Leftist Goals and the Debate over Anti-Neoliberal Strategy in Latin America *

Three strategies emerged in the 1990s in Latin America in the struggle against neoliberalism: Jorge Castañeda's approach which assigns centrists a key role; the strategy associated with Marta Harnecker in which the left prioritizes anti-neoliberalism; and the strategy defended by James Petras in which anti-neoliberal demands do not overshadow anti-imperialism or anti-capitalist struggles. The experiences in Venezuela (Rafael Caldera), Argentina (Fernando de la Rua), Chile (Ricardo Lagos) and Mexico (Vicente Fox), where Castañeda's strategy was put into practice, demonstrate that anti-neoliberal goals are blurred when centrists dominate the governing coalition. The cases of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and “Lula” in Brazil put in evidence the influence of the “national bourgeoisie,” organized labor and the marginalized sectors on the directions that anti-neoliberal governments take. Contrary to Petras’ thinking, non-leftist leaders and organizations were essential in the rise to power of Chávez and Lula and in their responses to initial challenges.