Posted on 11/25/2007 3:16:58 PM PST by Kid Shelleen
EVEN though they achieved independence more than a century ago, the Spanish-speaking nations of Latin America often look to Spain as a reference point. Sometimes the mother country is a foil, sometimes a support, sometimes a mirror, for what unfolds on this side of the Atlantic.
In recent weeks, Spain clearly has been cast as both a punching bag for Latin America’s leftists and a bastion of valor for its moderates, after a dissing match in which a king of Spain took offense at a Venezuelan president’s remarks and told him, very publicly: “Why don’t you shut up?”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
A dictator is clearly going to outlast democratically-elected leaders. Stalin outlasted Roosevelt. Only a journalist overly enamored of Hispanic "greatness" would compare any leader of a basket case country like Venezuela to a leader of a First World country.
priceless graphic.
And why does a Spanish utility have a virtual monopoly on power distribution there? Because THE SPANIARDS INVESTED THEIR MONEY THERE when no one else would, because of the risk. and when their government couldn't get it together enough to build a utility. Ortega, as usual, bites the hand that feeds him, or in this case, the hand that provides him with light and power. You can tell he is just itching to seize this asset, and the only thing that is holding him back is the sure knowlege that within three months, there would be no working utility.
Or a nyt writer.
The king’s now-classic remonstration became the top ringtone in Spanish-speaking countries virtually overnight. Take that, Chavez.
Who is the guy to the right of King Juan holding the stop it hand out to Chavez?
It’s a bit disingenuous for the NYT to claim that Spain is Venezuela’s mother. Seems she cut her apron strings almost 200 years ago.
I can think of no other reason why the press is working so hard to place what the King did in "context." It's because no one else really cares.
That’s (current) Prime Minister Zapatero (also a lefty). He was sticking-up for former PM Aznar as well, but trying to be diplomatic about it.
Thanks.
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