reign and 4 million still live off of less than $ 2/per day.
• Malaysia's PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stopped by to visit Hugo (en esp.) - Hugo had gone to see him August. They're talking energy.
• A former member of M-19 and currently a lefty Senator in Colombia is worried that the paras will try to take out Uribe to destabilize the country. (en esp.)
• Ecuador is waiting for Colombia (en esp.) to start talking about their differences. Correa isn't sitting on his hands - Ecuador has approached the OAS. (en esp.)
• Correa meanwhile is ready to begin his "great battle" to establish a constitutional assembly. (en esp.)
• Kirchner is trying to expand his base by reaching out to the middle class - they have to be pretty dumb to take the bait without concessions.
• Calderon's offensive has netted its first major drug kingpin.
• Mexico is looking to raise its minimum wage by 4 - 5%.
• Mexicans make their way to buy stuff in San Antonio.
• Every since Cuahtemoc Cardenas ruled el DF that post has been the de facto head of the PRD. Problem is that AMLO is no longer in charge but seems to thing he is. Now there is a brewing rift between AMLO and the real head of DF Marcelo Ebrard. (en esp.)
• Meanwhile the PAN and PRD seem to be working together to raise taxes on sodas and cigarettes. (en esp.) Bastards...ok it's probably a good idea but I love the somewhat sweeter Mexican Coca-Colas and they are expensive enough on this side of the border. And for all you wiseacres, yes I can tell the difference between gringo Coke and Mex Coke.
• What pains in the rear! Bolivia is asking Brazil to pay more for gas and to allow Bolivia to join MERCOSUR without leaving the Andean Community.
• It feels like an eternity but Evo was elected one year ago.
• The Paper Mill War being waged by Argentina and Uruguay in the International Court of Justice is getting testy.
• The nuts of Tupac Amaru are reorganizing in both Chile and Bolivia. (en esp.) They seem to want to pursue their goals through military and political means.
• The rightist opposition in Chile is going after the lefty Concertacion for corruption. (en esp.)
• The lefty opposition in Paraguay has a new coalition to go after the ruling Colorado. The Tekojoja Popular Movement with Fernando Lugo at the helm will go after the Colorado Party that has ruled for 60 years. Meanwhile the principal opposition party the Authentic Radical Liberal Party has Frederico Franco.