There is no doubt that Hugo Chavez has caught our attention -- but it is more difficult to assess the impact that his words and actions have actually had.  Despite the rhetoric, trade between the U.S. and Venezuela has never been higher; Chavez's attempt to secure a seat on the UN Security Council for himself or one of his friends has failed; and it seems highly unlikely that Venezuela would ever curtail oil exports to the United States.  On the other hand, Chavez feeds rampant anti-Americanism in Latin America, he has undermined regional trade initiatives, he is pushing neighboring countries farther and farther to the left, and he is stockpiling a disconcerting amount of weaponry. 

Who: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Erica Barks-Ruggles. Her portfolio includes the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and multilateral human rights efforts.

What: DRL DAS Erica J. Barks-Ruggles will discuss the challenges and importance of promoting human rights in the Middle East. The promotion of human rights is a central pillar of the President’s freedom agenda for the Middle East.

Where: The State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affaris Conference Room – 6243

How: Please RSVP to Timothy Reuter at ReuterT@state.gov . For those coming from outside the State Department, you will be met in the C Street lobby at 5:15pm and escorted through security up to the conference room.

Discussion on Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean for 2006

Presentation by Jose Luis Machinea, Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean

Comments by:

Nancy Lee, US Department of the Treasury

Anoop Singh, International Monetary Fund

Friday, December 15, 2006 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

Inter-American Dialogue

1211 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 510

Washington, D.C.

We are pleased to invite you to join us at the Inter-American Dialogue on Friday, December 15 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. for a luncheon discussion on the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean's (ECLAC) new report, Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean for 2006. The report, ECLAC's flagship publication, is an authoritative and comprehensive statement of Latin America's economic performance in the past year. ECLAC Secretary-General Jose Luis Machinea will present its most important findings. Nancy Lee, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eurasia and Latin America at the U.S. Department of Treasury, and Anoop Singh, Director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the International Monetary Fund, will offer comments.

The New America Foundation's Education Policy Program and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation invite you and your colleagues to

Preparing U.S. Students for the Global Economy:
A New Plan for Common Math and Science Education Standards

Featuring
The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd
United States Senator (D-CT)

The Honorable Vernon Ehlers (invited)
United States Representative (R-MI)

Respondents

The Honorable John Engler
President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers
Former Governor of Michigan (R), 1991-2003

The Honorable Bob Wise
President, Alliance for Excellent Education
Former Governor of West Virginia (D), 2001-2005

Michael Casserly
Executive Director, Council of Great City Schools

Michael Petrilli
Vice President, Fordham Foundation

Moderated by
Michael Dannenberg

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN FOREIGN POLICY
The Rise of the Vulcans: Six Years Later
James Mann, SAIS author-in-residence
and author, Rise of the Vulcans
7:00p.m. - 8:30p.m.  |  Wednesday, January 10
The Paul H. Nitze Building, Johns Hopkins SAIS
  1740 Massachusetts Ave., NW
RSVP Required
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On January 10, YPFP will host The Rise of the Vulcans: Six Years Later with James Mann, author-in-residence at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.  The meeting will be from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at 1740 Massachusetts Ave., NW.