Paraguay to reverse support for Taiwan at U.N.

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Paraguay to reverse support for Taiwan at U.N.
By Pedro Servin
ASSOCIATED PRESS

10:04 a.m. September 1, 2008

ASUNCION, Paraguay – Paraguay will reverse its historic support for Taiwan at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, and also is reconsidering its relations with communist regimes.

President Fernando Lugo said his government wants to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries of similar interests.

“Paraguay's foreign policy will be independent under my government and will not accept conditions,” Lugo said in a local television interview Sunday.

Paraguay, the last South American country to recognize Taiwan, has supported the island since 1957, voting every year in support of resolutions to admit Taiwan to the assembly. Nations that recognize Taiwan don't have diplomatic relations with communist China, which considers the island a renegade province.



Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20080901-1004-paraguay-taiwan.html

[msongs]

1. the chinese dictatorship buys another friend lol - what happened to self-determination? nt

[Peace Patriot]

11. It's a declaration of independence from the U.S.--the sole threat to

Latin American democracy, sovereignty, peace and well-being.

So, too, Lugo's intention to visit and have normal relations with Cuba.

China poses no threat to Latin America. Nor does Cuba. The U.S. is the only country that sponsors violent rightwing military coups in Latin America (most recently Venezuela, 2002), supports rich white separatists who want to secede from Bolivia, and take the gas and oil reserves with them (on-going, 2008), lards $6 BILLION in military aid onto the fascist thugs and drug traffickers running Colombia, runs a gulag prison on the other end of the island of Cuba where helpless prisoners are tortured and dragged before military tribunals, provides immunity for Chiquita in that corpo's use of death squads in Colombia to "take care of their labor problem," and is constantly plotting and scheming and pouring billions of our tax dollars into undermining, destabilizing and toppling democratic, social justice governments wherever they arise in the southern half of the hemisphere, as well as perpetrating savage exploitation of Latin American resources and peoples, through the World Bank/IMF and U.S.-dominated "free trade."

And that's just in the last decade.

Opening trade with China, Cuba or with whomever they damn please is an act of sovereignty against U.S. bullying and dictation. And the South Americans in particular have made clear that they are NOT going to submit to that dictation any longer. When the U.S.-Bush sent word to South American leaders that they must "isolate" Hugo Chavez, for instance, the president of Argentina, Nestor Kirchner, replied, "But he is my brother!" Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, made a pointed visit to Venezuela, on the eve of the 2006 presidential election (which Chavez won with 63% of the vote), in defiance of these dictates from Washington, and more recently said, of Chavez: "You can criticize Chavez on a lot of things, but not on democracy." None of them will tolerate this interference any longer. Honduras just spit in Washington's eye and joined the Bolivarian trade group, ALBA. And even the rightwing corpo president of Mexico publicly lectured Bush on the SOVEREIGNTY of Latin American countries, using Venezuela as an example. (This was 2006, and what Latin American leaders knew, at that time--that our people never heard about--was that the Bushites were still trying to topple and/or assassinate Chavez with yet another U.S.-Bush backed coup attempt.)

They will not tolerate this U.S. bullying, dictation and interference in Latin America, and they will not tolerate it in Latin American relations with other parts of the world--whether with China, Russia, Africa, the Middle East or anywhere else.

Yes, Paraguay's new president declaring an independent Paraguayan foreign policy toward Taiwan, China, Cuba and other countries, is SELF-DETERMINATION. They get to make their own evaluation of the pro's and con's of trade with these and all countries, apart from Bush Cartel and U.S. interests. Your attempt to describe this as submission to a dictatorial system (China's) is the exact opposite of the truth.

[sushi]

23. I think it's great

when countries stand up for themselves. They can no longer be dictated to. Unless it's small and right next to a big and powerful country it used to be a part of. Georgia!

[ckramer]

2. What took them so long to smarten up?

Idiots.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Until the current President was inaugurated last week, the country was controlled for 61 years

straight by the fascist Colorado Party, and maintained for 35 of those years by a torture-loving, people disappearing fascist dictator Alfredo Stroessner who apparently seemed just fine by the U.S. Republican Presidents and the corporate media, who NEVER criticised him or his barbaric behavior.

