-Caveat Lector- ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 5:56 PM Subject: Jose SaramagO: Danger After Bush Re-election
> Nobel Laureate Saramago Warns of Danger After Bush Reelection > > By Humberto Márquez > > November 27, 2004, Inter Press Service > > http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=26451 > > CARACAS - U.S. politics over the next four years will be > rooted in patriotism and religion, an 'explosive combination' > that will require Latin Americans to 'arm themselves with > strength, courage and bravery,' according to Portuguese > writer José Samamago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for > Literature. > > Saramago spoke to writers and journalists this week in > Caracas, and used the occasion to express his views on what a > second term under U.S. President George W. Bush will mean for > the region. > > 'Things will undoubtedly be very bad for Latin America,' the > writer predicted. 'You only have to consider the ambitions > and the doctrines of the empire, which regards this region as > its backyard,' he said. > > At an earlier speaking engagement in Bogotá, Colombia, > Saramago called Bush 'the biggest liar on the planet.' He > added that if the U.S. president ever decides to focus on the > region, Latin America should tremble with fear. 'I could say > the same about Africa, but I don't want to create an > international panic,' he joked. > > Turning his attention to the rest of the world, Saramago told > his audience in Caracas that the United States will never > leave Iraq, 'because it needs to control the Middle East, the > gateway to Asia. It already has military installations in > Uzbekistan.' > > He also predicted, however, that the situation will become > more complex when new competitors emerge to challenge U.S. > power, such as China, India and perhaps Brazil. > > 'I am a person with leftist convictions, and always have > been,' said the 82-year-old writer, adding that whenever he > addresses the subject of international politics, 'I always > ask two questions, and only two: How many countries have > military bases in the United States? And in how many > countries does the United States not have military bases?' > > But he asked the journalists in Caracas a third question, to > illustrate his point. 'Can you just imagine what Bush would > say if someone like (Venezuelan) President Hugo Chávez asked > him for a little piece of land to install a military base, > even if it was way off in Alaska, and he only wanted to plant > a Venezuelan flag there?' The question provoked an outburst > of laughter from his audience. > > Saramago was in Venezuela ahead of an international congress > that will be held next month, a gathering of intellectuals in > solidarity with the process of political and social reforms > being undertaken by Chávez, which the president refers to as > a peaceful 'social revolution'. > > 'It's not that I'm pro-Chávez, nor do I believe in strongmen > or messiahs, but Hugo Chávez is someone who wants to make > changes, and he has found the way to reach straight into the > hearts and minds of the Venezuelan people,' he stated. > > Saramago also had harsh words of criticism for the Venezuelan > opposition. 'For someone like me, it is difficult to > understand these people who democratically take part in > elections and a referendum, but are then incapable of > democratically accepting the will of the people. It is an > insult to common sense, and I personally cannot comprehend > it.' > > The writer recalled that Chávez and his associates have won a > majority of votes in eight elections over the last six years > in Venezuela. These include the presidential recall > referendum on Aug. 15, when voter turnout was exceptionally > high and 59 percent of those who cast their ballots wanted > Chávez to remain as president of their country. > > Venezuela 'has had a highly troubled recent history,' noted > Saramago, adding that he hoped Chávez would be able to bring > 'this unique experience' to a successful conclusion, despite > the fact that Latin America and the Caribbean are now facing > 'four complicated years, which will be marked by tensions and > neo-colonial aspirations.' > > Chávez was unable to meet with Saramago, as he is on a > presidential tour to Russia and the Middle East. However, > Venezuelan public television provided viewers with a unique > interview with the Nobel laureate conducted by Vice President > José Vicente Rangel, formerly a prominent investigative > journalist. > > Saramago, who had just been in Rosario, Argentina to take > part in the 3rd International Congress on the Spanish > Language, emphasised that he speaks about politics 'willingly > and deliberately.' He also noted that his most recent novel, > Lucidity, is 'openly political, unlike the previous ones,' > which include Baltasar and Blimunda, The Gospel According to > Jesus Christ, and The Caves. > > Lucidity is about an imaginary city (the same one in which > his 1995 novel Blindness was set) where the majority of > voters decide to cast blank ballots. Saramago stressed that > he isn't promoting this kind of political stance, but he does > believe in the need for a 'regeneration' of democracy. > > Currently, 'it is economic power that determines political > power, and governments become the political functionaries of > economic power,' he maintained. > > What can writers do to confront this situation? 'Not much > more than any other citizen, because if they could change > things, they would have already done so. Personally, what I > try to do when I write is to get people thinking,' he said. > > 'I wouldn't like to leave this life without at least knowing > that I tried to do something,' he added. > > As to what should be done, 'I don't think there is anything > more effective than demanding and keeping a vigilant watch > over rigorous respect for human rights.' > > (c) Copyright 2004 IPS - Inter Press Service > > > _______________________________________________________ > > portside (the left side in nautical parlance) is a news, > discussion and debate service of the Committees of > Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. 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