Not that he ever really had it, but President Bachelet was considering supporting Venezuela’s candidacy for a rotating seat on the United Nations security council that’s coming up. Possibly no more.

A.M. Mora y Leon already posted up an article showing Bachelet’s absolute fury over remarks made by the Venezuelan government that the Christian Democrat Party had betrayed Salvador Allende as well as the revolution. The fallout was absolutely astronomical. Relations between the two countries have never been so low. If Chavez ever thought he had a chance of gaining Chile’s support — probably one of the most important countries to get it from — he better think again.

The Christian Democrat Party rules in coalition with Bachelet’s Socialist Party; together called the Concertacion. It has been an alliance that has been incredibly effective and beneficial for the country. But now the CDP is in an uproar and will likely not give their support to any bid which will enable Chavez a seat at the UNSC.

To understand just how deep the hatred of him is now, check out this article I just ran across in The Santiago Times. It’s an interview with former foreign minister Ignacio Walker, a prominent member of the CDP whose voice is definitely being heard. He tells it like it is.

QUESTION: What is your current take on Latin American politics?
IGNACIO WALKER: I????????m worried about the resurgence of populism. The true conflict emerging in Latin America today is the battle between democracy and populism. Fifteen years ago, the battle was between democracy and dictatorship, and forty years ago it was between reform and revolution.

The policies that Hugo Ch????vez, N????stor Kirchner, and Evo Morales have implemented in Venezuela, Argentina, and Bolivia are neo-populist. This worries me because when you encourage a form of democracy that is populist, personal, or based on plebiscites, you create a type of democracy that goes around existing institutions. I????????m a firm believer in representative democracy, and in strong institutions.

Chile, along with Brazil and Mexico, has resisted this populist temptation.

QQ: Do you fear that these populist governments could spread to the rest of the continent?
IW: No. Ollanta Humala lost in Peru, L????pez Obrador lost in Mexico, and Otton Sol????s lost in Costa Rica. Chile has now had four Concertaci????n governments that are not populist. Lula and Cardoso in Brazil are not populists, neither is Colombia????????s ????lvaro Uribe. It????????s not true that leftist populism is spreading in Latin America.

QQ: Has it become a partisan issue in Chile on whether to support Guatemala????????s or Venezuela????????s bids to win a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council?
IW: We have to take the drama out of this discussion. First of all, this is not a life and death decision for Chile, and whatever decision President Michelle Bachelet makes should be respected. I????????ll respect Bachelet????????s final decision, even though the Christian Democratic Party, of which I????????m a member, voiced its disapproval of Venezuela????????s bid ten days ago.

I????????m not against Venezuela, but I????????m against Ch????vez????????s Venezuela and his foreign policy. He????????s recently been in Cuba, in Belarus, Iran, and North Korea. These trips are very complicated from an international perspective. Putting Chavez????????s Venezuela on the UN Security Council, whose fundamental purpose is to fight for international peace and security, would be counterproductive. Ch????vez would use the Security Council to create more instability and less security. It????????s wrong to say that all of Latin America is rallying behind Ch????vez, as the majority of Latin Americans are not leftists.

For example, Ch????vez????????s exportation of the ???????Bolivarian Revoultion??????? and his interference in the domestic politics of Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru are concrete acts. He questioned Calder????n????????s victory in Mexico after the country????????s Supreme Court declared him to be the winner. He????????s intervened in Peru, mocking Alan Garc????a, and a lot more can be said of Bolivia.

What more arguments against Ch????vez do we need? Look at all his has recently done. He stood in front of the UN and said ???????The devil????????s been here, you can still smell the sulfur??????? (referring to George W. Bush), he has suggested the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. were perpetrated by the U.S. government, he signed a strategic alliance with the President of Belarus, one of the worst post-Soviet dictators, and he went to Iran, where he aligned himself with that country????????s intent to develop nuclear weapons.

QQ: In what situation will Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley (DC) be placed if Bachelet votes for Venezuela?
IW: I don????????t think that it will affect him at all. Foxley implements the policy that the President of the Republic decides, and he has done a great job doing so.

QQ: Was it an error to let the debate on the Venezuela vote simmer for so long?
IW: Perhaps, but on the other hand it has permitted us to debate all sides to this decision. It????????s not been easy.

QQ: What do you personally think of Ch????vez?
IW: I think he????????s an anomaly, one produced by a crisis in caused by the Venezuelan political system. I do think, however, that he has a legitimacy that you can????????t deny. He was elected in a clean election and won a majority. I have doubts about his democratic convictions in regards to internal politics, and I do not agree with his foreign policy.

QQ: Is it possible that Chile will abstain?
IW: Yes, but I wouldn????????t rule out a vote for Guatemala. Why shouldn????????t we vote for Guatemala? Just because the U.S. supports it? Give me a break. All of Europe is supporting Guatemala. It could be a more active abstention. We could say that neither country fits the bill. According to my sources, neither Guatemala nor Venezuela have the two-thirds of the total 191 votes that they need. If no winner is declared after three rounds of voting, another candidate will emerge.

QQ: Uruguay and Costa Rica have been mentioned???????
IW: Yes, and the Dominican Republic. Any of those three countries would be great choices. Personally, I????????m in favor of an active abstention.

QQ: What could happen to the governing Concertaci????n alliance, because of the UN vote and the dispute around the use of the morning after pill?
IW: The President decides, but if Bachelet votes for Venezuela, it will be difficult for the Christian Democrats (DC) and for sectors of the PPD. The opposition will also be very critical, as studies show that 70 percent of the Chilean public is against voting for Venezuela. But in no case is the Concertaci????n in danger.

QQ: What do you think of the recent statements made by V????ctor Delgado, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Chile? He compared the DC????????s lack of support for the Venezuelan bid to the way in which they acted towards former President Salvador Allende.
IW: The statements made by the ambassador are some of the most offensive statements that have come out of Venezuela in the last couple of months. I can only say that it was a total mistake to make those statements. They went against all normal diplomatic protocol, let alone being totally offensive.

No further comment necessary, I think.