Posted on 06/24/2008 11:15:37 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
Leaders across Latin America have reacted angrily to a new EU law that could jail illegal immigrants for up to 18 months before they are deported. One president called it a hate initiative. Another said it was an attack on people's rights and lives. Hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans live and work in Europe, many of them without permission.
Many do jobs that Europeans do not want to do, providing a vital source of income for poor families back home.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez led the reaction, threatening to cut oil exports to Europe unless the EU retracted the measure.
Rafael Correa, the Ecuadorean leader, made the statement that Latin American countries should present a united front against what he called a hate initiative. Bolivian President Evo Morales said Latin America should work with Africa against laws that he said attacked people's rights and lives.
The European Union on Wednesday adopted the measures, which could come into force in 2010. The law will oblige EU members to choose between issuing residency permits to the estimated half a million illegal immigrants who enter each year, or returning them to their country of origin.
The head of the South American Mercosur trade bloc, Carlos Alvarez, believes the new measure openly violates human rights. He said the EU should remember that in the past, millions of Europeans came to Latin America as victims of hunger, war, injustice and totalitarian regimes, and were assimilated with no problems.
Peruvian human rights spokesman Wilfredo Ardito said the new law was a hypocritical effort to make it illegal to be poor.
Memo to Latin America - El tuffo tittos
lol Thanks. Too funny.
LOL!
At least they managed to fit this in.
The U.N. and Amnesty International have one goal, the end of the Western nations.
We’ll see how it goes when they have to deal with the Chinese government. Somehow I’m thinking it won’t be as big a patsey as we have been.
Shoot on sight will be China’s response.
BTT!
The Surenos’ idea of economic reform is to export all their poor.
All I had to see what that it ticks off Chavez. It must have some merit then.
What "right's" to illegal immigrants have? My feeling is: None.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez led the reaction, threatening to cut oil exports to Europe unless the EU retracted the measure.
Good idea, Hugo. I think you ought to do that, you stupid twit.
The head of the South American Mercosur trade bloc, Carlos Alvarez, believes the new measure openly violates human rights. He said the EU should remember that in the past, millions of Europeans came to Latin America as victims of hunger, war, injustice and totalitarian regimes, and were assimilated with no problems.
Probably so, but they were legals immigrants and many were skilled workers.
Peruvian human rights spokesman Wilfredo Ardito said the new law was a hypocritical effort to make it illegal to be poor.
What a great idea! Let's make it illegal to be poor everywhere!
Illegal aliens have no rights to be somewhere they entered without permission. The EU is right on something for once.
“Many do jobs that Europeans do not want to do,…”
Oh lord. Get out the violins.
At least the EU is doing something about it. How is it that the U.S. has to be whipped every step of the way?
Nice to see the Euroweenies get beaten with the same stick everyone is whacking us with.
So who's he gonna sell the oil to?
Nigeria? Iran?
< /sarc >
They have it worse. They have a lot of muslim immigrants who hate everything Europe stands for and who want sharia law. There may be a lot of problems associated with all the mexicans and other illegal immigrants but at least they aren’t sitting around plotting ways to kill us.
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