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This is a VERY important matter--how Brazil, with its vast land base, vast resources, vast population and consequent inherent power--behaves in regard to other Latin American countries.
I was aware that Brazil's rightwing is stronger than that of most South American countries but I was NOT aware of how nakedly Brazil's rightwing is attacking the new and quite revolutionary spirit of cooperation among LatAm countries, a new spirit that is so extraordinarily important to the welfare and prosperity of the region, and that is such a palpable threat to the Corporate Rulers and their chief advocate, the U.S. government. This is very interesting. I could see that Lula da Silva--and likely his successor, Dilma Rouseff (his former chief of staff)--have been pivotal in promoting the "raise all boats" philosophy that started with Hugo Chavez and his government. I could also sense that da Silva/Rousseff have a much more powerful and difficult rightwing to contend with, and that the regional economic projects that da Silva/Rousseff have promoted could be misused and misappropriated to ill purposes. And that appears to be what you are saying: the rightwing does not support regional development to "raise all boats"; they are into domination; and they oppose cooperation and social justice for all, and instead follow the U.S. model of plunder and enslavement.
One key to understanding da Silva (and Rousseff) was their amazing backing of Mel Zelaya in Honduras, when he was ousted in a U.S.-backed coup d'etat. They even invited him to use the Brazilian embassy for refuge when he first returned to the country. This was extraordinary. You could think of it as Brazil rivaling the U.S.--that is, backing a small country's democracy that the U.S. was destroying, simply to make the point that Brazil is the power in the region now. Or you could think of it as these leftist leaders sincerely being pissed off at another U.S. coup and acting in solidarity with the anti-coup majority in Honduras. I NEVER felt that they had a bad or hidden motive in backing Zelaya. They had nothing to gain and much to lose--and, in fact, weren't successful in their immediate aim of restoring Honduran democracy. But I could well understand how Brazil's rightwing might have gone along with this for their own motives. I don't know if they did go along with it--overtly or covertly--but the problem is nevertheless clear: That even Brazil's good actions could end up merely enhancing Brazil's power, and, while a da Silva or Rousseff would use that power to benefit "the many," the rightwing and the Corporate Rulers in Brazil and elsewhere would misuse that power to loot and plunder and enrich the rich. (Just as an imaginary example, telecommunications in Honduras--which John McCain has an interest in, one of the hidden motives behind the coup--might have been a target of Brazilian corporatists. Da Silva/Rousseff help fend off the U.S. takeover, then Brazilian corporatists move in.)
I would like to learn much more about Brazilian politics. Da Silva did many truly extraordinary things--he did in fact help stop the U.S. backed coup in Bolivia in 2008, and was adamant in his friendship for, and backing of, Hugo Chavez, against the many attacks by the U.S. He is the one who led the famous 20-country walkout at the WTO in Cancun. He has used Brazil's clout to aid Bolivia's and Paraguay's leftist governments. He's done and said many amazing things--and none of them have struck me as Brazilian power-mongering or maneuvering for power. I think they were based on his own strong political and ethical beliefs. He believes in peace and cooperation and region-wide, collective strength--and I think that is true also of Rousseff.
But da Silva also made what I consider mistakes--for instance, his wretched biofuels deal with the Bushwhacks. But his main mistake is the mistake of ALL of the new leftist leaders in LatAm--with the possible exception of Evo Morales: that is, believing in the industrial model as opposed to creating a NEW, earth-friendly model for social and economic improvement. The industrial model is destroying the planet--and we don't have much time (50 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund, 'til the death of planet earth from pollution and over-consumption!). Morales and much of his Bolivian support have tried to articulate and implement a different, more sustainable vision--but Morales has also gotten trapped in the industrial model for immediate relief of dire poverty. That is what the conflict with the Indigenous is about in Bolivia, and also in Ecuador and Peru: that a truly sustainable, environmental model is very, VERY difficult to achieve. Thus, Morales welcomed Brazil's help with connecting Bolivia to the new superhighway from Brazil to the Pacific, for instance.
One thing I would like to know is who wrote this article for the New York Slimes. It has the smell of Simon Romero, but I have never doubted that his slime and the New York Slimes' slime were one and the same. I don't click on NY Slimes' article--just a tiny little thing of mine, in protest--but I'd like to know if there is yet another slimebag 'journalist' at work on LatAm at that fallen and disreputable journalistic ikon.
I suspect that a Corporate Ruler strategy is at work. They can't stop the leftist revolution in South America--and probably can't stop it in Central America--so they've devised a new strategy of "divide and conquer." Any conflict that comes along, they will exaggerate and push to the max. And they particularly slaver over conflicts among leftists. It's even possible that the CIA is busy in leftist groups and is behind some of the protests against development projects. I won't say that they are--though we know damn well that that's what they do--but there are also a lot of natural and inherent conflicts between leftist leaders who want to create jobs and infrastructure and wealth to benefit all, and environmentalists and the Indigenous, who want to protect the earth, our only home, and develop a sustainable economic model, so difficult to do. In Ecuador, these two forces have been bitterly clashing for some time, and one of Rafael Correa's points has been that Ecuador's resources belong to ALL Ecuadorans, not just to the Indigenous. It is a searing conflict for leftists. The biggest Indigenous group in Ecuador even sat on their hands during the recent rightwing coup attempt against Correa--apparently willing to see a leftist government go down, over their environmental conflicts with Correa.
I remember when California was at the height of its most frenzied development, in the 1950s and 1960s. I strongly supported the Democratic politicians who led that development and were pro-labor and pro-people. It took me some decades to learn of the cost to the environment--the utter devastation of California's unique ancient redwood forest, for instance. I don't know if I would support them today, and I've found the more recent Democratic Party leadership's environmental policies to be appalling, but poverty is also appalling--and poverty in LatAm is huge and wretched.
So, I'm not saying that the New York Slimes are inventing a conflict that doesn't exist, although they are capable of it. (They invented a whole terrible war that needn't have been, the bastards!) But why focus on this? There are so many things that they HAVEN'T focused on, about LatAm's leftist democracy revolution--haven't EVER even mentioned! For instance, the Chavez's government's awesome reductions in poverty, and vast improvement in public participation and clean elections. These HUGE achievements have NEVER BEEN MENTIONED by the Slimes or any of the Corporate propaganda sheets. Not. One. Word.
Another example is the accord between Chavez and da Silva--one of the most important keys to understanding what has happened in South America over the last decade. Not. One. Word.
But smell a conflict that the Corporate Rulers can exploit, and they are on it like the sharks smelling blood. In truth, they would like to rip the leftist democracy movement's throat and stomp on its face. They would assassinate all of its leaders if they could--which is what the U.S. has tried to do in Colombia and now in Honduras. We are not talking nice, democratic, well-meaning people, at the Slimes--or anywhere in the Corporate News, including the BBCons. They don't publish articles like this FOR NO REASON, nor to inform, nor to educate, nor to improve the American peoples' understanding of the world They publish carefully, carefully crafted articles, designed to serve the monstrous transglobal corporations and war profiteers who rule over us.
It's a big mistake to take them at face value. Remember Judith Miller! Never forget what they did. Never!
And what are they doing NOW?
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