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Brazil warns of “deterioration” of US relations with South America

Monday, November 16th 2009 - 16:32 UTC
Full article 3 comments
Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim: who defines threats to democracy? Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim: who defines threats to democracy?

Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Celos Amorim warned that relations between United States and Latinamerica are deteriorating and called on President Barak Obama to begin a dialogue with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

”It’s possible that when President Obama concentrates on the region’s problems relations between United States and South America will have deteriorated, let’s us hope it does not happen”, said Amorim in a Sunday interview with Folha de Sao Paulo.

“Maybe Presdient Obama is too absorbed with Iraq and Afghanistan and that impedes him to concentrate in other issues”, added Amorim.

The Brazilian official insisted that the core issue of relations between the US and South America is the deployment of US forces in seven Colombian bases following on an agreement recently signed between the administration of President Obama and Colombian leader Alvaro Uribe.

“I believe the US should act with more frankness towards the region. President Lula da Silva proposed President Obama a meeting to address the issue (of US personnel in Colombian bases) but he did not accept”, said Amorim.

“These bases have triggered concern”, because the agreement “contains ambiguities, not only does it refer to combating the drugs trade, it also mentions threats to peace and democracy”, underlined Amorim who then asked, “who defines what are threats to democracy”.

Regarding Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez statements calling on the military and the civilian population to prepare for war with Colombia, Amorim argued that the Venezuelan leader “back stepped on the statement and one thing is to talk about war, a word which should not be used, and another is the practical and objective issue of the bases in Colombia”.

“Venezuela might have certain rivalry with Colombia, but Venezuela does not feel threatened by Colombia, but by United States”, said Amorim, so that is why “it is most recommended a direct dialogue between United States and Venezuela”, which will contribute to defuse tensions in the region.

Categories: Politics, Brazil, United States.

Top Comments

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  • rw94ba

    I appreciate the availability of english language commentary on the activities of our Central and South American neighbors as our local press in Canada does not provide much coverage.

    Nov 17th, 2009 - 01:27 am 0
  • Tim

    South America would be better off forgetting the United States and concentrating its efforts on building relations with China, India and other emerging economic powers. The United States is a declining empire similar to where the United Kingdom was between the First and Second World Wars. It is so absorbed with its own internal decay and self inflicted quagmires in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine that it has no time, resources, or interest to care about what is happening in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    Nov 17th, 2009 - 01:55 am 0
  • ed

    should be carefully about the US's worms in South America.

    Nov 17th, 2009 - 02:21 am 0
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