latin america has gone socialist in the last 10 years. Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua, etc.. A couple of decades ago it was all military dictatorships, now it is becoming socialist democracies.
Combined with the socialism in Europe, that is a good start. Latin America is building an international band (ALBA) as well as other banks to counter the effect of neoliberal banks like IMF and the world bank.
It really just seems like if you kick people around for a decade or so, and they live in a democracy, they start to become socialist. It is happening here in America too. So don't lose hope.
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060501faessay85302/jorg...