Violent protests greet Bush's Latin America tour

[Guest guest]

Dear list members,

 

President Bush has been met by protest on his tour of Latin America.

On his first stop, Brazil, there were protests and on his second stop,

Uruquay, the protests grew even more violent. At the same time,

President Hugo Chavez in Venesueal organised a march against President

Bush, with the marchers chanting " Gringo go home " .

 

With transit Saturn settling ever closer into opposition of the natal

L2 Sun in the SAMVA USA chart, obstacles for the US Presidency are

showing up as predicted.

 

Best wishes,

 

Thor

 

 

Violent protests greet Bush's Latin America tour

Mar 09 11:39 AM US/Eastern

 

US President George W. Bush arrived in Brazil Thursday amid protests

at his visit that turned violent at the start of his five-nation Latin

America tour.

 

In Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city and financial capital, a massive

demonstration poured down the main avenue. Protesters carried signs

reading " Bush out of Iraq " and " Down with the Number One Terrorist

George Bush. "

 

Organizers said the demonstration drew at least 30,000 people; police

put the number at 10,000.

 

The peaceful demonstration turned violent after a group of protesters

entered a prohibited area along the avenue.

 

Protesters hurled rocks and sticks at police, who fired tear gas and

rubber bullets. The clash left 16 police officers and some six

protesters injured.

 

Meanwhile, marchers marking International Women's Day chanted

anti-Bush slogans.

 

" The women are demonstrating to say 'no' to North American

imperialism, 'no' to neo-liberalism and 'no' to the domination of one

people over another, " Maria Fernanda Marcelino, member of the march

organizing committee, told AFP.

 

Hours before the US president landed in Sao Paulo, some 200 members of

a far-leftist group hurled rocks at the US consulate. On Wednesday,

thousands of Brazilian farmers had occupied offices to protest against

agrobusiness and Bush.

 

In Colombia, on the second day of anti-Bush demonstrations, hooded

protesters threw rocks and firecrackers at riot police using water

cannon in a pitched four-hour battle. No injuries were reported.

 

" Murderer of Iraqis not welcome in Colombia " said one sign. " Get out,

evil emperor Bush, " said another, ahead of the US leader's arrival on

Sunday.

 

Bush, who has been accused by critics of neglecting Latin America,

pledged this week to back social justice and prosperity in the region

and unveiled new aid schemes for education, housing and health.

 

But he faces a region that has recently elected or re-elected leftists

who oppose his views, including in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and

Venezuela, where Chavez has called Bush everything from a " tyrant " to

the " devil. "

 

Chavez, the closest ally of Cuba's communist leader Fidel Castro,

arrived in Argentina late Thursday for a two-day trip that will also

take him to Bolivia. Although the firebrand Venezuelan has said the

timing was a coincidence, he will take part in an anti-Bush protest in

Buenos Aires.

 

When Bush visits Uruguay on Friday, Chavez will headline an

" anti-imperialist rally " in a 40,000-seat Buenos Aires football stadium.

 

Anti-Bush demonstrations were also planned in Uruguay.

 

Bush and his policies, particularly the Iraq war and the fight against

drug trafficking, are widely unpopular in Latin America.

 

In Brazil, trade unionists and leftist movements, including the

Workers Party (PT) of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, planned

more protests during Bush's stay.

 

The White House downplayed the protests.

 

" The president enjoys traveling to thriving democracies where freedom

of speech and expression is the law of the land, " said Gordon

Johndroe, a White House spokesman.

 

" He brings a positive agenda that will demonstrate the benefits of

democracy in such areas as economy, health, education, housing for

Brazilians as well as all the citizens of the hemisphere, " Johndroe said.

 

In addition to Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, Bush will visit Guatemala

and Mexico during his trip, which ends on Wednesday.

 

In Sao Paulo, he was scheduled to meet Lula on Friday to discuss trade

and a partnership on the production and use of ethanol, an alternative

fuel. The two countries are the world's biggest ethanol producers.

