Posted on 11/06/2005 12:51:29 PM PST by FairOpinion
BRASILIA (AFP) - US President George W. Bush ramped up his efforts to curb Venezuela and Cuba's clout in Latin America, accusing them of trying to "roll back" fragile democratic and free-market gains in the region.
Amid concerns in Washington that poverty may enhance the appeal of anti-US, economically populist messages, Bush said in a speech that "ensuring social justice for the Americas requires choosing between two competing visions."
"One offers a vision of hope. It is founded on representative government, integration into the world community, and a faith in the transformative power of freedom," he told student, diplomats and business leaders.
"The other seeks to roll back the democratic progress of the past two decades by playing to fear, pitting neighbor against neighbor and blaming others for their own failures to provide for their people," he said.
He never named Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez or Cuban leader Fidel Castro, White House aides tacitly acknowledged that they were the targets of what was the keynote speech of a five-day, three-country trip to the region.
Bush, making his first ever visit to Brazil, also celebrated US ties with the region's richest economy despite opposition here to his vision for a mammoth hemispheric free trade zone stretching from Canada to Chile.
After talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva, Bush bowed to his host's view that successful World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations have to precede new talks on creating the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
"He has got to be convinced, just like the people of America must be convinced, that a trade arrangement in our hemisphere is good for jobs, is good for the quality of life," Bush conceded during a joint appearance.
Bush and Chavez stayed away from each other at a 34-nation Summit of the Americas in Argentina, where Venezuela and four other countries including Brazil blocked progress on the FTAA. Castro was not invited.
Brazil has said there is no point in doing so until after the so-called Doha Round of WTO talks, which have bogged down over agricultural subsidies -- the same chief obstacle in the Americas trade debate.
"The president said 'look, let's work together on Doha, and see how that goes, and we'll continue working on the free trade agreement of the Americas,'" said Bush, who was making his first visit to Brazil.
Lula, speaking through an interpreter, called US aid to its farmers "unjustified barriers to our bilateral trade" and that he and Bush had explored their differences "without surprises or confrontations."
In his speech, Bush said that the United States will eliminate US agricultural subsidies but can only do so if other large trading partners agree -- specifically the European Union, which has resisted.
At the same time, he pushed his vision of free trade as the best remedy for widespread poverty at a time when the region has swung leftward politically.
US officials have expressed concern about efforts by Chavez to use his country's vast oil wealth to promote an anti-US, populist agenda they fear could appeal to the millions trapped in poverty in the region.
Earlier, in a roundtable discussion with prominent Brazilians, Bush shrugged off the sometimes violent protests he attracted at the summit in Argentina, saying: "I expect there to be dissent. That's what freedom is all about."
Outside the residence where Bush and Lula met, some 200 protesters chanted "Fascist Bush, the real terrorist" and burned an effigy of the US president dressed in a shirt with a swastika.
Bush hoped to enlist Lula's help in pressuring the European Union to agree to deeper cuts in import duties on agricultural products ahead of critical December talks that may decide the Doha round's fate.
Bush and Lula had also been expected to discuss reform of the United Nations. Brazil, along with Japan, India and Germany, has sought permanent membership on the UN Security Council.
Here is the quote I was trying to remember:
"Chavez pushing for the creation of a trade zone just for Latin America and the Caribbean based on socialist ideals. "
http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2005/11/05/ap2320299.html
Thanks for posting this.
"Mexico, the United States and 27 other nations wanted to set an April deadline for talks, but that was opposed by Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela. "
29 nations are in favor of a US backed FTAA, while only 5 countries are opposed.
Well, some people were questioning, not to say bashing President Bush that why did he need to go in the first place and why is he proposing this agreement.
The point is that if he doesn't, the communists will set something up and then we have to deal with a socialist/communist Latin America Cuban style. So there is darn good reason why President Bush is doing what he is doing.
Many people are shortsighted and can't see the whole picture.
Now if only he'd add Abbas and all his comrades to that list of baddies.
Refer to them as "communists" and wince in disgust when you say it.
LOL!
Mr. Bush, I salute your efforts to kick some Leftist butt! Go get 'em, Dubya...
Chavez has a lot of oil money and seems to be trying to buy friends with his generosity...the same way Saddam Hussein used to do. Strangely enough, Chavez's regime in Venezuela hasn't reduced poverty there.
"Refer to them as "communists" and wince in disgust when you say it."
I am completely with you in spirit, but may disagree slightly on terminology.
First, Bush should have named Venezuela, Cuba, and their leaders by name.
As far as calling them communists, Cuba is communist. We know Chavez wants to turn Venezuela into a communist country. But he hasn't succeeded yet. In addition, it is difficult to precisely prove that Chávez wants to turn. Venezuela into a communist country. Hence, I might differ about the terminology you want Bush to use in this case.
I think it is further interesting to note that our enemy has morphed somewhat since the time of Reagan. Then, communism was our primary enemy. while the people and nations that oppose us are primarily the same, communist ideology has move into a secondary position on a worldwide basis.
I call the new configuration of forces opposing the US in the world. The worldwide organized hard left (WOHL). this group is still under the code leadership of the Russian and Chinese governments. The Russian government is still evil, it is in fact, basically, the FSB that rules Russia now, nothing more than a refurbished KGB.
Nonetheless, we must realize that Russia is not a communist country. Of course, they retain their large degree of control over left wing organizations throughout the world. The KGB set up most of these organizations when the KGB was a mere organ of the Communist party of Russia. it is absurd to think that now with the same organization ruled Russia, they would have lost their links and powerful influence with leftist organizations all over the world. Nor have they severed their connection to worldwide terrorism, which they primarily created the modern version of in the 20th century.
The Chinese government is still a communist government in terms of its organization, but no longer rules a communist society.
The morality of neither of these groups has undergone any improvement.
"This is why President Bush had to go to this summit and talk to the leaders of Latin America: we can't cede the entire continent to the communists. Chavez and Castro are trying to establish a communist Latin America."
You are correct.
And this is why President Bush is coming to Panama tonight and part of tomorrow. He is coming as a U.S. show of force against those socialist, communist countries that are out of control in South America and have an eye on Panama. Although, Jimmy the Traitor gave our canal away, it does not mean we have abandoned Panama. The Canal is still important to us (U.S.) and Panama continues to be an important strategic area for the U.S.
LOL! Just like visiting a disaster area-- he's 'out of touch' if he doesn't go, but if he doesn't than it was a waste of time. I say it's good he demonstrated America's leadership in the hemisphere.
Hey expat…great to see you on this thread. Do you have any information why President Bush is coming to Panama? I certainly don’t. We are guessing that it is a show of force because nothing else makes sense.
Thank you.
I would hope there is a silent majority for democracy and a relatively free market in South America, and that the loudmouthed anti-American Communists are not broadly representative down there...
True. Lula seems to be trying to do the right thing, too. He uses the rhetoric of the left but his policies have been much more free market oriented, and he seems very reasonable in many ways.
I think you made the correct assessment in your post 15.
President Bush wants EVERYONE to know that we consider Panama very important -- he wants to reassure Panama, and warn those would would like to take it over, thinking that Panama is no longer under US protection.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.