Argentine Leader Rebukes US Over Cash

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Argentine Leader Rebukes US Over Cash
By BILL CORMIER – 2 hours ago

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina's new president reacted angrily Thursday to U.S. charges that a suitcase full of Venezuelan cash seized by customs was intended to finance her campaign, calling it an example of "garbage in international politics."

President Cristina Fernandez also suggested that anyone who might think a female president is more easily influenced is wrong.

The disclosure came Wednesday in a Miami court hearing for a criminal complaint against four men arrested and charged with being illegal Venezuelan agents who attempted a cover-up.

U.S. prosecutors said a suitcase filled with nearly $800,000 was a campaign contribution to Fernandez, who was inaugurated this week as Argentina's first popularly elected female president. They said recorded conversations of those involved indicate the scheme reached to the highest levels of the Venezuelan government.



Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jmDreK882x_o5PwYM73brgpbWPZwD8TGMQFG0

[Judi Lynn]

1. Bush is already trying to tell the Argentinian President how to govern:

Thursday, December 13, 2007
President Nestor Kirchner administration was a “success” in pulling Argentina out from the 2001/02 collapse but President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner must take the following step and that is making Argentina again “an international player”, said Thomas Shannon Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

According to Buenos Aires daily Clarin Washington correspondent, Shannon who will be visiting Buenos Aires next January said that “we expect and are waiting that a strong and self confident Argentina plays an important role in the region in an important moment for South America”.

“I’ve read carefully Mrs. Kirchner speech to Congress and it’s clear she opened a space to deepen dialogue and cooperation”, said Mr. Shannon who nevertheless elegantly refused to talk about some hot spots in the region such as Venezuela, Bolivia, or Argentina’s relation with the Club of Paris.

However he does believe that the Club of Paris issue must be solved between Buenos Aires, Europe and the IMF while the US will be holding an inter-agencies dialogue (State Department, Treasury, National Security Council, etc) to discuss the official position. “I prefer sending a positive signal to Cristina’s government”, he admits.

Argentina can play an important role in the world’s agenda, (arms proliferation, terrorism, Middle East) “because a successful Argentina is a promoter of democracy and stability for the region. She could play a very important role in the Andean countries that are going through historic, when not turbulent moments” underlined Shannon.

More:
http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=12135&formato=HTML

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

President Fernandez has _Bush's number. She called him out in her inaguration address:

President Fernandez criticized the U.S. allegations in an appearance at the presidential palace, with a thinly veiled reference to the United States.

"This shows how others view international politics and the type of relationship they want to have with other countries," she said. "More than friends, they want countries that work for them."

Best wishes to the new President, and may she be completely prepared for the filthy behavior of this unelected American pResident.

[Peace Patriot]

2. Read Donald Rumsfeld, who virtually declares war on Venezuela...

...in WaPo, 12/1/07, for a fuller understanding of this story. The Rumsfeld op-ed is sort of the PNAC "smoking gun" for South America.


The Smart Way to Beat Tyrants Like Chávez, by Donald Rumsfeld
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113001800.html

Discussion:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x323889

-------------------

I'm glad to see President Fernandez and other Argentinian and Venezuelan officials fighting back against this goddamned U.S.-corporate-fascist crap that is has been going on for five decades and more, against democracy and independence for South Americans. Enough! ENOUGH!

[arcos]

3. K&R...

Way to go Señora Presidenta! :woohoo:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. Señora Presidente. "Presidente" doesn't flex for gender.

This post brought to you by the Spanish Language Nazi. All rights reserved.

[arcos]

9. Actually both are correct...

But I definitely prefer Presidenta, precisely because it describes it's actually a female President.

Of course, in Costa Rica we are kind of PC regarding gender, so generally it is spoken of abogados y abogadas, ciudadanos y ciudadanas, niños y niñas... you get the point. In other countries it is more common to keep the male form of the word and just change the article... la médico, la abogado, la presidente.

[T_i_B]

4. Kirchner denies illegal funding

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7143043.stm

Argentina's new president has firmly denied allegations by US prosecutors that Venezuela tried to illegally influence her election campaign.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said the charges were a "trashing operation" and she would let no-one pressure her.

Her comments came hours after four South Americans were charged in Miami with trying to cover up the scandal.

It began with the confiscation in Argentina in August of a briefcase containing $800,000 (£392,000). The US authorities said their investigation demonstrated that the money was intended for Ms Fernandez's presidential campaign.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Hope a lot of people recall that another attempt by Bush's regime to frame some people in Miami

ended Thursday or Friday without the prosecution getting the convictions it wanted. They set up some poor men, planted a provocateur/agent among them, had him offer these very poor people money to develope terrorist plans, money, and clothing, boots, cars, etc., and they went along with him in hopes of getting the money they desperately needed, without EVER coming up with any real plans of their own. The jury apparently saw through this and did not return the guilty verdicts the _Bush Justice Department was desperate to get, after heralding the story as a great triumph against Islamic terrorism.

From the terrific article posted by Thankfully_in_Britain, some energizing information:

In a speech in the capital Buenos Aires, President Fernandez said she remained undeterred in her desire to deepen relations with other Latin American countries and Venezuela in particular.

"This way of trying to operate in regional politics will not be successful," she said.

"They will not achieve results. This president may be a woman, but she will not allow anyone to pressure her."

Though she did not mention the US by name, correspondents say she was clearly referring to Washington.
(snip)

Beautiful seeing this new President is NOT going to take this in the shorts from _Bush, and she definitely saw him coming. She's got his filthy number.

[Judi Lynn]

7. L.A.Times: Argentina, ally lambaste charges of campaign plot

Argentina, ally lambaste charges of campaign plot

The president says a case linking cash to her is a U.S. bid to derail ties with Venezuela.
By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 14, 2007

BUENOS AIRES -- Argentine and Venezuelan officials on Thursday angrily denounced a U.S. criminal case linking a suitcase full of cash from Caracas to the campaign of newly installed Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Although opposition leaders here demanded an investigation, the government came out swinging against what officials termed a U.S. operation to undermine Argentina and its alliance with Venezuela.

In unusually harsh tones, Fernandez likened the saga to an American B movie, labeled the matter "garbage" and charged that Washington prefers lackeys to respected partners in international relations.
(snip)

Some of her allies suggested that the case marked a return of Cold War-style dirty tricks.

"This appears like a typical operation of the CIA or the FBI from the '60s and '70s that were used to destabilize and overthrow Latin American governments," said Sen. Miguel Angel Pichetto, who heads the Senate's pro-government bloc.

More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-suitcase14dec14,1,1934233.story?coll=la-news-a_section

[Toots]

8. US Officials have lost credibility due to the Bush* Cabal

No one can believe anything the USA says. So many LIES have been spread by our government that it is impossible to believe anything at this stage. I don't know if that perception can ever be reversed..

[0007]

10. A very pretty lady indeed

[Lint Head]

11. Very.

[Doctor_J]

12. I have an Argentino friend who said that if * were to go

there he'd be lucky to make it out. It's really astounding how much he and his Nazis are despised around the world.

[Judi Lynn]

13. That's great to hear! You recall his triumphal tour of Latin America last year.

He appears to have been hated in each country he visited. Remember the Mayan priests in Guatemala who made a straight line to the temple he visited, in order to provide a "purifying ceremony" to rid the place of truly lethal vibes he scatters wherever he goes.

What you say is important in light of _Bush's designs to destroy the growing unity among the South American nations.