Reply #2: There is much hope for South America now

[Idealism]

and in such a short turnaround from their debt crises that this article mentions. It is truly remarkable, although much work is left to be done. Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil are all highly socially stratified countries with millions and millions living in abject poverty. The hope they have lies in the strength of their democratically elected officials. Measures being undertaken to combat the FTAA proposal like MERCOSUR and the Banco del Sur will expand and hopefully better the lives of millions of underprivileged South Americans.