Criticism of the three 2008 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients – and the man who gave it to them “for their work to improve the lives of their citizens and for their efforts to promote democracy, human rights and peace abroad” is widespread. This year is unusual in that all of those who President Bush awarded are from other nations – former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and Colombian President Alviro Uribe.
In this sarcastic and caustic op-ed, Manuel Velandia of the Colombian newspaper Semana has some harsh words in regard to the event, for both his own president and ours:
“It’s no wonder that the decoration comes from the worst president of the United States … a man who took refuge in war to distract attention from his government, which will be remembered for sinking that country with a major economic disaster; nor is it surprising that this is being done by the worst warmonger of a president for his most bellicose peer, with whom he also shares the goal of enhancing the economic interests of his own family – at the expense of peace.
Uribe has indeed promoted human rights and peace. If it weren’t for so many human rights abuses, we in Colombia wouldn’t have made such conscientious progress in creating a discourse about them; nor would we have achieved this without the resurgence of the domestic war, which according to the government, is no longer a occurring.”
By Manuel Velandia
Translated By Halszka Czarnocka
January 9, 2008
Colombia – Semana – Original Article (Spanish)
“God creates them and they find one another,” goes the popular saying. This will be confirmed when Colombian President Álvaro Uribe is awarded the United States Medal of Freedom, based on information provided by White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
In Washington on January 13th, Uribe will receive the decoration from the hands of President George W. Bush. With the medal, “The President is honoring these leaders for their work to improve the lives of their citizens and for their efforts to promote democracy, human rights and peace abroad,” explained Perino.
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