Has Colombia Become the ‘Israel of South America?’
March 10th, 2008 by WILLIAM KERN
![[Espectador, Colombia]](http://worldmeets.us/images/chavezbushpuppets_elespectador.gif)
Is there any truth to the charge made by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez last week, when he said that Colombia had become the ‘Israel of Latin America’? According to this EDITORIAL from Uruguay, which is another of Washington’s presumed allies, this is a question on many South American lips. The Editorial board of La Republica writes, ‘Undoubtedly, Colombia’s military adventure in Ecuador has served to open the eyes of those who have yet to understand the true significance of Plan Colombia. … The United States has failed to grasp this, but there are democratic forces in Colombia that should realize by now the role that has been assigned to their country.’
EDITORIAL
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
March 10, 2008
Uruguay - La Republica - Original Article (Spanish)
It is necessary to begin with a clarification, given the severity of the title. We are not here looking to call into question the right to exist of the state of Israel. We have another theme and hope everyone understands that.
The problem, the point to question, isn’t the existence of an Israeli state, but the role that it plays in the Middle East. No one in their right mind can deny that Israel’s policy has been to defend the interests of the United States in the region. Beyond the controversy that might arise because of these words, it would be of interest to have someone illustrious - someone other than ourselves - examine closely the condemnations that Israel has suffered at the United Nations for its to its bellicose warlike activities, illegal occupations (can anyone deny them?) and incursions into the territories of neighboring countries (doesn’t unassailable and objective documentation exist about this?).
And all of this has been made possible thanks to the support of the United States, which provides sophisticated weapons by offering subsidies, trade preferences and investment advantages (unlike the way it deals with the Arab countries).
This pattern can be applied to Colombia, which is the subject at hand. President Bush, who took the reigns of his country’s government in a very shady manner (to put it generously), is a great promoter of Plan Colombia , a project that supports that country in its fight against drug trafficking and guerrillas.
In fact, this is a project that supports Colombia in its battle against the guerrillas, who maintain a popular movement that for 60 years has controlled a sizeable portion of the country’s territory [about 40 percent today]. Drug traffic is just an excuse; in its time Cuba was accused of supporting itself with income from drug trafficking and later it was President Hugo Chavez’ turn.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. from South America.
This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 5:04 pm and is filed under Military Affairs, Human Rights, Cartoons, Foreign Policy, Pentagon, Arms, Corruption, Law Enforcement, Venezuela, Military, Foreign Affairs, Latin America (Central/South), Cartoon Commentary, Terrorism, Places, Drugs. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