Thumbnail look at Stroessner:

ALFREDO STROESSNER
President of Paraguay

Alfredo Stroessner seized power in Paraguay in 1954. European correspondents who visited Paraguay during his rule used the term the "poor man's Nazi regime" to describe the Paraguayan government. Of German descent, Stroessner was a great admirer of Nazism, and this showed not only in the refuge he offered to many Nazi war criminals, such as Joseph Mengele, but also in his ruthless methods.

From the Nazis the Paraguayan military learned the art of genocide. The native Ache Indians were in the way of progress, progress represented by American and European corporations who planned to exploit the nation's forests, mines, and grazing lands. The Indians were hunted down, parents killed, and children sold into slavery. Survivors were herded into reservations headed by American fundamentalist missionaries, some of whom had participated in the hunts.

Between 1962 and 1975, Paraguay received $146 million in U.S. aid. Paraguayan officials seemingly wanted more, however, for in 1971, high ranking members of the regime were implicated in the Marseilles drug ring, with Paraguay their transfer point for shipments from France to the US. In the 1980s, America finally condemned Paraguayan civil rights abuses and drug trafficking. Stroessner still looked as if he'd be dictator for life, but in 1988 one of his closest generals, Andres Rodriguez, a known drug dealer, took over after a coup. Rodriguez promised to restore democracy, and President Bush called the 1989 elections a democratic opening, but opponents declared them a massive fraud. Rodriguez's Colorado party won 74% of the vote. Stroessner took refuge in Brasilia, Brazil. He still lives there, in comfort.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/US_ThirdWorld/dictators.html

~~~~~~~~~
Relating to the abuse Paraguay's government heaped upon the indigenous people mentioned above, new President Fernando Lugo has appointed a former slave, a woman sold 4 times after being taken as a child and forced into slavery to four families, Margarita Mbywangi, as his cabinet minister in charge of indigenous citizens' affairs:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/19/paraguay?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews

[sushi]

24. Interesting!

A former bishop is the new president of Paraguay. Does that mean they won't have a first lady?
I mean bishops aren't allowed to marry, right? (I can be so ignorant!)

It's great that he gave a former slave, who is studying for a high school diploma, a seat in his cabinet. She sounds like the right person to handle indigenous citizens' affairs.

[INDIA]

5. Did you eat the dog in your Avatar image? n/t

[sushi]

6. They woke up to reality

Finally! Better late than never.

[Festivito]

3. Oddly, they were the deciding vote in accepting Israel.

Not that they are the deciding vote here. Just and odd piece of history.

[sushi]

7. So who is left now

supporting Taiwan? Does Taiwan have oil?

[Doctor Cynic]

12. No, but you're staring at something made in Taiwan.

[sushi]

17. LOL! I'm sure you're right!

Just about everything is made by the Chinese, Taiwan or mainland. Oh, my sewing machine and overlocker are Swiss-made. I don't know how western countries can prevent the jobs going overseas unless people are willing to earn less.

[Peace Patriot]

15. I don't know who is left now supporting the U.S. in the Taiwan debate,

but I would recommend Asia Times as a good place to find out. It is an awesomely informative and well-written news/opinion site, mostly about the intersection of Asia/U.S. issues.

Here's an internal Asia Times google on Taiwan (lots of enticing articles):

%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.atimes.com%3BLP%3A1%3BFORID%3A1%3B&hl=en&sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atimes.com&q=taiwan&domains=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.atimes.com&sa.x=12&sa.y=12&sa=Search

I think the question that this OP raises is "who's left now" in Latin America supporting U.S. policies of any kind. Here's the independence line-up:

South America:

Venezuela - very independent
Ecuador - very independent
Bolivia - very independent
Argentina - very independent
Uruguay - very independent
Paraguay - off to a great start on being very independent
Brazil - very independent on some important issues
Chile - somewhat independent on some important issues
Peru - very messed up by U.S. 'free trade'; will elect an independent (leftist) gov't soon
Colombia - U.S/Bush Cartel client state - no independence (extremely corrupt; rightwing death squads running rampant)

Central America/Caribbean:

Nicaragua - heading toward independence (leftist gov't elected; Bolivaran ally)
Honduras - just kicked Uncle Sam in the nuts by joining Boliviaran trade group, ALBA
El Salvador - will elect an independent (leftist) gov't next year
Guatemala - just elected first semi-independent, progressive gov't, ever
Costa Rica - sold away its independence with CAFTA (delusional progressive gov't)
Mexico - came within a hairsbreadth of electing an independent (leftist) gov't recently; will do so in the next election
