Latin American Allies of U.S.: Docile and Reliable No Longer

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 — The United States, which has often viewed most nations of Latin America as reliable and docile allies, is increasingly facing resentment over security and trade policies that some of them view as inimical to their interests.

When President Bush travels to Mexico next week to confer with leaders from throughout the hemisphere, he will meet a more assertive Latin America. It is a region that spurned Washington on the war in Iraq, is demanding better treatment for immigrant workers and continues to block a hemispheric trade agreement that some nations, led by Brazil, view as unfair.

(snip)

Mr. Bush, who speaks Spanish and grew familiar with Latin American issues during his tenure as Texas governor, came into office promising to improve relations with the countries of the region. He began his presidency by emphasizing his friendship with Mr. Fox. Since Sept. 11, 2001, however, Mr. Bush's attention has been focused on other regions. One expert described the president's visit to Monterrey, Mexico, the site of the next week's meeting, as "a second coming out" in the neighborhood.

(snip)

Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, who served as Mexico's ambassador to the United Nations throughout the debate on war in Iraq, gave a speech in November that asserted that the United States sought a subservient relationship with Mexico.

"It sees us as a backyard," he said.

Mr. Aguilar Zinser was promptly fired, Mexican officials said — under pressure from the United States.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/politics/09SUMM.html?hp

[SharonAnn]

1. I would hardly say that * speaks Spanish. He has a very limited

vocabulary (no surprise) and absolutely terrible pronunciation.

If he were traveling to a Spanish speaking country on his own, he wouldn't be understood and he wouldn't survive.

[Mikimouse]

2. Glad that someone else made a note of that...

I have never believed the BS about him speaking the language. If he did, he wouldn't need interpreters anywhere in the Spanish speaking world. He could easily be debunked by an informed reporter asking him a simple question in Spanish.

[CHIMO]

3. Well

Free trade is not fair trade.

1. Scientific methods of determining the quality of food.

2. If someone produces tomatoes cheaper than a US entity then there must be a subsidy.

3. If a Country has a different method of laws that pertain to public land containing trees then it is unfair because it does not agree with the US of A.

4. The US of A is only 2nd to the EU in subsidizing farming.

Where is there anything free. People are realizing that might is right and everyone is moving to that position.

Result. More money for isolation.

If you want it you get it!

[ugarte]

4. English is his only foreign language

His Spanish is junior high level.

[burrowowl]

5. His Spanish

is not even Junior High, it's the few words you learn in kindergarten.
His English isn't even JH.

[readmylips]

7. Kindergarden? He learned barrio spanish with...

whores during his drunk days.

[CHIMO]

6. English!

Thought he only new, lean on my elboy and have an idea, TV communicans methods.