Since at least Saturday evening, huge transport planes have been flying in to Montevideo. Until I read the news today I didn’t connect them to George Bush’s impending visit here. Apparently he cannot travel without a dozen heavy transport planes, Naval vessels, armored vehicles, and hundreds of security personnel.
I cannot help but wonder how the run up to this “visit” is similar to Mr. Bush’s father’s “invasion” of Panama. I am certainly thankful that President Tabare Vasquez is not suspected of being a drug dealer so a redux of Panama is not likely.
You may infer from my unenthusiastic synopsis that I am less than thrilled about this visit. To that inference I stand guilty as charged: the last Connecticut Yankee that I really liked was in King Arthur’s Court…
I’m firmly convinced that Uruguay’s best future does not lie in America’s orbit–alienating one’s regional partners for temporary American friendship has rarely paid off. In my not so humble opinion, President Bush would not even think about being here if it were not for the antics of Hugo “Fidelito” Chávez.
America is a long way away. If an agreement was signed with America that would force Uruguay from Mercosur, the results would indeed be disastrous. Closed borders with Argentina and Brazil would strangle Uruguay’s economy, and I doubt the US is willing or able to stage a replay of the Berlin Airlift.
As a traditionally neutral power, Uruguay should be seeking trade ties with all the power blocs in the world, not just the Yankees.
Right on brother. I guess when you have barely a friend in the world you have to try and buy a couple. But US knows through experience how to drop them when they don’t have any need for them anymore.
Left by suomiamerican on March 6th, 2007
I don’t know much about Uruguay’s politics but it’s unfortunate there is so much influence from their much larger neighbor to the south. Argentina has been a basket case (on and off) for a hundred years with a history of socialist economics, debt defaults and arrogance– I’ve gleaned the latter attribute from reading J.L. Borges who should know. I hope Uruguay’s paper mill bid goes through and that they look to Chile instead of Argentina for economic inspiration.
Left by fiberman on March 6th, 2007
I agree 110%. I have found a number of Uy ’s that are so concerned with the state of their economy they think it will help a lot. They wish that a full trade deal will come soon. I commented that they should be very careful what they wish for! I think a safer move would be to work on EU ties. I hope that there will be such an outcry that the Government rethinks it’s idea.
Left by snowykarma on March 6th, 2007
They should work with EU, China, Mexico, Vietnam, Japan: Meat-eaters of the world unite! Unfortunately the US is a fickle, and ultimately unreliable, partner especially for a small and relatively insignificant country (economically speaking) like Uruguay.
Left by fiberman on March 7th, 2007
This came to my email and was just too cute not to post:
“Coming from Boston, I definitely don’t think Uruguay should be seeking trade ties with the Yankees, they should chose the Red Sox instead. The Red Sox like everybody. Two are from the Dominican Republic and the Sox just added two from Japan.”
–Posted by The Southron from an email he received
Left by southron on March 7th, 2007
The E.U as a trade partner! What a wonderful idea! Purveyors of the most overpriced rubbish on God’s Earth……….Alternatively, ‘continue to be bullied by Brazil and Argentina and obtain nothing from the wannabe E.U that is Mercosur that includes such lunatics as Kirchner and Chavez
Left by onredelijk on March 8th, 2007