Dubya south of the border – Back to the Old House

While at the ruins of Uxmal in Mexico, U.S. President George W. Bush must be worried that Guatemalan Mayans will cross the border to cleanse the site of “evil spirits”. (Link via VivirLatino and image via International Herald Tribune).

Note: English-language links are in bold, while Spanish-language links are italicized.

* U.S. President George W. Bush concluded his tour of Latin America yesterday after having spent time in Mexico. Bush emphasized that he would make immigration reform a priority after Mexican president Felipe Calderon took him to task for supposedly ignoring Mexico since 9/11. Bush said that:

“A good migration law will help both economies and will help the security of both countries. If people can come into our country, for example, on a temporary basis to work, doing jobs Americans aren't doing, they won't have to sneak across the border.”

Though Calderon was pleased with Bush’s gesture, Calderon reiterated his opposition to erecting a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border and emphasized that job creation is the true solution to combat booming immigration across the border.

*Aside from immigration, Calderon told Bush that he would not nationalize state-run oil company PEMEX (much to Bush’s chagrin), while Bush told Calderon that he would not push for a renegotiation of NAFTA with Mexico (much to Calderon’s chagrin).

* Much like in other countries that Bush visited, thousands of protestors took to the streets in Mexico. In Mexico City, hundreds of demonstrators rioted outside the U.S. embassy (link to video here) leading to a chaotic situation with several police officers injured and the false arrest of alleged protest leaders. Meanwhile, other protestors marched in front of Bush’s hotel in Mérida chanting that he was a “murderer”.

* Bush’s reception with Guatemala’s president on Monday was not as chummy as with Calderon. Guatemalan President Oscar Berger expressed his deep disappointment at U.S. immigration policy, especially in light of last week’s raids in Massachusetts. Witness the following exchange between both heads of state:

“’The United States will enforce our law,’ Bush said. ‘It's against the law to hire somebody who's in our country illegally.’

Responded Berger: ‘The Guatemalan people would have preferred a more clear and positive response - no more deportations.’”

Bush and Berger (sounds like the name of a law firm, huh?) did agree with the need to have a strong counternarcotics policy.

* Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez came to the end of his own parallel tour with a visit to Haiti where he was received by the country’s government and thousands of supporters who chanted "Long live Chavez, down with Bush!" Chavez worked out deals where Venezuela’s’ state-run bank will provide Haiti with $20 million for commercial projects and a $1 billion aid fund was established between the governments of Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba.

* Before traveling to Haiti, Chavez was in Jamaica where both countries signed a deal that would permit Venezuela to build a liquefied gas plant on the island. Chavez also urged Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to enter a Venezuelan-led trade bloc designed to counter the U.S.-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas.

And now a few odds and ends from Bush’s and Chavez’ trips:

* Chavez admitted that he has no personal animosity against George W. Bush though he called him the “representative of the cruelest, most terrible, most cynical, most murderous empire that has existed in all of history.” Chavez couldn’t help to boast that his tour was a rousing success that signaled a “convincing knockout” against Bush.

* Anti-immigrant pundit Lou Dobbs heaped plenty of praise on Mexican president Felipe Calderon. But before you start thinking we live in some sort of bizarro world Dobbs’ praise of Calderon stems from his desire to combat violence and corruption caused by the drug trade, not immigration.

* Global Voices Online clues us in to the views of two opposing bloggers on the tours by Bush and Chavez. Judge for yourself which side you’re on.

* Council on Foreign Relations fellow Julia E. Swieg gives an incisive interview as to her views on Bush’s trip- a failure in that little was accomplished but Bush’s change in rhetoric may have been a watershed moment.

* Hard-hitting journalism from Newsweek- what George W. Bush’s body language during his tour tells us.

* Scooter Libby’s indictment. The shoddy conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The push for (Mexican-American) Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to resign. Do you really think President Bush is glad to return “back to the old house” in Washington?

Links- Foreign Policy Passport, CBS News, The Latin Americanist, Guardian UK, Milenio, El Universal (Mexico), azcentral.com, BBC News, Latina Lista, International Herald Tribune, Wilmington Star, El Periodico, Reuters AlertNet, Houston Chronicle, El Universal (Venezuela), Jamaica Observer, Ireland On-line, La Nacion, Global Voices Online, CNN, Council on Foreign Relations, MSNBC, Andrew Sullivan, lyricsfreak.com