MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

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  GeoffWard

  It would seem that regional groups across South America are realising that they can hold up and hold to ransome major economic projects and programmes.
  The rationale is to win in regional politics, to win 'development' resources for the region, and use all 'indigenous' arguments to support 'the cause'.
  
  In this Argentinean potassium mining case, as in the case of the cancelled Peruvian hydroelectric projects, it is easy to postpone, cancel, and vacillate, because the projects are 'Brasilian'.
  
  Smile the smile of the friend, but cut the Achilles of the most successful player on the block wherever possible.
  After all . . . . this is South America.

  Jun 26th, 2011 - 12:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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  LloydCata

  Vale was itself a neoliberal theft from the people of Brazil when it was “privatized for a pittance”. The people of Brazil still have not forgotten and Vale is held to higher standard being such a lightening rod for “indigenous issues”.
  
  Maybe it is with some influence from Brazil Workers Party(PT) that the labor laws are upheld, but this is surely only the first of incidents where corporate management must not treat workers and conditions with impunity.
  
  Too bad workers in North America are finding such hard times, and have not progressed economically or politically for 40 years. Constantly under pressure from US-sponsored oligarchs and now politically and judicially pressured to give up their rights.
  
  I look forward to the day that when the workers and the “indigenous peoples” join together for economic and political justice.

  Jun 26th, 2011 - 01:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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