Ecuador to US: Get Bent!
I mentioned in comments somewhere that if the US tries to put pressure on Ecuador, or any country south of the Rio Grand any more, they are apt to force the government in that country do the exact opposite. Latin America is really tired of US imperialism, and going along with the US can be political death down there.
The Guardian reports that Ecuador breaks US trade pact to thwart ‘blackmail’ over Snowden asylum
President Rafael Correa’s government said on Thursday it was renouncing the Andean Trade Preference Act to thwart US “blackmail” of Ecuador in the former NSA contractor’s asylum request.
Officials, speaking at an early morning press conference, also offered a $23m donation for human rights training in the US, a brash riposte to recent US criticism of Ecuador’s own human rights record.
President Correa is a socialist, and was well aware that Republicans were probably going to block the trade preferences for Ecuador for that reason alone. This way he controls the issue, and preserves his country’s dignity.
Under Ecuadoran law, no decision can be finalized about Edward Snowden until Mr Snowden is on Ecuadoran soil, which means in the country, or in one of its embassies.
2 comments
Washington gets no sympathy from me on this one. President O seems to have no sense whatsoever of what motivates people… and nations… doing instead the exact opposite, and getting the opposite response. One would almost think he’s a Republican!
BTW, Blogger commenting has been flaky for a couple of days now. So far, I’ve lost a replay to ellroon and a reply to you. There’s not much I can do about it except wait it out.
I know a number of South Americans, and corporate excesses, the Cold War support for dictators, and the War on Drugs, have all combined to make the US extremely unpopular with the voters.
US aid always seem to flow to the elite, which makes matters worse. Income inequality is starting to decrease in South America while it is getting worse in the US, and they know they have been cheated in their dealing with US financial institutions. The US doesn’t not have a lot of leverage to start with, and making demands is not helping.
I know about the commenting problems, Steve. I have had a number of comments eaten by the system at your place, for no discernible reason.