This diary has been posted by Migeru at the EuroTribune. and he allowed me to repost it here.;It was written by Alicia Castro, a member of the Parliament, at a time when Bush is about to travel to Argentina to take part of the Americas Summit. I think it is important because it shows how the president is thought of abroad.
LETTER TO BUSH FROM MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT ALICIA CASTRO
******
With my highest regards
To the President of the United States of America
Mr. George W. Bush
Washington D. C.
Mister President:
A Member of Parliament of the Argentinean Nation. I am one of the 257 representatives of the Argentinean people in Parliament; the second time I got into the Chamber of Deputies half a million citizens voted for me, but I can guarantee that what I will be expressing to you in this letter represents the majority of the Argentinean people.
President Bush:
We do not want you to come to our country. Maybe for diplomatic reasons, our Chancery will not have made you aware how reviled you are by our people. It is not simply that we disagree with your policies, but that you represent a danger to the democracies of South America. Not long ago, at an OAS Summit where you defended interventionism, you dared to mention the name of José de San Martín in your speech. You must know that this father of our nation fought against imperialism and in favour of the unity of South America. The people of San Martin do not want you, Mr. Bush, because you represent neoimperialism, which like in the 19th century is an attempt to dominate regions by means of financial measures or armes actions. We Aregentineans know full well the consequences of the policies that you promote: our country, being immensely rich, was driven to misery by irresponsible leaders who followed each and every of the recipes of the International Monetary Fund. We know that international credit organizations are not neutral and responf to the policies of the United States.
Bolivar’s prophecy is fulfilled: “the United States of America seem destined by providence to sow misery in Latin America”. We Argentinians have nothing against the American people, but much against the governmentthat has put the largest political and military might in the planet at the service of bloody ambition, which does not doubt to annihilate lives to appropriate someone else’s oil, to make money from arms trade and, moreover, to expand its most sinister industry: the one that reconstructs what you destroy. You represent the decadence of Western values. Your people, which used not to tolerate lies in political practice, has to endure your having lied with a bold fade to the entire world regasrding the existence of nuclear weapons in Iraq, in order to justify invasion.
The Nobel Peace Prize recently awarded to Mohamed ElBaradei, who revealed the existence of these deceptions, is an eloquent display of the importance that the international community attaches to Truth in the construction of Peace. The theory of “pre-emptive war”, one of the distasteful novelties in your political discourse, places your government outside any known law and presently threatens concretely Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba, in sum, the whole world. You threaten us, but you do not confound us. You do not fool us with your proclaimed “war on terrorism”, while you practice state terrorism. This is borne out by the tortures at the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo prisons, the distraught mothers of American soldiers taking part in the carnage or women and children in Iraq, and the advances to militarize and control our region. You are a terrorist protecting other terrorists such as Luis Posada Carriles, escaped from a Caracas prison and who, among other crimes, has confessed his authorship of the explosion, in 1976, of a Cuban airliner causing 73 deaths. Spare us your undesirable presence. We do not share anything that can be debated at the Summit of the Americas, to be held the next 4 and 5 November in the city of Mar del Plata. No gobernment supporting your policies could guarantee its own stability. We the peoples of South America have already chosen. We choose Energy sovereignty: we want Petrosur; we need to recover our Food sovereignty, and for that, American companies must stop infecting our seeds with their pesticides and their trademarks; we reject your patents which leave our sick without a cure; we do not want your dangerous “Open Skies”. Do not come here to promote the FTAA, we do not want your “free trade” from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, we choose our solidary and fair trade to complement and benefit the peoples of South America. We have already constituted the South America Confederation of Nations: larger and wealthier than the United States, which we shall unify following the ideals of San Martín, Bolivar, of O¹Higgins, of Artigas, of Martí. Your values, Mr. Bush, are not vithin our scale of values nor are your aims compatible with out principles. We have our own South Agenda: we foster a Latin American Monetary Fund, a South Bank, a gread South University; we want to inform ourselves from the south and for the south. Unearth already, the antennas of CNN and your international machinery of lies, spare us your crude conspiracies. Your govennment, which rejected the Kyoto protocol, and your terrible management which drowned your own people in Neo Orleans, represents a concrete threat to the environment and to planet Earth. We South Americans are for the happiness, freedom and life of peoples, we are also for peace. You are on the side of war, of predation and of death. Regarding prcctical matters, responsibly and as a national representative, I consider it evident that nobody could guarantee your safety in Argentina. Not yours, nor that of our citizens. Proof of this is that Argentina has suffered terrible terrorist attacks which remain unpunished and unsolved. Today terrorism travels on public transportation and the vengeful threat that you profess like a dogma, has already cost the lives of worker and users of public transport in Madrid and London, and has made unsafe such disparate places as Roma, Bali, Miami and New York. I ask you in the name of the Argentinean people, that you spare us of these risks; you could make yourself present at the Summit of the Americas through a tele-conference from Washington which, at the same time, would keep you safe from physical expressions of our repudiation of you. Awaiting your response, I greet you with distinguished regards.
Alicia Castro
Member of Parliament of the Argentinean Nation
That was most refreshingly blunt and honest – thank you for passing it along.
I do appreciate the distinction made between the American government and the American people.
What has been done by this government and American corporations brings great shame.
Yeah . It brings great shame to those in government if they had any.
