Latin America: A huge NO to Bush's plans for Middle East

No question about it, US plans on Iraq are not welcomed in the Southern neighbor of the most powerful country of the world. The massive protest in the Capitals of all Latin American countries gathered on Saturday encouraged region's leaders to adopt a common position in the international scenario.

According to reports from Brazil, President Lula has the intention of calling on Foreign Minister summit with the participation of representatives from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil among others.

According with demonstrations' organizers, the people's response was more positive than expected. Tens of thousands met in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico DC, Montevideo, just to quote the largest protests.

In Buenos Aires, over 25.000 demonstrators gathered at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires singing defiant slogans against US President George W. Bush. "Bush, fascist, you are the terrorist" was the most popular against participants. The relevant Islamic community of Buenos Aires, artists and Human Rights' organizations led the crowd. Many people protested waving flags from several Islamic countries as Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Syria. Others claimed for peace carrying French, German and even Soviet flags.

In Montevideo, the crowd got together at the centric Cagancha Square and held protest on main city's Avenue. Rio de Janeiro was scenario of a protest that mixed anti-war slogans with Samba music; the popular Carnival is on the way.

Mexico DC also saw a multitude in the center of the city, which headed to the US Embassy to show its dislike of US foreign policy. The image repeated on every Latin American Capital as a sole voice against war.

The reaction against a possible US invasion to Iraq can be easily understood in the region only by looking at its recent history. During the last two centuries, US troops invaded Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti, Colombia, Grenada, Panama, took half of Mexico and toppled Presidents in Chile, Uruguay and Argentina.

Hernan Etchaleco PRAVDA.Ru Argentina