Leaders at Americas talks: world economy top worry

[Dover]

Source: AP



(AP) CARACAS, Venezuela — Leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean pledged closer ties to safeguard their economies from the world financial crisis as they formed a new bloc on Saturday including every nation in the hemisphere except the U.S. and Canada.

Several presidents stressed during the two-day summit that they hope to ride out turbulent times by boosting local industries and increasing trade within the region.

"It seems it's a terminal, structural crisis of capitalism," Bolivian President Evo Morales said in a speech Saturday. "I feel we're meeting at a good moment to debate ... the great unity of the countries of America, without the United States.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and some of his closest allies called the new regional bloc a tool for opposing U.S. influence. But other leaders focused more on economic concerns and on working together to confront issues such as drug trafficking and the effects of climate change.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501715_162-57336200/leaders-at-americas-talks-world-economy-top-worry/

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Who could blame them?

[Judi Lynn]

1. Very best wishes for their future as they struggle to build their own regional solidarity.

They have paid such a dreadful price for their unpreparedness for countering vicious, deadly bullying, meddling, control of their national sovereignty from outside Latin America and the Caribbean.

Clearly they have learned they don't want that ever again. Consider their current and recent heavily favored Presidents who have been imprisoned, and tortured by U.S.-supported right-wing military regimes which freely murdered in the most nightmarish ways possible vast numbers of CLEARLY innocent, helpless people throughout the region, from Central America, Carribean, all the way to the tip of Chile.

Please take a moment to study the photo, at the bottom, from a Brazilian book just posted by a new Brazilian poster here, showing the current President, who was in Luis Inacio Lula da Silva's cabinet before he left after two terms, and she was elected. She was a rebel during the US-supported military dictatorship, and was captured, and tortured, herself. Just like Argentina's late President Nestor Kirchner, Uruguay's President and first lady,José Mujica, wife Lucia, Chile's recent President Michelle, who was imprisoned and tortured, as were her mother, and father, General Alberto Bachelet, who served with Chile's socialist President Salvador Allende. Her father died of a heart attack in prison.

There are other Latin American leaders who were persecuted, and whose families were imprisoned and tortured, as well by Latin American right-wing U.S.-supported regimes following violent coups.



Michelle, father Alberto Bachelet



Bachelet family, destroyed President Allende, General Bachelet



Uruguay's José Mujica, wife Lucia, with Brazil's Dilma Rousseff


The poster's comment with the photo:

The picture, taken in 1970, shows Dilma being interrogated by military officials, after spending 22 days being continuously tortured. Notice the officials covering their faces in the picture.

Taken from the Latin America forum:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x56345#56346

[Dover]

2. And it seems they aren't the only ones who are in rebellion against this dark

influence. In fact it is at the heart of our own revolution.
It's important that we unveil this dark element wherever it exists and shine a light on it.

It is completely antithetical to the kind of future we want as a human family on this beautiful planet.