I have been in this country for over 20 years and found out that the American people are extremely generous, and kind.
I guess that every country has it’s own dark side. For example Argentina’s military trained the Salvadorean death squads, and have a responsibility of the atrocities they committed.
But differently than here, we don’t think that was done by the Argentine people as a whole. It was done by those rouge members of the military, and we despise them for it. And holding them accountable does not affect our sense of patriotism
Instead, I like to think that the protests that will take place in only a few days, it is going to be done also in behalf of the American people.
I was thinking about how the repugnant practices and policies so aptly identified in the letter you shared are not just American exports. They have been and are being practiced on the American people too.
I thought of the fudging of scientific reports which support the status quo, the toxic hazards minimized, as well as the consequences.
I thought of the recent change in bancruptcy laws that will hurt people. I thought of the changes in tax laws that benefit those with great wealth.
I thought of those who are fighting these pre-emptive wars – not the relatives or friends of the wealthy.
A C.S. Lewis quote came to mind, though long, it seems most appropriate:
“I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of ‘Admin.’ The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid ‘dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint, It is not done even in the concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see the final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern.
will have this in the front page
I particularly like “You threaten us, but you do not confound us.”
Thankyou for passing along.
GW will take the advice of Alicia Castro and if he must, attend tele-conference. That would save everyone involved a lot of grief, IMHO.
I appreciate being able to read this article, thanks for the post.
I would be interested in how the other members feel about w’s visit. Thanks so much for your posting this. Does my heart good to read some thing like this and how the rest of the world feels towards us.
I have read that several members of the parliament will also be protesting.
But I touoght one of her greatest points was that she indicated that this was only directed twoards Bush, and not to the American people.
I guess it would be valid to say that “people are people and governments are governments”
If she had in anyway directed these comments to the American people, I would not have posted this here,simply because I would not agree with it.
60% of Argentines disaprove Bush’s visit.The negative image is due to Iraq, but also due to the poverty and the bad treatment that the people recieved in New Orleans.
People there believe that the Free trade in latinamerica will not create employment or wealth.
“In the last 5 years, citizens perception has radically changed: then, they idolized the US, free market, and most people wanted their kids to go to the US to study. Not so today.
The biggest factor for this change was the situation in New Orleans: images of poverty, education, and racial discrimination: The US is no longer viewd as the “promised land”
When asked why when compared to Chavez 75% approval, the reasons given were that Chavez has behaved very well with Argentina, in terms of Energy policies (He automatically lowered fuel prices when big oil corporations raised their prices; the creation of Petrosur, between Argentina , Venezuela Brazil, and Uruguay; and the joint exploration with Venezuela/Argentina of the Atlantic basin).
There is a strong feeling of rejection of the Free Trade Agreement, and at the same time the average citizen does not want a closer relation with the US, but neither a confrontation with the US: they want something in the middle as the actual situation is.
They believe that the Free trade Agreement will subordinate them to the US, rather than overcoming the borders and uniting people. Instead it will a comercial anexation that will further only US interests.
Nice going Mr Bush>
Not much for the language of diplomacy are we? After, “with my highest regards” the political-speak really goes to hell, doesn’t it?
I guess we are not accostumed to bluntness
I’ve said it time and time again. The Red Regime and Bush ARE the terrorists.
Hugs to you Cruz del Sur!!!
Thank Dammit Janet, I am a sucker for hugs, and I’ll take them, but Migreu is who found it, and he deserves all the credit.
One thing, I think that you were among those who went to the protest, and I thought that you might know how to get in touch with Cindy Shehan. I was thinking of contacting my sister in Argentina to see if she knows anyone going to the protests so they can put a sign for her there, asking Bush to answer Cindy’s questions. I thought it would be awesome having him being questioned about it there.
What do you think?
You can get a message through to her via CodePink’s site.. sometimes. I’ll be right back with a way to send an email to Cindy Sheehan…
I think a sign anywhere is always a good idea π
I know that CodePInk is going to Venezuela soon.
http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=542
for the Friendship Delegation to Venezuela
The World Social Forum Americas Chapter/
2nd Social Forum of the Americas
http://www.gsfp.org/ Gold Star Families for Peace. Cindy is one of the founding members. Good luck!
http://cindy.live.radicaldesigns.org/modinput4.php?modin=51
to write to Cindy. Sorry for all the links π
Done, done, and done. Now lets wait.
I decided, if she agrees to call the Grandmothers of the Dissapeared, not only because they have an great organization, but because they have experienced the same pain she has.
Global protest rules!!
.
At Latin Summit, He Faces Resurgent Bloc
By Colin McMahon – Chicago Tribune
BUENOS AIRES Oct. 31 — For a guy with the headaches President Bush faces, quiet time away and a pleasant visit with friends might be just the ticket. Too bad Bush is booked for South America this week.
The IV Summit of the Americas will bring Bush into territory that is not quite enemy but far less allied than before. Half the hemisphere’s leaders have changed since Bush took office in 2001 promising to make Latin America a priority. The region’s politics have changed too.
A resurgent left is reshaping Latin America. This year alone, leftist protests toppled governments in Ecuador and Bolivia. A socialist took power for the first time in Uruguay. And Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, swimming in oil profits and brimming with bravado, is rallying the region against the United States and its economic prescriptions.
All told, more than 320 million Latin Americans have seen their nations turn to the left in recent years–in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
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