Obama: “She’s (Bachelet) One Of The Finest Leaders In Latin America”

[rabs]

Obama and Bachelet met today (Tuesday) at the White House. BO had kind words both for her and for the way Chile has handled the global economic crisis.

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“I think she's one of the finest leaders in Latin America, a very capable person,” said Obama of Bachelet in a Rose Garden press conference on Tuesday.

“I think the relationship that we have with Chile – which, by the way, does not fall in line with U.S. foreign policy on every single issue – but it's a respectful policy. Chile is an important partner. I think that's the model that we want: partnership.”

Obama also praised Chile’s handling of the economic crisis, saying, “If you look at how Chile has handled the recession, they've handled it very well in part because the surpluses that they got when copper prices were high they set aside. And so they had the resources to deal with the downturn. It's a good lesson for the United States. When we had surpluses, they got dissipated.”

Bachelet described her engagement with Obama as “one of the most important events in U.S.-Chile relations in recent times,” saying “an excellent relationship” between the two countries has developed since Obama took power at the beginning of 2009. Bachelet is the second Latin American leader to visit Obama in an official capacity after Brazil’s Inacio Lula Da Silva.



More in English with photo:

http://www.santiagotimes.cl/santiagotimes/index.php/2009062316541/news/political-news/chile-s-bachelet-meets-with-obama-in-washington.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. President Bachelet is so bright, open, generous, and gracious she's a great contact.

It is significant she took the oportunity to visit the grave of the murdered leftist who was ALSO tortured in Chile by the Pinochet government, Orlando Letelier.

By doing this it had to call President Obama's attention to an event he may not have had the time to learn much about yet, the horrific deadly slaughter of leftists in Latin America, and the U.S.'s place right in the bleeping CENTER of the whole thing, directing traffic, creating coups, takeovers, choosing puppets, directing strikes to paralyze Chile's economy, assassinations, etc., etc., etc.

Just that one act by Bachelet SHOULD direct his attention to what has happened to Latin America through the evil power madness by mostly right-wing politicians in Washington. He should use this as a reminder to educate himself, so he can lead this country AWAY from evil actions against good people, AWAY from the path chosen by Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush, and Bush.

[Peace Patriot]

2. Venezuela did the same thing as Chile--set aside profits for a 'rainy day.'

"Obama also praised Chile’s handling of the economic crisis, saying, 'If you look at how Chile has handled the recession, they've handled it very well in part because the surpluses that they got when copper prices were high they set aside. And so they had the resources to deal with the downturn. It's a good lesson for the United States. When we had surpluses, they got dissipated.'” --from the OP

The surpluses that Venezuela got when oil prices were high they set side--over $40 billion in international cash reserves, the highest such reserves in Latin America--yet Venezuela gets nothing but grief from our corpo/fascist press, and, indeed, from the Obama/Clinton State Department. I am glad to see that Obama recognizes the value of, a) nationalized resources, and b) leftist (majorityist) government, and I hope that President Batchelet's and President Lula da Silva's pleas to Obama to correct U.S. policy toward Venezuela, Bolivia and other leftist governments, and put the U.S. on a peaceful, social justice path in Latin America are successful. But major Bushwhack policies aimed at economic slavery, resource theft and war are still in place, still going forward, still disrupting Latin American societies, and infusing some of them with extreme corruption, violence and misery--notably Colombia, Peru and Mexico. As recently as last September, the U.S. was funding white separatists in Bolivia on their murderous rampage against the Morales government. Billions in U.S. tax dollars are still pouring into Colombia, Peru and Mexico in "military aid" used to kill innocent people and nazify the society. And God knows how much USAID and covert budget money is still being used to UNDERMINE democracy and serve the interests of global corporate predators in Latin America. Let's hope that this small bouquet to democracy--Obama's praise of Batchelet and Chile--is a portent of true change. It could be. But, lord, it has been a long time coming, and we have seen often enough over the past six months just how hamstrung Obama is, as to genuine change.