Dominican Republic - democratic, good regional diplomacy, not sure about politics
Panama - overrun by U.S. military
Haiti - Bushite coup evicted the elected leftist gov't (disastrous poverty and brutality; a mess) - no independence

Cuba - very independent (social justice gov't, without political democracy)

-----

The Bush junta has "lost" South America, as they say. Its many leftist governments are now acting independently of the U.S. and its Corpo interests, and are swiftly moving toward a South American "Common Market" (without the U.S.). This is how/why a small country like Paraguay, with no major resources or economic clout, can--with an independent (leftist) government--stick it to the U.S. on Taiwan, China, Cuba and all else. It has friends. It is surrounded by countries with well-established, strong, democratic, leftist governments (Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay) and is allied with the rest (Venezuela, for instance, upon Lugo's inauguration, pledged "all the oil" Paraguay needs for development). This is also how/why a country like Honduras--the toilet that John Negroponte's death squads crapped in, on their way to slaughter leftists in Nicaragua and El Salvador, in the 1980s--and which the Bushwhacks left in a state of devastation, could suddenly rebel, last week, and join the way leftists of the ALBA trade group (Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Cuba).

South America is not knuckling under on Iraq, Iran, Cuba, Georgia, U.S. Corpo exploitation, the corrupt, failed, murderous U.S. "war on drugs," or anything else. U.S. domination is over in South America (except for fascist Colombia). And Central America is the next region that is going to be "lost" to U.S. dictation.

[sushi]

18. Thanks for all that info and the link

I copied your post. I wonder what the people of Venezuela think about Hugo Chavez giving away so much oil to other countries.

Things are changing in the world. I remember reading a speech by President Clinton in which he said the US must get used to no longer being the only one at the top before too long, with China joining you soon (something like that).
I read that China sides with Russia, and is quietly getting more influential in Africa, but Taiwan is not Tibet.

[sushi]

8. Judi Lynn

If I may ask, are you THE Judi Lynn from that Elian Gonzalez board? I was in that, but I can't remember my name there.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Sure! Good old CNN's message boards. Geez! I wish you remembered your old name.

What a crazy place!

No one was half-way on that board, by god! You either were wildly in favor of allowing the kid to go home or you were wildly agaist it! Wow. I loved it.

Very cool to hear from you.

[sushi]

10. I think I used letters and numbers

Is that board still going? Who knows, there are others here.
Anyway, Hi!!! I think I used three letters and 2 numbers. I wonder where Elian is now.

So, do you know who is left supporting Taiwan? Isn't there an agreement between the US and Taiwan that the US would defend Taiwan against attack by mainland China?

[Judi Lynn]

13. CNN closed all its message boards in 2000. I think they were starting to dislike having so many

Democrats writing material on _{George W. Bush} which was negative. It seemed very much like censorship when they opened their "Campaign 2000" message board, which was absolutely boiling hot with arguments and a whole lot of people who disliked _Bush all the way back then. It seemed they may have decided to pull the plug when it appeared there were far MORE anti-_Bush posters than was flattering to a news site.

Elián Gonzalez is still in school in Cuba, in his hometown, Matanzas. He will be 16 years old this December. Here's the only photo I can find in a jiffy:



As for the agreement between _Bush and Taiwan, I'm not fully aware of what that arrangement is, exactly. He appears to be a staunch supporter, but I'm sure he's capable of anything, at any time. I wouldn't look trust him 100% if I were someone in Taiwan, even though he has issued various threats about China making any aggressive moves in Taiwan's general direction.

I'm not sure which countries support Taiwan. Paraguay's earlier support for Taiwan was established by the Nazi sympathizer, and barbaric torture-loving Stroessner.

[sushi]

16. Wow, a picture!

Two nice and healthy looking boys, but which one is Elian? Remember how our opponents claimed Elian would suffer if he went home?

Yes, I do remember reading about that agreement. Maybe it's been cancelled and I missed reading it. Another agreement I remember reading about is that the US will defend the Saudi royal family against those that want to overthrow them.

Can I call you JL or do you prefer Judi or both names?

[Judi Lynn]

20. Elian is the one on the right. Here's another photo of an older Elian:

He's standing with his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez.

I made a mistake about where he lives. He has always lived in Cardenas, except for the time he was detained in the States away from his closest family members.

Please call me Judi, thanks!

