Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and several Democrats took a lavish tour through Latin America, funded by a Soros-backed foundation.
The Washington Examiner reported that a weeklong trip in August 2023 was funded by the Foundation to Promote Open Society. The trip included Reps. Nydia Velázquez of New York, Maxwell Frost of Florida, and Joaquin Castro of Texas, and it spanned Brazil, Chile, and Colombia.
The itinerary reads like a progressive dream tour, complete with steak dinners and four-star hotels, while the stated goal was to foster ties with South American counterparts. Yet, one wonders if the real education was in how to blend radical ideology with caviar and fine dining.
The trip kicked off in Brazil on August 13, 2023, with a visit to the presidential palace, where the delegation met Celso Amorim, a key advisor to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Discussions centered on foreign policy, including Brazil’s cozying up to China, a move that raises eyebrows given the global implications of such military and economic ties.
Post-meeting, the group dined at a swanky steakhouse with U.S. Embassy officials, chatting about racial justice over prime cuts of beef. Later, they engaged with indigenous activists and the Landless Workers’ Movement, a group known for seizing property under Marxist banners, which hardly screams democratic values.
That evening, at a lakeside country club, they discussed Brazil’s so-called de-radicalization efforts with another presidential advisor. Under Lula’s watch, these efforts have drawn criticism for targeting conservative voices, suggesting a troubling approach to dissent.
Moving to Chile on August 16, the delegation settled into a luxury hotel boasting Andean views before meeting Santiago’s mayor, Iraci Hassler, a proud member of the Communist Party of Chile. Hassler boasted, “communist management in a local government can transform people’s lives,” though one might question if that transformation includes the party’s historical ties to violence and Soviet influence.
Further meetings at Chile’s presidential palace with figures like Camila Vallejo, another communist official, focused on political communication strategies. While the delegation soaked up these lessons, the backdrop of the Communist Party’s past, including its armed insurgency and State Department terrorism designations, casts a shadow over such cozy exchanges.
Dinner at a trendy restaurant adorned with posters of Che Guevara and Mao Zedong wrapped up the day, hosted by a left-wing Chilean nonprofit. It’s hard not to see the irony of dining on upscale small plates while celebrating figures tied to oppressive regimes.
The final leg in Colombia brought meetings with President Gustavo Petro and members of the Historic Pact coalition, which includes the Colombian Communist Party and other far-left groups. Petro’s own past with a guerrilla movement adds a layer of complexity to these diplomatic overtures, especially for lawmakers representing American interests.
Over three days, the delegation engaged with these factions, ostensibly to strengthen U.S.-Latin American relations. Yet, aligning with groups steeped in Maoist and socialist ideologies risks sending a message that the U.S. endorses such radical frameworks over stable governance.
The Foundation to Promote Open Society, which split costs with the Center for Economic and Policy Research, defended the trip, stating, “A delegation connecting Latino members of Congress with their South American counterparts promises to strengthen the diplomatic ties between the U.S. and its partners in the region.” Nice sentiment, but when those partners have ties to violence and authoritarianism, one has to question the true cost of those ties.
Back in the U.S., Ocasio-Cortez remains a polarizing figure, with ambitions rumored to include a Senate run or even a presidential bid. Her fundraising prowess and dedicated base make her a powerhouse, though her far-left stances often alienate moderates who crave practical solutions over ideological crusades.
This Soros-funded jaunt, while framed as a mission for transparency and good governance, reeks of a curated echo chamber, where luxury softens the edges of radical rhetoric. Taxpayers might wonder why their representatives are learning from groups with violent histories instead of focusing on policies that directly serve American constituents.
Ultimately, this trip highlights a deeper tension within the Democratic Party, as influential figures like Ocasio-Cortez navigate the line between progressive ideals and pragmatic politics. While building bridges with Latin America is vital, doing so under the banner of communism and socialism, with a side of steak and caviar, leaves a bitter taste for those who value freedom over ideology.
