........comes from Charles Glazer, the US Ambassador to El Salvador. I've been sitting here thinking about what to say about this quote, where to start, how long I could make my diatribe. Let's just allow his words hang in the air.
"The United States does not interfere in domestic policies (of other countries)."
And then consider events of the last four decades of so in Chile, Nicaragua, Argentina, Panama Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia and my head is already spinning trying to remember the rest.
I sometimes get asked about why the USA is unpopular amongst rank and file down here. My answer is usually a variation on, "It's not hatred, it's the lack of trust. You guys up there aren't straight with the region. You lie through your teeth and then expect LatAm to trust you afterwards." Charles Glazer is just another example of this. Look, if you want to help, do deals, futher causes and all that jazz, it's ok by me. But show some basic, common respect and stop the bullshit. It's arrogant, condescending, damned boring and we've had enough of it.
I sometimes get asked about why the USA is unpopular amongst rank and file down here. My answer is usually a variation on, "It's not hatred, it's the lack of trust. You guys up there aren't straight with the region. You lie through your teeth and then expect LatAm to trust you afterwards." Charles Glazer is just another example of this. Look, if you want to help, do deals, futher causes and all that jazz, it's ok by me. But show some basic, common respect and stop the bullshit. It's arrogant, condescending, damned boring and we've had enough of it.