[Roberto Aníbal Bobrow, Argentina]
El Tiempo, Colombia
'Obama Will Regret
Legitimizing Chavez'
"The newly-minted President of
the United States is directly responsible for the new 'democratic legitimacy'
that Chávez now enjoys. … Obama should remember that the presidency of the
United States isn't made for just one man. It's a long-standing institution
that owes everything to people who have shed their blood on every corner of
the planet for years on end, confronting characters precisely like Chávez and
Castro."
By Roberto Olivares
Translated By Liz Essary
April 28, 2009
Colombia - El Tiempo - Original Article
(Spanish)
Of the various informal
encounters between Barack Obama and Hugo Chávez during the last Summit of the
Americas, certainly the most controversial and offensive to democratic
Venezuela - and all lovers of justice and liberty - was the first. For more
than eight years, Chávez has been beseeching the demons through his Cuban high
priests for a photo opportunity in any corner of the world with the President
of the United States. Just one photo was all that his personality longed for.
Well, his wishes were fully granted due to the lack of diplomatic experience
on the part of Barack Obama, the new "pal" of Hugo Chávez. The newly-minted
President of the United States is directly responsible for the new "democratic
legitimacy" that Chávez now enjoys.
Perhaps a simple handshake to
demonstrate some class, a bit of elegance, and a renewed and refreshing diplomatic
modernism would not have been too much. But from there, to ingratiate
themselves, joke around, gave one another slaps on the back and offer smiles
left and right - I think it was a naïve and enormous mistake in terms of the
foreign policy concerns of the Americans. What message does Obama wish to send
to the other countries on the continent and to the world, by having his picture
taken with the only dictator in South America? Could it be that Obama doesn't
know that just a month ago, Chávez called him an "ignorant Black"? Perhaps
Obama doesn't know that our illustrious Caribbean emperor insulted George Bush
and the North American ambassador to the point of exhaustion with despicable, eschatological epithets.
Could it be that Obama is gullible or still thinks that he's in an electoral
campaign and popularity contest?
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
As far as U.S.
foreign policy is concerned, Mister Obama's recent actions are very disturbing.
He bows
before the king of Saudi Arabia, he apologizes to Europeans for the
errors of the North American government that preceded him, he insists on
negotiating with genocidal autocrats the likes of Castro, Ahmadinejad, Mugabe,
Chávez, etc. It seems that Obama is not the friend we thought and that he hasn't
realized that he embodies the most powerful country in the world: a symbol of
justice, liberty, peace, and prosperity. Obama should remember that the
presidency of the United States isn't made for just one man. It's a
long-standing institution that owes everything to people who have shed their
blood on every corner of the planet for years on end, confronting characters
precisely like Chávez and Castro.
On the other hand, no one missed
another farce on the part of Chávez and his already-accustomed court. Chávez' face
at the moment Obama deigned to shake his hand was like a poem. If it weren't
for all the damage he's done to the country it would have been comical. A true populist
demagogue who says one thing on one day, and everything contrary the next. He
has no shame and no morality, let alone nobility. He went out of his way to
shake the hand of the president of the capitalist empire that has spread so
much misery and calamity around the globe. The same empire that has kept him in
power through the strength of dollars, and the same empire that according to
Chávez is doomed to disappear in the coming years.
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Tal Cual, Venezuela:
President Chavez 'Puts Early End' to Honeymoon with Obama
El Universal, Venezuela:
Obama is No 'Black in Chavez' Pocket'
Gazeta, Russia:
Latin Americans Will Sooner or Later Come 'Crawling' to the U.S.
Gazeta, Russia:
Castro and Chavez Split Over Obama
El Tiempo, Colombia:
'Tropical Napoleon' Melts Before Obama's 'Empire'
El Tiempo, Colombia:
Survey: Obama 'Most Popular Leader' in the Americas
El Espectador, Colombia:
Cuba in Obama's Sights
El Mundo, Colombia:
Obama: A Man Who Takes His Promises Seriously
Estadao, Brazil:
Raul Castro's 'Singular' Reaction to President Obama
La Razon, Bolivia:
President Morales Suspects U.S. Behind Attempt on His Life
Granma, Cuba:
Castro: Easing of Cuba Restrictions 'Positive', But Not Nearly Enough
Granma, Cuba:
Bay of Pigs Led 'Inexperienced Kennedy' to Make 'Misguided Decisions' …
Chávez has turned out to be Obama's
number one fan, as he knows full well that without U.S. dollars there is no "revolution."
Obama will regret having legitimized Chávez. Presidents are not there to be
popular - they are there to govern, set an example and have laws respected,
especially when it's the President of the United States.
CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US May 6, 4:38pm]
