After spending 5 days in the region, US President George W Bush left many wondering what the visit accomplished, and whether it reinforced the negative feelings felt by many Latin Americans toward the lame duck leader. Bush left the region Monday after failing to reignite talks on a Free Trade Area of the Americas, a stated priority for him. (SignOnSanDiego)
Tuesday, November 8, 2005
Bush's underwhelming tour through Latin America
After spending 5 days in the region, US President George W Bush left many wondering what the visit accomplished, and whether it reinforced the negative feelings felt by many Latin Americans toward the lame duck leader. Bush left the region Monday after failing to reignite talks on a Free Trade Area of the Americas, a stated priority for him. (SignOnSanDiego)
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4 comments:
The political scientist who told Bush that Latin Americans were alienated by his administration's zeal to promote democracy is not fully correct, in my opinion. I think Latin America's alienation stems from a distrust of Bush's MISGUIDED zeal for democracy, especially since the US has attacked and overthrown democratically elected leaders in that region and others. It stems from many other things, including the disappointment that they feel when they look to the US and find a leader no better than the thieves they have had as their own leaders in the past.
Exactly. Most people aren't arguing against democracy, they are arguing against Bush's version of it that involves bombing random countries with unfriendly leaders.
Taking some exception to your political take. Mariposa (is this blogger aware how "mariposa" is used in the vulgar, especially in Central America?) correct by citing the region's historical tension with "los gringos." Whenever the U.S. decides to enforce or defend what it sees as interests in "its" hemisphere, it takes actions that are often at odds with their own. You all can cite examples as well as I.
The present reaction to President Bush's OAS summit visit recalls the horrible (and physically threatening) reception the Nixons got when he, as vice president, toured the region.
Trying to look through the eyes of Latinos (a presumptuous undertaking), I see them reacting not so much for distinctive ideological reasons as Taylor suggests, but more as one important occasion for them to remind "El Norte" of their aversion to being seen as dominions of the U.S.A.
Bush promotes Democracy like the tobacco companies promote stop smoking campaigns, and with similarly deadly results.
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