The monster dictator Stroessner who made the original agreement with Taiwan was a racist, genocidal maniac in a country with very MANY indigenous citizens who survived his murderous assaults on them. He in no way whatsoever spoke for the majority of his country in ANY matter he undertook during his 35 years sitting on their faces! If you haven't seen the information, he had many of the indigenous people killed, and their children were sold as slaves.

Fernando Lugo, the new President, appointed an indegeous tribal chief, a woman who was taken at four years of age, and sold as a slave to four successive families during her youth, as one of his cabinet members.

South America is reconstructing itself and finding the unity which had been destroyed during the ages the people were tortured and murdered and exploited and disrespected to the maximum by the tiny elites in their countries all over Latin America. Hope they finally get their chance at a safer, better, freer life which has been stolen from them by force all these long years.

[sushi]

22. It was right that Elian went home

Now, if he wants, he can go overseas. He can, right? Or is it still difficult to leave Cuba? Talk about Cuba, I haven't read anything about Fidel Castro for months.

[Doctor Cynic]

14. Basically no one.

Only a few Pacific Island states still recognize the Republic of China. The Republic and the People's Republic have been bribing those countries for their recognition, and right now Beijing is finishing the world off.

As for the second question, yes, but the social and economic links between the two are getting too strong.

Everyone ambitious in Taiwan dreams of starting a business in the mainland. Just in Shanghai there are 200,000 Taiwanese residents. Think about it.

[sushi]

19. It's silly, actually

to be recognized by only a few Pacific Island states, and the US. I think the time will come when Taiwan joins the people's republic. They ARE the same people, and like you said, many Taiwanese are already residing in mainland China.
Have you been to China? We have only been to Hongkong a few times. Great place to shop and eat! Like Singapore.

[pampango]

21. I agree that Taiwan will peacefully join mainland China at some point. Their economic

systems are becoming more and more similar, not the stark differences of a few decades ago.

As China's political system evolves over the next 10 to 20 years, the political cultures will become more similar as well. Of course, politicians could always mess this up by wanting to make things happen more quickly and using force. Let's hope not.

[Doctor Cynic]

25. Yes, a lot.

In fact I lived in a small town in the middle of nowhere for a while, and I lived in Hong Kong for a long time.

Not even the US "officially" recognizes Taiwan. There are only "unofficial" links: no embassy, but there are Economic and Cultural Offices.

We'll have to wait for the Communists to give up power before any reunification can proceed, obviously. And it won't be pretty.

[Judi Lynn]

26. Indian Gov't considers use of Paraguay for growing food: "Govt, India Inc plan to farm land abroad"

Govt, India Inc plan to farm land abroad
3 Sep, 2008, 1144 hrs IST,G Ganapathy Subramaniam, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Contributing their bit to the global Indian takeover, the government and India Inc plan to buy sizeable land abroad for cultivation. Seen as a long-term answer to keep prices of farm products under control, the grand plan envisages acquisition of large tracts of land in neighbouring countries like Myanmar and far off places like Paraguay. Canada and Australia are the other countries under consideration. The ministry of external affairs has suggested that purchase of land for cultivation should cover Africa, too.

Having discussed various proposals for overseas land acquisition at a top-level meeting, the government is also planning to revisit restrictions on investing abroad. Liberal rules would help Indian companies and public sector organisations to purchase land abroad for cultivation. The crop grown in these farms would then be shipped to India. The current focus is on pulses and oilseeds. Highly-placed sources said 10,000 hectares has already been identified in Paraguay, at $4,000 per hectare, for soyabean cultivation. Proposals have also come from Brazil and Argentina, where the price of farm land is around $6,000 per hectare.

The Solvent Extractors Association has identified land in Paraguay and has approached the Exim Bank for financing the deal. The acquisition in Paraguay is estimated to cost around Rs 200 crore. Interestingly, the move comes at a time when a major controversy is brewing over acquisition of farm land in the country for industrial development.

The government-run State Trading Corporation (STC) has also evinced interest in buying land overseas, the sources said. Oil companies are also exploring purchase of land in south America to produce raw material for ethanol. Officials involved think it is cheaper to buy huge tracts of land in south America or Africa. Apart from prices being high, they say, large tracts of land are not available in India, too.

More:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Agriculture/Govt_India_Inc_plan_to_farm_land_abroad/rssarticleshow/3438120.cms