IMF chief in U-turn as Venezuela cancels Haiti debt

[EFerrari]

IMF chief in U-turn as Venezuela cancels Haiti debt
Wednesday 27 January 2010

International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn has made a U-turn on the US-dominated financial institution's attempt to burden earthquake-devastated Haiti with another $100 million (£61.7m) of debt.

Mr Strauss-Kahn declared that he now supported efforts to "delete all the Haitian debt, including our new loan," following criticism from leaders such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who announced his own country's immediate cancellation of a $295m (£182m) debt on Monday.

Haiti's debt to Venezuela was run up under the Petrocaribe initiative which offers member countries the chance to purchase Venezuelan oil on preferential terms.

Mr Chavez declared: "Haiti has no debt with Venezuela - on the contrary, it is Venezuela that has a historic debt with Haiti thanks to the support that Haiti gave to Simon Bolivar," and the struggle for independence from Spain in the 19th century.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/86115

No more at link. Nice going, Mr. Chavez. :)

[Peace Patriot]

1. Shows you what a government with a conscience can sometimes accomplish!

Good going, Venezuela!

And I like Chavez's notion that Venezuela owes Haiti. I wish that France would recognize how much it owes Haiti--how much of its modern wealth was built on the backs of Haitian slaves, with $21 billion (current value) extracted from those same slaves as the extorted price of their liberty. The U.S. and other countries which have subsequently exploited and subjugated Haiti should also get a conscience, and stop viewing the current aid, amidst Haiti's horrendous tragedy, as charity, but rather as reparations. Such a change in attitude--if it were to miraculously occur--might set a better course for what happens next, as to Haitian democracy and sovereignty. Chavez's tone is the correct one. It already has resonance, and has already effected a change. Maybe that miracle will occur.

[Name removed]

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[Judi Lynn]

3. Just looked for the date when Bolivar went to Haiti for help. It's very interesting:

Home

A Look At Haitian History
1803-2008, 205 Years Of Indepedence
By Noe Dorestant, E.E.

~snip~
Less than a decade after its independence, Haiti, the second republic in the Americas and the first black independent nation in the world, began to help its neighbors in South America to gain liberty as well. During Alexandre Petion presidency, Simon Bolivar "the Liberator" came to Haiti to seek help for his struggle to liberate his country Venezuela from Spain. Petion gave Bolivar: money, weapons, ammunitions and even Haitian volunteer soldiers to help him fight for freedom. The only thing Petion asked in return was abolition of slavery in all the territories that he may later help liberate. Simon Bolivar with the help of Haiti proclaimed Venezuala independence in 1812 and truly liberated: Colombia in 1819, Venezuela in 1821, Ecuador in 1822, Bolivia and Peru. It is even said that Bolivar had promised to Petion that as a gesture of gratitude that he will include part of the red and blue of the Haitian flag in the flag of the countries that he will gain independence for with Haitian help. Thus the reason for the red and blue in the flags of: Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador. History even reports that both the Venezuelan and the Colombian flags were made in the port of Jacmel, Haiti. However, Haiti the father of the Pan-American movement was later bad mouthed by his jealous neighbors, who spread the words that: Haitian leaders had vision and ambition to create a black empire in South America, hence Haiti became a de facto outcast, and its people would experience a great deal of injustice and set back as a bitter reward for its good deed for freedom and liberty.

http://www.heritagekonpa.com.nyud.net:8090/archives/A%20LOOK%20AT%20HAITIAN%20HISTORY%20FROM%20A%20HAITIAN%20PERSPECTIVE_files/petion.jpg
Statue of Haitian President/General Alexandre Petion, immortalized on the Champ de Mars of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he is revered as the father of the Panamerican movement, who helped Simon Bolivar to liberate South American countries such as Venezuela and Colombia.

http://www.heritagekonpa.com/archives/Haitian%20History.htm

[Name removed]

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