Hillary's brother, Hugh Rodham's wife, is Maria Victoria Arias.

[mithnanthy]

Maria Victoria Arias is originally from Cuba, is a powerful lawyer in Florida, and is VERY ANTI Chavez. She uses her relationship with sister-in-law (Hillary), to influence Obama against Chavez. I wish this wasn't the case.

[dlwickham]

1. cool

Chavez is a dictator wannabe like his hero Fidel, and his allies in Iran and North Korea

[naaman fletcher]

2. Just curious

Is there any actual proof that she has any influence over hillary at all?

[charlyvi]

3. Exactly. n/t

[mithnanthy]

4. I'm just showing the close family connection of the two women...

..and the fact that Alias actively rallies against Chavez and logic would imply that she has shared her views with her influential sister-in-law around the family gatherings. Why wouldn't she if that's her public active ad jenda?

[naaman fletcher]

5. I don't know...

How close is Hillary with Hugh? How close therefore with his wife?

Do you listen to everything your siblings spouses say?

Who the hell knows?

My guess is that Hillary has plenty of people around her spouting Anti-Chavez views that she doesn't need to listen to her brother's wife.

[charlyvi]

6. Logic does not imply

that a sitting SOS would try to influence the President of the United States with the political leanings of her sister in law. Nor would logic imply that he would let her if she tried. And you stated this as a fact, not an opinion or an inference.

[mithnanthy]

7. Her sister in law is an ACTIVIST against Chavez.

Over the years I have read much about the Clintons (who I loved, defended and respected). It's also been widely reported how CLOSE Hillary and her brother are and they spend many visits together. Believe what you want. Another DUer asked me to post this (while they had to run out) and suggested I post in the Latin American groups, just for the connection of Hillary and an extreme activist family member, who is against Chavez. Hillary's sister-in-law is not just "a sister-in-law"....she is a well known activist against Chavez. I'm sure Obama seeks Hillary's opinion on a multitude of issues. Geesh!

[charlyvi]

8. And you don't think both Hillary and Obama know she's such a strong anti-Chavez activist

and would not, therefore, consider any of her opinions with that in mind? They are neither stupid nor gullible. Do you actually think Obama would let Hillary's sister in law influence his foreign policy? Geesh!

[flamingdem]

9. Regardless Hillary Clinton / Obama's policy on Cuba is bullshit

** They're all about avoiding attacks from right wing congressmen and women from Miami. Add to that the influence on Hillary of her brother's wife. Cuba wants relations and the US pretends they don't to avoid taking any responsibility for a reprehensible policy that has hurt the Cuban people for decades.

BULLSHIT that Cuba doesn't want the blockade lifted.

Hillary's policy is to wait until the Castro Brothers die, meanwhile she schmoches with Berma, China and sets up talks with the Taliban. The entire UN apart from a couple of US client states firmly condemns the embargo every year. She is weak on Latin America and responsible for the madness in Honduras. She didn't "like" Zelaya.



Hillary Clinton scorns 'entrenched' Cuba

Source: BBC News

Cuba's leaders do not want to normalise ties with the US because then they would lose their excuse for the state of the country, says Hillary Clinton.

Cuba's response to recent US efforts to improve relations had revealed "an intransigent, entrenched regime" in Havana, said the US secretary of state.

The Cuban authorities have long blamed a 48-year US trade embargo for holding back the country's development.

The US says the embargo will remain until Cuba improves human rights.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8612765.stm