- By now I’m sure you have all heard about the inflammatory comments made by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez against U.S. President George W. Bush. But did you know that Chavez also called for U.N. reform which coincidentally is something the
- Martin Torrijos, president of
- Guatemalan president Oscar Berger called for the need to renew the Doha Development Round which was a vital instrument for underdeveloped nations. Berger also reminded delegates of
- Chilean president Michelle Bachelet invoked the memory of slain diplomat Orlando Letelier to end impunity for human rights violations (PDF document) and to combat terrorism.
- Nestor Kirchner, president of
- Also speaking where representatives from the
Only 2 heads of state from Latin America and the Caribbean are slated to speak today:
Image- Time (Chavez pretends to pray for salvation at the U.N.)
Links- The Latin Americanist (blog), Irish Examiner, Newshounds (blog), U.S. State Department, U.N. News Centre, Prensa Latina (Cuba), United Nations, MercoPress (Uruguay)Tags- United Nations, Argentina, Colombia,Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela, International Monetary Fund
2 comments:
Mr Chavez has the right to say what he wants to.
Another thing is that the nation menctioned take Mr Chavez' s words so seriously.
Part of the Latin American culture is to talk...without meaning it.
I wouldn't pay much attention if I were Mr Bush.
However,I laughed a lot.
I think Mr Chavez would be a better comedian than president.
Yes, Chavez had a right to say what he wants to. (For that matter so do you, I and everyone else on this planet in theory).
But to dismiss his remarks as "part of the...culture" would diffuse the intent and message behind his statements. Odds are he probably does not literally believe that Bush is "the devil" nor did he really believe that the podium smelled of "sulfur." Yet the message behind his words- opposed to U.S. hegemony around the world and against Bush's policies- was crystal clear. Like I said in a previous comment (http://ourlatinamerica.blogspot.com/2006/09/unga-chavez-calls-bush-devil.html) Chavez understood his audience well and deliberately made the comments in his discourse. For better or for worse, the message behind his comments cannot be ignored.
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