Posted on 03/08/2007 6:09:48 PM PST by blam
Bush greeted by clashes in Brazil
A march against Mr Bush's visit disintegrated into violence
US President George W Bush has arrived in Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, as a massive march in protest at his visit turned violent. At least 20 people were hurt in clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
The US president is due to meet Brazil's Luis Inacio Lula da Silva to sign an ethanol energy alliance.
He will also visit Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico in a week-long tour aimed at strengthening US ties with its Latin American neighbours.
Potato bombs
In Sao Paulo, some 10,000 people spilled out along one of the city's broadest avenues, in the heart of the financial district, banging drums, waving red flags and carrying banners reading "Bush Go Home".
Although largely peaceful, clashes flared between some of the protesters and police.
Fighting region's suspicions
Demonstrators threw rocks, fireworks and homemade "potato bombs" - made from gunpowder wrapped in foil - at some of the 4,000 police patrolling the streets during Mr Bush's visit.
Riot police responded by firing tear gas and lashing out with their batons.
At least 20 people, 16 of whom are reportedly policemen, were injured in the clashes.
Bitter sweet
Many of the demonstrators are angry at the war in Iraq and the proposed ethanol deal, which they say is an attempt to control the country's production of the bio-fuel which powers eight out of 10 new cars in Brazil.
Together with Colombia, Brazil produces about 70% of the world's ethanol, a bio-fuel made from sugar cane or corn.
The proposed accord would make ethanol an internationally traded commodity and promote its production in Central America and the Caribbean.
But activists claim that sugar cane cultivation is water intensive and responsible for stripping the Amazon rainforest.
They also say that the ethanol production process is concentrated in the hands of a few powerful families or corporations.
As Mr Bush left Washington to begin his tour, hundreds of protesters occupied the Cevasa sugar and ethanol-processing plant in Sao Paulo state that was recently sold to a US company.
Chavez rally
Correspondents say Washington is adjusting to the election of increasing numbers of left-wing administrations in Latin America, including some that are openly critical of the US.
Timed to coincide with Mr Bush's visit to Uruguay, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will make an appearance on Friday in Argentina.
Mr Chavez is expected to hurl insults at Mr Bush at a rally in a football stadium in Buenos Aires.
The BBC's Daniel Schweimler, in Buenos Aires, says Mr Chavez will find an enthusiastic reception to his fiery brand of anti-US rhetoric.
Thank you Liberals. Light the World on fire with your Lies and Rhetoric, sit back and Blame Bush...
Soros hands out more free toilet paper.
This just has to chap Chavez!
Yeah, I'm sure the average brazillian was chomping at the bit to get out and protest the iraq war. What a bunch of b.s.
What a bunch of losers.
Enemies of the United States (aka Liberal Democrats) are rejoicing.
God bless President Bush and keep him safe from harm.
I would too. Anyone who calls themselves an American and has an ounce of patriotism in them would do the same.
My first thought. What the hell do these Brazilians care anything about Iraq? They don't have a dog in this fight.
What amazes me is that the Anti-Americanism we will see this week is the same as it was in the 1950s. The hate seems to get passed on from generation to generation through Commies. I want to tell them to go to Hades. What did we ever do to Brazil?
I still wonder why Mr. Bush bought 98,000 acres in northern Paraguay.........??
http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=5324
If Clinton went down there, and there were the exact same protesters, the MSM would focus on the cheering crowds that were there to greet him.
BFD
When I lived in Sao Paulo as a kid, I saw riots, buses riddled with machine-gun bullet holes and overturned, all because the fares bus and troley fares went up from 6 cents to 7 cents (6 to 7 cruzeiros at that time).
And you shoulda seen what they did when they won the soccer World Cup!
"But activists claim that sugar cane cultivation is water intensive and responsible for stripping the Amazon rainforest."
So let the Lefties fight among themselves about who's destroying the planet faster. I love it. The Immutable Law of Unintended Consequences will always bite you in the ass.
I guess they're committing violence to protest Bush's warmongering.
I'm sure it makes sense in their world.
"What did we ever do to Brazil?"
Beats me, but any clown between the Rio Grande and Tierra del Fuego can sneak across our border anytime and get work, health care and gub'mint benefits paid for by guess who? What ingrates!
Obviously it's a well confirmed purchase to serve as secret headquarters for the New World Trilateral Bildenberger Commission, Skull and Bones Division.
How about 18 billion opressive oil lovin' tax dollars in the form of an IMF bailout, so Brazil's paper money wouldn't be used to wipe up digested pao do queijo. Seems the only time the world doesn't complain about America is when Uncle Sucker opens up the check book.
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