[Guest guest]

Dear list members,

 

The situation in Latin America is fast becoming polarised. A leader

like Hugo Chavez is trying to make the Americans out to be the common

enemy of the poor and indigenous indians of South Amercia. This

recalls the effort of Hitler to create an Aryan identity of the German

people by identifying the Jews as their racial and cultural enemy.

This is a highly destructive approach, to create a national or

regional sentiment on the basis of creating a common enemy can lead to

conflict. The US President therefore has to deal with a potential

dangerous demagouge in his own back yard. This is one expression of

the tightening affliction of transit L8 Saturn to natal L2 Sun in H7.

The challenge (impact of L8 of obstacles) to the US President (as

indicated by the Sun) is occuring while he is on a short good-will

tour abroad (H7 indication) and is involving the neighbouring states

(H2 indication). This development is one further element of support

for the claim that the SAMVA USA chart is the authentic chart for the USA.

 

Best wishes,

 

Thor

 

Chavez's anti-US rhetoric draws crowds

BBC News, Buenos Aires

Last Updated: Saturday, 10 March 2007, 05:31 GMT

By Daniel Schweimler

 

Chavez attacked Bush in front of the Buenos Aires crowd

It was the kind of situation that the Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez,

loves - 40,000 flag-waving supporters joining him in hurling insults

at the US President, George W Bush.

 

He was at a football stadium in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires,

leading what he called an anti-imperialist rally to coincide with Mr

Bush's arrival in neighbouring Uruguay.

 

Most of the crowd were members of trade unions, left-wing and human

rights organisations, those who already supported Mr Chavez and what

he calls his brand of socialism for the 21st Century.

 

Others had come simply out of curiosity to see with their own eyes the

man who was grabbing so many headlines - the man who dares to stand up

and insult the leader of the most powerful country in the world.

 

Marcos said: " I am here because I think it is necessary to demonstrate

against not only the USA but also against the policies that put at

risk lives in the countries they conquer and in the whole world. We

have to demonstrate. "

 

Graciela added: " I think Chavez has many good things although I don't

agree with him 100%. But, if I had to choose between the two I do know

I prefer Chavez and that is why I am here. "

 

Loud and clear

 

Crowds listening to Hugo Chavez in Buenos Aires

Chavez was in his element as he addressed the crowd

 

All the main left-wing groups waved their huge flags, making it

difficult for many to see the Venezuelan leader on the stage. But the

powerful sound system ensured that they had no problems hearing him.

 

Families with small children brought picnics and groups of friends

joined in the insult hurling on a balmy evening.

 

Buses that had brought thousands from the outlying regions of Buenos

Aires lined the neighbouring streets.

 

Mr Chavez, in his customary red shirt, called Mr Bush a political

corpse and, in his best English, repeated what has almost become his

regular slogan: " Gringo, go home! "

 

Filling a void

 

There is little doubt that the two men are battling for hearts and

souls in Latin America. When President Bush took office he said Latin

America would be a priority. Then came 9/11 and Washington's focus

shifted to the Middle East.

 

Map

Many analysts accuse the United States of neglecting their own

backyard. That's a charge the US president denies although he did say

his tour of Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico was

designed partly to put his message across more clearly.

 

Hugo Chavez has moved quickly to fill the void left by the United

States. He strikes a chord with many in Latin America's shanty towns

and leaders in the region can't afford to ignore him.

 

But many also want to stay on the right side of Washington and the

Argentine president, Nestor Kirchner, was not at the anti-imperialist

rally, neither were senior members of his government.

 

He may agree with much of what Mr Chavez says but still wants to deal

with the United States and many leaders in the region are trying hard

to stay friends with both men, not easy when they are so far apart on

the political spectrum.

 

Mr Chavez moves on to Bolivia for a meeting with one of his main

allies in the region, President Evo Morales, to continue talking about

Latin American integration.

 

President Bush expected protests. He said he welcomed the

demonstration of free speech.

 

But he might not have expected them to be so ferocious and knows he

has got his work cut out if he is going to convince Latin Americans

that the United States, and not Venezuela, should be leading the way

forward.

 

SAMVA , " cosmologer " <cosmologer wrote:

>

> Dear list members,

>

> President Bush has been met by protest on his tour of Latin America.

