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Bush visits Argentina - protests and riots ensue

by whataboutbob
Sun Nov 6th, 2005 at 04:49:14 PM EST

Breaking news, from the diaries ~ whataboutbob

Just noticed this is tonight's headline at BBC World News: Protesters mass to confront Bush

Thousands of protesters chanting "Get out Bush" have thronged the streets of Mar del Plata, an Argentine beach town hosting the Summit of the Americas. The US president and 33 other regional leaders are in town to discuss free trade and poverty, amid tight security.
George W Bush is expected to face vocal opposition over plans to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez, a key opponent, told protesters: "Here, in Mar del Plata, FTAA will be buried!"

So really what is the issue with the "Free Trade Aggreement with America's?" Anyone familiar enough with this to enlighten us?

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Bush visits Argentina - protests and riots ensue | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Bush, Argentina and FTAA (none / 0)

Here's the latest update:

Hundred of protesters have run riot in Argentina, throwing rocks at police just blocks away from the opening of a summit attended by 34 Americas leaders.
Groups of demonstrators approached security cordons around the summit, and a bank was set on fire as police fired tear gas to disperse the rioters.
US President George W Bush is one of the leaders present, for discussions which include free trade and poverty.

...free trade and poverty? Is that a Freudian slip?

Half the population is under the age of 18. Tanzania's future is NOW...join the 50% campaign!

by whataboutbob on Fri Nov 4th, 2005 at 04:55:08 PM EST

Re: Bush visits (none / 0)

Lets boilet down:The majority of Summit wasnts to implement the FTAA. Then the Mercosur, is opposin it because if can't compete in the US markets due to the subsidies the US has for it's agricultural products, and therefore they can't compete in the northen market.
Here are some coments from Kirchner's speech at the Summit:
President Kirchner slammed the IMF because it gave 9 billion in loans t those that would not pay, while now it is denying to refinance those debts if we don't accept certain conditions that are the same ones that drove us to default. He also said that Garcia Marquez should dedicate the IMF a few paragraphs of magic realism
He also said that "governability" was at risk if we can't create jobs.
Further, he said that "it is the regional experience and not the bureaucracies of international organisms that defines each country's policies. He also said that Argentina as a country does have a responsibility but that so do the international organizations.
The problem of emerging economies should not be taken as a matter of beneficence. Finally he said that they should consider the US should consider that the policies applied not only created poverty and misery, but that they also added regional institutional instability, which caused that democratically elected governments to be overthrown. Ouch

If you want me to go back to the place I was born , tell your corporations to leave my country (Leon Gieco)

by cruz del sur (chenicodk@sbcglobal.net) on Sat Nov 5th, 2005 at 08:29:27 AM EST

Re: Bush visits (none / 1)

Finally Kirchman said that the US should consider that the (international) policies applied not only created poverty and misery, but that they also added regional institutional instability, which caused that democratically elected governments to be overthrown. Ouch

Ouch indeed, and right on...which was what I was implying when I thought it was interesting that this conference was about "free trade" (for the US) and "poverty" (for Latin America...where only the wealthy get anything out any agreements...no one else). Thank you for your commentary, and your translation...really appreciate it. I think a discussion in ET about the IMF and other world financial bodies should take place....these institutions and their policies need to change (at least the policies...though I am not holding my breath...)

Half the population is under the age of 18. Tanzania's future is NOW...join the 50% campaign!

by whataboutbob on Sat Nov 5th, 2005 at 10:51:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bush visits (none / 0)

Cruz del sur has a front page piece over at Booman, reporting from Argentina...

http://www.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2005/11/4/04333/0136

Half the population is under the age of 18. Tanzania's future is NOW...join the 50% campaign!

by whataboutbob on Sat Nov 5th, 2005 at 02:36:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bush visits Argentina (none / 1)

I found this on IWT News, quoting Amy Goodman:

http://www.iwtnews.com/summit_goodman

JUAN GONZALEZ: We have only about a minute left, but I'd like to ask you, given that Argentina has been through such an enormous crisis, largely as a result of implementing the kind of policies that the Bush administration wanted, what is the response of the people of Argentina now to having this summit right there?
ELSA MONTERO: [translated from Spanish] It came out in the news this morning that 76% of the Argentinean population does not agree. And I think it's even much more than that, because there are people that are afraid of saying it openly.

Half the population is under the age of 18. Tanzania's future is NOW...join the 50% campaign!

by whataboutbob on Sat Nov 5th, 2005 at 11:10:06 AM EST

Cuban TV (none / 0)

Cuban tv currently streams the video of yesterday's manifestation in Argentina.

Here is the link:

http://www.cubavision.cubaweb.cu/portada.asp

"The USA appears destined by fate to plague America with misery in the name of liberty." Simon Bolivar, Caracas, 1819

by Ritter on Sat Nov 5th, 2005 at 04:16:56 PM EST

Bush visits Argentina - protests and riots ensue | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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