U.S. Congressman José
E. Serrano criticized U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's
statements made during the Secretary's recent visit to Paraguay.
According to the Paraguayan daily ABC, Rumsfeld told President Nicanor
Duarte "in diplomatic terms, the U.S. has the perception that
[Venezuelan President] Chavez is a destabilizing factor for emerging
democracies in South America."
Rumsfeld said that the governments of Cuba and Venezuela have been
involved in Bolivia in "unhelpful ways," suggesting that
the recent political unrest in Bolivia was not a genuine local rebellion
but instigated by outsiders.
Congressman Serrano called Rumsfeld's comments "baseless".
"Secretary Rumsfeld is following the careless and dangerous
line that this administration has always held on Cuba, though now
they have added Venezuela to their equation" said Serrano.
"For the past five decades we blamed Cuba every time impoverished
people in Latin America were upset with their governments and did
something about it. Now the formula is that Cuba and Venezuela are
to blame," he said.
|
"When will we realize
that it is these people's unmet needs at the root of their discontent,
and not the agitation of other nations? The real causes of these
uprisings are problems like hunger, lack of employment and inadequate
educational opportunities. If this administration is serious about
stemming discontent in Latin America and around the world, the solution
is to respect our Latin American neighbors and to provide social
and economic aid to the people. The administration's 'solution'
of blanket condemnations and skewed trade agreements will never
work," the lawmaker added.
Serrano asked the Bush Administration to stop the attacks on Venezuela.
"The truth of the matter is that the Bush Administration is
unhappy that the people of Venezuela democratically elected a president
who does not pledge full allegiance to American interests. Therefore
they cannot resist attacking President Hugo Chavez every chance
they get and blaming him for every development in the region that
they dislike. Again, it is time for these false statements and innuendos
to stop," he said.
Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is in a three-day tour of Latin America
in an attempt to counteract the growing influence in Latin America
of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whom the U.S. government describes
as "a negative force". This is Rumsfeld's third trip to
Latin America in just 10 months.
|
U.S.
Congressman Serrano Blasts Rumsfeld's Statements on Venezuela and
Cuba's Role in Latin America