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Latin America leads resistance to the American EmpirePosts: Joined: 2003-05-03
It's rather a surprising development but the indigenous Americans are fighting back against the colonial elite which favours and is favoured by the US.
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1684
In alliance with China, the US's backyard could be a conflagration point which leads to a new world order.
What's happening is something completely new in the history of the hemisphere. Since the Spanish conquest the countries of Latin America have been pretty much separated from one another and oriented toward the imperial power. There are also very sharp splits between the tiny wealthy elite and the huge suffering population. The elites sent their capital, took their trips, had their second homes, sent their children to study in whatever European country their country was closely connected with. I mean, even their transportation systems were oriented toward the outside for export of resources and so on.
For the first time, they are beginning to integrate and in quite a few different ways. Venezuela and Cuba is one case. MERCOSUR, [the trading association now including many Latin American countries] which is still not functioning very much, is another case. Venezuela, of course, just joined MERCOSUR, which is a big step forward for it and it was greatly welcomed by the presidents of Argentina, Brazil.
For the first time the Indian population is becoming politically quite active. They just won an election in Bolivia which is pretty remarkable. There is a huge Indian population in Ecuador, even in Peru, and some of them are calling for an Indian nation. Now they want to control their own resources. In fact, many don't even want their resources developed. Many don't see any particular point in having their culture and lifestyle destroyed so that people can sit in traffic jams in New York.
Message was edited by: eric_5
Submitted on Wed, 2006-03-15 17:16
Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
Eric,
It's rather a surprising development...
It's been building for a while. Both Le Monde: Diplomatique and the New Statesman have run articles on it in the last year. I think I even mentioned it in a post about China a while back.
The hope is that the Latin American countries will start working together more, which will allow them to stand up to their US neighbour more effectively. This is the kind of thing I had in mind when talking about regional alternatives to the United Nations. Though it remains to be seen whether they can actually get it together, the signs seem promising.
http://mondediplo.com/2006/02/10altbolivia
Submitted on Wed, 2006-03-15 20:21
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
I think Columbia is one of the only serious US Allies left in South America. The US made very strong ties to the military, which is a standard US tactic which proves to be convenient when you want to stage a military coup.
Since the Venezuelan people overwhelmingly voted for Chavez in the presence of international monitors (including former US President Jimmy Carter) the US will have a hard time convincing me he is an evil dictator torturing his people and must therefore be removed.
Still, if anyone can do the convincing it is Fox News.
The US was so complicit in the attempt to remove Chavez it was almost amateurish. CNN showed incomplete footage of events that made it look like Chavez supporters were shooting people, then immediately Ari Fleischer was giving press briefings confirming the false stories and even embellishing them.
I quote.
According to the best information available, the Chavez government suppressed peaceful demonstrations. Government supporters, on orders from the Chavez government, fired on unarmed, peaceful protestors, resulting in 10 killed and 100 wounded. - Ari Fleischer
Utter lies!
I don't think they can really attempt another coup.
Submitted on Wed, 2006-03-15 20:48
reply
Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
MrSteve,
"Utter lies!"
Amnesty International has the death toll at 14.
At least 14 people died during nationwide anti-government demonstrations in February and March. As many as 200 were wounded and several of those detained were ill-treated or tortured by members of the security forces. Investigations into the abuses were slow and inadequate, reportedly due to the lack of impartiality of the police and judiciary.
http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/ven-summary-eng
Human Rights Watch is also quite scathing of Chavez:
Since winning a national referendum on his presidency in 2004, Hugo Chávez and his majority coalition in Congress have taken steps to undermine the independence of the country’s judiciary by packing the Supreme Court with their allies. They have also enacted legislation that seriously threatens press freedoms and freedom of expression. Several high profile members of civil society have faced prosecution on highly dubious charges, and human rights defenders have been repeatedly accused by government officials of conspiring against the nation. Police violence, torture, and abusive prison conditions are also among the country’s most serious human rights problems.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/18/venezu12258.htm
Submitted on Wed, 2006-03-15 20:55
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
The lies were not about the killing. That did happen. The lies were about who did it and that Chavez ordered it.
Since winning a national referendum on his presidency in 2004, Hugo Chávez and his majority coalition in Congress have taken steps to undermine the independence of the country’s judiciary
All governments try to do this. Bush and crew are a good example. As for the media, the private media have been running a smear campaign against him from day one.
I am not saying Chavez is mother Teresa. All I am saying is that the coup plot was aided by manipulated media reports and lies from white-house press briefings.
Submitted on Wed, 2006-03-15 21:08
reply
Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
All I am saying is that the coup plot was aided by manipulated media reports and lies from white-house press briefings.
When it comes to the US, I kind of take lies and manipulation for granted. :)
Submitted on Wed, 2006-03-15 21:12
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
Matt,
Lies and manipulation are the stock-in-trade of obsessives with agendas to promote. That description fits many of OD. As for the media, blaming the messenger for the message is not admirable. Why not be fair and examine the event first before blaming those who reported it?
Submitted on Thu, 2006-03-16 00:08
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
The Heritage Foundation, as a conservative think tank, considers Latin America's drift left as something to be "corrected". Looking at the gap between rich and poor, you could say that a good dose of socialism is very much needed.
While the United States is preoccupied with the war on terrorism and promoting democracy in the Middle East, Latin America has drifted out of the U.S. sphere of influence, seeking an increasingly independent political course, electing leftist presidents, and forging links with undemocratic countries like Cuba, China, and Iran.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/LatinAmerica/bg1920.cfm
Submitted on Thu, 2006-03-16 10:07
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
jayfromtexas,
["I hate to burst your egomaniacal bubble, but the US is not trying to convince you of anything. We really do have better things to do ya know".]
Like trying to convince the whole world in 2002/3 that Iraq then had deadly WMD at the ready. You may have forgotten Colin Powell's UN presentation, which has tarnished his reputation,and which was based on deeply flawed and distorted intelligence and which Powell now bitterly regrets being involved in.
You should get out of your country and come over to Europe, or any other continent for that matter, and speak to people, you would then get an idea of how much the US is mistrusted. In fact you needn't even leave your own continent - just go up to Canada or down to Mexico. It is said that travel broadens the mind - but I have some doubts in your case.
Submitted on Thu, 2006-03-16 17:55
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
Brolly,
This particular US government is mistrusted yes but does that translates into the America people not being trusted too?
Another interesting thought is how many other countries are subjected to these types of surveys? I wonder how the mistrust of the US government would stack up against other countries of the world, and as there dosen't seem to be comparable world wide surveys, I wonder if we aren't missing out on some perspective.
Submitted on Thu, 2006-03-16 18:25
reply Re: Latin America leads resistance to the American Empire
Brolly,
Have you ever been an American abroad? Have you ever had people buy you a beer just because you happen to be from the other side of the big pond? Apparently not.
Submitted on Thu, 2006-03-16 18:51
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