A couple of things on Claus and Alfredo's posts on Brazil:
a) According to Claus, the privatization of electricity and
telecommunications would yield $100 bi. Wouldnt be this an "emergency
hatch" for the Real? Is too late for this? Why?
b) It seems to me you are forgetting that, in case the situation
becomes worse, the US could send a "strong signal" and, more
important, device a "rescue plan", like in Mexico with the "Tequila".
I think the scenary Alfredo depicts implies a high risk of *regional*
instability, e.g. a chain effect on Argentina which is currently
very dependent on what happens in Brazil. Given this possibility, I
dont think the US imperialism would simply follow a policy of "wait
and see". Of course, the question is how much would be such a "rescue
plan"?
Alejandro Ramos