El Salvador--US Embassy warns voters

[Aidoneus]

EL SALVADOR
US Embassy warns voters
LADB. Aug 21, 2003

Ambassador says political rise of the FMLN has “generated concern.”

The US Embassy reacted quickly to recent polls showing that the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) was projected to win in El Salvador’s presidential elections on March 21, 2004. Outgoing US Ambassador Rose Likens told the press that the FMLN has "generated concern."

She said that the FMLN’s "holding up Cuba, China or Vietnam as a model or speaking of an end to privatizations when there are US companies that have invested in developing key sectors of national life could endanger investment."

The ruling Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) and President Francisco Flores are sinking fast in the esteem of the electorate (LP, April 9, 2003). Analysts say Likens is feeding the right’s fear not only of an FMLN win, but also that Jorge Schafik Handal, "a former communist," may be the next president.

Likens declined to comment on Handal. "I’m not going to mention specific names. Perhaps it is better to speak now, before the candidates are chosen, to make clear the basis of our relationship. We want the voters to decide, keeping in mind the current factors. Maintaining good relations is in all our interests," she said.

Pressing the point, Likens said, "Salvadorans have the right to decide what they want, but we also have to react on the basis of what happens in March 2004." She sharpened that point in another interview with a local newspaper, saying, "It will be the voters who decide, but I want them to do it having all the factors present."

Likens cautioned that her appraisal should not be taken as coercion. "I’m speaking in a sincere and honest way, simply reflecting reality," she said. "I have no intention of giving instructions."

--snip--

http://www.lapress.org/article.asp?IssCode=&lanCode=1&artCode=3447

..."should not be taken as coercion"...right, and they should believe that, since the GOTUS has such a long history of fair, peaceful, and non-violent involvement in El Salvador and its neighbors.........

[IndianaGreen]

1. Is Jeb Bush going to fly to El Salvador with a suitcase full of money?

Is Jeb Bush going to fly to El Salvador with a suitcase full of money, as he did in 2001 when the Bush regime feared a Sandinista victory in neighboring Nicaragua?

Latin America is not an American colony, and Latin Americans are not some taco eating sub-human species that exist solely to provide cheap labor and natural resources to their greedy Norhtern neighbors.

Not surprising that Bush supports the criminal gang of ARENA, a party founded by the late leader of Salvadoran death squads, and School of the Americas graduate (and Hitler admirer), Roberto D'Aubissson.

When it comes to schooling terrorists, the United States is second to none!

[bemildred]

2. It would seem like a fine time to tell Uncle Sugar to shove off.

Much too busy elsewhere, going broke, with bigger fish to
fry in Latin American should resources ever permit. Of course
some tricks are sure to be tried.

A certain desire to talk about someplace other than Iraq,
someplace close and "predictable" like Latin America, is
evident in our ruling elites these last few weeks, too. Suddenly
the media focus on Iraq is losing enthusiasm, we hear of Venezuela,
El Salvador, Cuba.

I'm still wondering if Shrubbo will make it through to the
election in 2004, things aren't going to get any better, he topped
out last Spring. It is kind of fun to watch these bozos start to
thrash around on the hook, although the continuing litany of dead
people takes some of the enjoyment out of it.