> On his first stop, Brazil, there were protests and on his second stop,

> Uruquay, the protests grew even more violent. At the same time,

> President Hugo Chavez in Venesueal organised a march against President

> Bush, with the marchers chanting " Gringo go home " .

>

> With transit Saturn settling ever closer into opposition of the natal

> L2 Sun in the SAMVA USA chart, obstacles for the US Presidency are

> showing up as predicted.

>

> Best wishes,

>

> Thor

>

>

> Violent protests greet Bush's Latin America tour

> Mar 09 11:39 AM US/Eastern

>

> US President George W. Bush arrived in Brazil Thursday amid protests

> at his visit that turned violent at the start of his five-nation Latin

> America tour.

>

> In Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city and financial capital, a massive

> demonstration poured down the main avenue. Protesters carried signs

> reading " Bush out of Iraq " and " Down with the Number One Terrorist

> George Bush. "

>

> Organizers said the demonstration drew at least 30,000 people; police

> put the number at 10,000.

>

> The peaceful demonstration turned violent after a group of protesters

> entered a prohibited area along the avenue.

>

> Protesters hurled rocks and sticks at police, who fired tear gas and

> rubber bullets. The clash left 16 police officers and some six

> protesters injured.

>

> Meanwhile, marchers marking International Women's Day chanted

> anti-Bush slogans.

>

> " The women are demonstrating to say 'no' to North American

> imperialism, 'no' to neo-liberalism and 'no' to the domination of one

> people over another, " Maria Fernanda Marcelino, member of the march

> organizing committee, told AFP.

>

> Hours before the US president landed in Sao Paulo, some 200 members of

> a far-leftist group hurled rocks at the US consulate. On Wednesday,

> thousands of Brazilian farmers had occupied offices to protest against

> agrobusiness and Bush.

>

> In Colombia, on the second day of anti-Bush demonstrations, hooded

> protesters threw rocks and firecrackers at riot police using water

> cannon in a pitched four-hour battle. No injuries were reported.

>

> " Murderer of Iraqis not welcome in Colombia " said one sign. " Get out,

> evil emperor Bush, " said another, ahead of the US leader's arrival on

> Sunday.

>

> Bush, who has been accused by critics of neglecting Latin America,

> pledged this week to back social justice and prosperity in the region

> and unveiled new aid schemes for education, housing and health.

>

> But he faces a region that has recently elected or re-elected leftists

> who oppose his views, including in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and

> Venezuela, where Chavez has called Bush everything from a " tyrant " to

> the " devil. "

>

> Chavez, the closest ally of Cuba's communist leader Fidel Castro,

> arrived in Argentina late Thursday for a two-day trip that will also

> take him to Bolivia. Although the firebrand Venezuelan has said the

> timing was a coincidence, he will take part in an anti-Bush protest in

> Buenos Aires.

>

> When Bush visits Uruguay on Friday, Chavez will headline an

> " anti-imperialist rally " in a 40,000-seat Buenos Aires football stadium.

>

> Anti-Bush demonstrations were also planned in Uruguay.

>

> Bush and his policies, particularly the Iraq war and the fight against

> drug trafficking, are widely unpopular in Latin America.

>

> In Brazil, trade unionists and leftist movements, including the

> Workers Party (PT) of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, planned

> more protests during Bush's stay.

>

> The White House downplayed the protests.

>

> " The president enjoys traveling to thriving democracies where freedom

> of speech and expression is the law of the land, " said Gordon

> Johndroe, a White House spokesman.

>

> " He brings a positive agenda that will demonstrate the benefits of

> democracy in such areas as economy, health, education, housing for

> Brazilians as well as all the citizens of the hemisphere, " Johndroe

said.

>

> In addition to Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, Bush will visit Guatemala

> and Mexico during his trip, which ends on Wednesday.

>

> In Sao Paulo, he was scheduled to meet Lula on Friday to discuss trade

> and a partnership on the production and use of ethanol, an alternative

> fuel. The two countries are the world's biggest ethanol producers.

>