The Week That Was: the U.N. General Assembly

This past week global leaders converged at the United Nations headquarters in New York for the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). With few exceptions most Latin American leaders were present for the UNGA, and here’s what some of them had to say in their speeches:

• The Nicaraguan, Brazilian, and Bolivian heads of state expressed support of Iran’s government during their respective speeches. Daniel Ortega accused the U.S. of hypocrisy and of acting “as if they were God” in its relations to other countries. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that Iran should not be punished over “suspicions” of building an atomic bomb, while Evo Morales cited Bolivia’s “economic situation” to justify its relationship with Iran. (The latter explains Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad‘s visit to Bolivia yesterday).
• On the other hand, Argentine President Nestor Kirchner scolded Iran for not cooperating with a legal probe investigating the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish center. Despite being warned by the Iranian government not to speak out on the issue, Kirchner requested the Ahmadinejad administration “to fully provide all the help requested by the Argentine judicial system”.
• “Migration is not, has not been, and should not be considered a crime or a menace,” declared Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya as he urged the U.N. to include migration in its development agenda.
• Colombian President Alvaro Uribe supported a plan by Hugo Chavez to have U.S. congressmen join hostage negotiations yet oddly remarked that “there are no paramilitaries” in Colombia.
• George W. Bush has “no moral authority or credibility to judge anyone,” declared Cuban foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque. Perez Roque’s critique came one day after Bush assailed the Cuban government during his speech.
• Haitian President Rene Preval praised the U.N.’s peacekeeping work in his country and credited the international aid with bringing increased stability to Haiti.
• A new “global political consensus” is needed to address the issue of climate change, warned Chilean president Michelle Bachelet during her remarks.
• El Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca expressed his support for Taiwan to be allowed to determine its own future.

Image- Kotaku

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Voice of America, mathaba.net, Associated Press, People’s Daily Online, BBC News, Reuters UK, Bloomberg, scoop.co.nz