Reply #1: Thanks for the photos! So much pain! It's hard to fathom! [View All]

[Peace Patriot]

Those who have recovered from these horrors, and are working for a better future, are much to be admired.

It's something how many of the current leftist leaders suffered imprisonment and/or torture, and/or loss of family members to torture and murder, exile and other persecution. Let's make a list:

Michele Batchelet, president of Chile
--father was tortured daily for 7 months and died in prison of heart failure; she and her mother were imprisoned and tortured, and then exiled--all compliments of the USA's dictator, Pinochet

Carolina Tohá, her chief presidential aide
--lost her father to torture and murder by Pinochet

Lula da Silva, president of Brazil
--spent a month in prison under the US-supported military dictatorship

Jose Mujica, new president of Uruguay
--14 years in a military prisoner including 2 years at the bottom of a well--compliments of the USA

Fernando Lugo, president of Paraguay
--uncle persecuted and exiled; father imprisoned 20 times, elder siblings exiled; he himself banned from Paraguay for 2 years--by US supported dictator

Evo Morales, president of Bolivia
--jailed and beaten nearly to death for his coca farmer union activities; 5 supporters killed on his farm by the DEA (U.S. "war on drugs")

Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua
--mother jailed by US-supported Somoza dictatorship; one brother killed by the Contras; arrested at 15 for political activities; jailed again by Somoza, released in a prisoner exchange.

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Am I leaving anyone out? Chavez spent two years in jail, but he never claimed it was unfair. He apologized for his part in an armed rebellion against a murderous (US supported) rightwing regime, when he was a young officer, and became a hero in jail. There are likely many cabinet ministers, legislators and other office holders in the many leftist governments that now blanket Latin America, who suffered from US-supported rightwing juntas, whom I don't know about.

It's a wonder that these leaders don't hate the US, but they really don't. They seem to know what we, the people, here are up against, and how little power we have over what our government does.