In the United States there has been quite a bit of criticism of John McCain’s visit to Latin America for being ill-timed – although his partisans argue that the trip will shore up his foreign-policy credentials.
So what do Colombians think of the Republican candidate’s visit and the effusive welcome he received from Colombian President Uribe? For Colombia’s top-selling newspaper El Tiempo, Oscar Collazos writes in part:
“Uribe is depositing a symbolic vote for the Republican candidate in the ballot box – a very risky card to play. … Despite the ambiguous efforts of Uribe’s government to imply that the visit doesn’t rule out a future visit by Barack Obama – that’s the message which has been sent. … the fact that we received a presidential candidate who doubles as a clone of the present occupant of the White House with such excessive honors, makes clear our position of inferiority – a position accepted with servility by Colombia’s Chief of State.”
By Óscar Collazos
Translated By Paula van de Werken
July 3, 2008
Colombia – El Tiempo – Original Article (Spanish)
Candidate John McCain’s visit to Colombia, longer than those of Presidents Clinton and Bush; strict security measures taken in Cartagena; his presence at Casa de Huespedes Ilustres [the Colombian version of Camp David]; coverage of his visit by the national and international press; and words of praise for the anti-drug and “anti-terror” policies of President Uribe, suggest that Uribe is depositing a symbolic vote for the Republican candidate in the ballot box – a very risky card to play.
Seen from the other side of the coin, the Republican candidate’s visit is a pat on the back for President Uribe, who is so close to Bush’s foreign policy that he’s one of the few Latin American presidents who shares the shame – along with Bush- of not wanting to accept that the U.S. began a war of aggression and occupation based on a colossal lie, and which today it doesn’t know how to get out of.
Favor for favor. The words of the Presidential host and the preferential treatment given to the visitor seem intended as a response to the Democrats, who have frozen approval of the Free Trade Agreement and who have raised uncomfortable questions about the violation of human rights by forces of the Colombian State.
READ ON AT WORLD MEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.
