Interview with Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
Why are you opposed to the presence of George W. Bush in your country, Argentina?
Bush is a danger to the entire world. He is not respectful of the Declaration of Human Rights or international treaties or the Security Council of the United Nations. He invades countries, he lies to the world and to his own people. Bush is responsible for crimes of lèse-humanité, massacres in Iraq and in Afghanistan and the Guantanamo prison camp. He talks about terrorism, but he refuses to denounce the state terrorism of the United States. In Latin America, Bush is a threat because the Americans are building military bases all over the continent—in Panama, in Colombia, in Ecuador and in the Pacific.
Recently, US troops have arrived in Paraguay, where the government has given them immunity from prosecution throughout their national territory and especially at the border with Bolivia, because Paraguay possesses great reserves of water. Bush wants to impose the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA), but free trade is only a lure, because it is the rich countries that control prices and economic development for the poor. The march in Mar del Plata against Bush is blowing the whistle on the pillage of Latin America.
In considering FTAA, what model do you see for Latin America: that of Brazilian President Lula or that of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ?
There is no model. The only models are self-determination and regional, cultural, social and political integration. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t trade with Europe but there’s a condition—sovereignty must be respected. We should take advantage of the positive things that Hugo Chavez is doing. He has been working on regional integration. In Venezuela, he’s been successful in combating illiteracy and has prepared a generous budget for healthcare and for fighting poverty. Yet he is accused of populism because he is helping of the dispossessed.
What significance do you see in the announced presence of President Hugo Chavez at the Peoples’ Summit, the anti-Bush counter-summit?
It’s a loud and clear signal. I wonder why he is the only head of state participating in the Peoples’ Summit. Why are the others erecting so many barriers to protect themselves from the people? There is a native Ecuadorian woman leader who will read give his own address.
Interviewer: Christine Legrand, Le Monde, 5 November 2005
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was born in Buenos Aires in 1931. After training as an architect and sculptor he was appointed Professor of Architecture. In 1974 he relinquished his teaching post in order to devote all his time and energy to the work of co-ordinating the activities of the various non-violent elements in Latin America. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.
Bush is a danger to the entire world. He is not respectful of the Declaration of Human Rights or international treaties or the Security Council of the United Nations. He invades countries, he lies to the world and to his own people. Bush is responsible for crimes of lèse-humanité, massacres in Iraq and in Afghanistan and the Guantanamo prison camp. He talks about terrorism, but he refuses to denounce the state terrorism of the United States. In Latin America, Bush is a threat because the Americans are building military bases all over the continent—in Panama, in Colombia, in Ecuador and in the Pacific.
Recently, US troops have arrived in Paraguay, where the government has given them immunity from prosecution throughout their national territory and especially at the border with Bolivia, because Paraguay possesses great reserves of water. Bush wants to impose the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA), but free trade is only a lure, because it is the rich countries that control prices and economic development for the poor. The march in Mar del Plata against Bush is blowing the whistle on the pillage of Latin America.
In considering FTAA, what model do you see for Latin America: that of Brazilian President Lula or that of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ?
There is no model. The only models are self-determination and regional, cultural, social and political integration. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t trade with Europe but there’s a condition—sovereignty must be respected. We should take advantage of the positive things that Hugo Chavez is doing. He has been working on regional integration. In Venezuela, he’s been successful in combating illiteracy and has prepared a generous budget for healthcare and for fighting poverty. Yet he is accused of populism because he is helping of the dispossessed.
What significance do you see in the announced presence of President Hugo Chavez at the Peoples’ Summit, the anti-Bush counter-summit?
It’s a loud and clear signal. I wonder why he is the only head of state participating in the Peoples’ Summit. Why are the others erecting so many barriers to protect themselves from the people? There is a native Ecuadorian woman leader who will read give his own address.
Interviewer: Christine Legrand, Le Monde, 5 November 2005
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was born in Buenos Aires in 1931. After training as an architect and sculptor he was appointed Professor of Architecture. In 1974 he relinquished his teaching post in order to devote all his time and energy to the work of co-ordinating the activities of the various non-violent elements in Latin America. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.
posted by Nur-al-Cubicle | 2:11 AM
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From Baghdad to Basra and Buenos Aires, it’s just the same sad story: The President Has No One to Reason Him…
In the early 1960’s a young Columbian journalist named G. Garcia Marquez wrote “The Colonel Has No One to Write Him” the poetic tale of a failed leader who goes each Friday to the same post office to see if a long-awaited letter bringing some good news has finally arrived.
This novel was to become a great classic amongst Latin America’s famed “poetic magic” literary school…and a highly prescient metaphor for Dubya’s pathetic presidency!
The man they call “El Jorge” south of the Rio Grande (who once said “Mi Casa Blanca es tu Casa Blanca” in an outlandish bid to gratify Hispanic voters) was in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on Friday to attend the opening session of the “hemispheric” Summit of the Americas: he was greeted by tens of thousands of angry Argentines who chanted "Get out, Bush!" and "You are the terrorist!" among other niceties…
By evening, massive riots were reported in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, where students and workers set fire to several McDonald's restaurants.
"It is not easy to host all these countries at the same time" said Bush as he appeared before reporters after their morning meeting...
"It's particularly not easy to host, perhaps, me!"
[sic/sick]
Yes, it's lame, self-serving, disappointing and sick that the Prez says, aw gee garsh boys, it's not easy to have me as a guest--as if the world revolves around Jorge.
Oh! And a cover from early Tintin!
Don't forget when Bush came to London he did not dare to appear in public.
At least 300,000 marched through London with banners proclaiming he was a War Criminal.
When Bush went to Tony Balir's constituency they spent three days clearing the town of everyone who was not a resident , and then kept him away from anyone who was not vetted, member of the New Lanour party.
The leader of the world's greatest democracy is unwelcome anywhere decent people live.
Perez Esquivel is a terrorist himself.
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