Colombia says president has swine flu

[spotbird]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/30/AR2009083002134.html

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has contracted the H1N1 swine flu virus and is being treated by doctors, government spokesman Cesar Velasquez told local media Sunday.

Uribe is continuing with his presidential duties while being treated, he said.

Read more: Washington Post

---

In related news:

Swine flu spreading at 'unbelievable' rate: WHO

PARIS (AFP) – Swine flu spreads four times faster than other viruses and 40 percent of the fatalities are young adults in good health, the world's top health official warned in an interview appearing Saturday.

"This virus travels at an unbelievable, almost unheard of speed," World Health Organisation Director General Margaret Chan told France's Le Monde daily in an interview.

"In six weeks it travels the same distance that other viruses take six months to cover," Chan said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090829/hl_afp/healthfluwho






http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090829/hl_afp/healthfluwho

[UpInArms]

1. I don't want to be uncharitable, but

I will anyway.

I hope his healthcare sucks and he dies.

[create.peace]

2. i think wishing death to anyone is unprogressive, unliberal, and unDemocratic. just sayin'..nt

[spotbird]

3. If wishes were horses....

Harm can't be caused by wishes, nor good luck.

[create.peace]

6. i'm not even giving wishes any power, i just think it is a very

rightwing, freeper thing to say. it is hateful.

[UpInArms]

8. hang around and learn awhile, create.peace

then, come and criticize - but bring your cites, your sight and some insight to the party

[create.peace]

10. hang around and learn awhile? so you are another who thinks that

the number of posts has ANYTHING to do with one's knowledge of world politics? think again, oh wise one. i was one other sites besides DU, i read a lot and know quite a lot about what's going on and what has gone on. i think you DUers who look at the number of posts as a sign of knowledge are ridiculous and shallow.

[UpInArms]

13. wasn't the number of posts that fomented that thought, but the

naive sentiment that you expressed - seemed that you were completely unaware of the issues in Columbis

:shrug:

if you don't want to learn, the loss is everyones.

[create.peace]

18. why do you keep insisting i know nothing about SA history, uribe in particular

my cousin was living in chile when the cia overthrew allende, i had friends in the peace corps in guatemala at the beginning of the death squads there. i do know, you haven't told me anything i didn't know.

[UpInArms]

19. ...

Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone's singing Lord, kumbaya
Someone's singing Lord, kumbaya
Someone's singing Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbayah

Someone's laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's laughing, Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone's crying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's crying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's crying, Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone's praying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's praying, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's praying, Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone's sleeping, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's sleeping, Lord, kumbaya
Someone's sleeping, Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. Not desiring to wish death on someone doesn't make a person unaware of an issue

It also doesn't indicate a lack of a desire to learn.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Excuse you?

You expect cites but you supply none? :rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. She's been around a lot longer than you realize

And she has definitely had her feet in the streets, as they say.

You are being rude and condescending and there's no reason for it.

[UpInArms]

26. so you say

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlY-JlE5ZCo

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. So i know

But even if she hadn't been around, that wouldn't justify your snarky attitude.

[UpInArms]

32. so this post passes muster with you

create.peace (796 posts) Sun Aug-30-09 06:27 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. i'm not even giving wishes any power, i just think it is a very
rightwing, freeper thing to say. it is hateful.

not a freeper and I guess we should just say "that wouldn't justify your snarky attitude"

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. I agree that wishing death on anyone is a freeper behavior

It certainly doesn't fit your avatar.

[UpInArms]

38. there's just no accounting for some things

http://tcfrank.com/books/whats-the-matter-with-kansas-2/

[create.peace]

39. not that it will mean anything to you but i spent the first 50 years of my live in the bay area, and

the northwest. so don't go judging people by the state they live in....

[proud2BlibKansan]

48. You are just in an insulting mood tonight, aren't you?

Welcome to my ignore list. Bitch.

And change that avatar. You give the anti-war movement a bad name.

[Lucky Luciano]

43. upinarms - give it up - this is a losing battle for you.

You were being an ass. Fess up and move on. People will forget.

[Judi Lynn]

44. UpInArms has a clear grasp of the subject, going back years.

The rest of us are totally aware of the complete hideousness barely concealed in that twerpy little shell of a man: he's caused more suffering than should EVER be allowed anyone, anywhere, anytime.

He even stoops as low as to use his power with the terror stricken press in Colombia to target human rights workers in the country, after which they are frequently MURDERDED by is death squads which everyone knows, even Amnesty International, etc. are totally working in league with his military, going back for ages.

Only a moment's effort would illuminate this filthy fact for anyone ambitious enough to look for it.

AI Index: AMR 23/038/2006 (Public)
News Service No: 220
7 September 2006

Embargo Date: 7 September 2006 10:00 GMT

Colombia: Government gives “green light” to attacks against human rights activists

(Madrid) In a new report released today, Amnesty International criticizes the Colombian government for giving a “green light” to attacks against human rights defenders in the country and called on the international community to support local activists more effectively.

~snip~
“Attacks against human rights activists in Colombia have a double purpose: they aim to silence individuals and prevent others from continuing with their work,” said Sofia Nordenmark, Amnesty International human rights defenders coordinator.

~snip~
Luis Torres, a human rights campaigner from the community of El Salado, has represented his community before the authorities in relation to two massacres allegedly carried out by army-backed paramilitary groups. He also campaigned on the conditions for the safe return to El Salado of community members who had fled following threats from the guerilla group FARC. On 26 May 2005, he was charged with rebellion and detained. He was conditionally released on 8 June 2005. However, the investigation remains open despite obvious flaws in the evidence.

Cases received by Amnesty International also reveal that individual attacks, such as killings and threats, are part of a wider strategy to clamp down on reports of human rights violations and on the links between paramilitary groups and the army.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGAMR230382006

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. I could give a shit how much she knows about any topic

She is being an ass. Her extensive knowledge doesn't excuse her obnoxious behavior.

[UpInArms]

45. you're right, Lucky Luciano

I guess the next thing that will be expected from me is to wish Dick Cheney a long and prosperous and healthy life and all my blessings

[Lucky Luciano]

46. it is not the comment that you wished death to Uribe.

It was your condescending behavior that was not cool.

[UpInArms]

49. I guess responding to other who disparage you is "not cool"

:shrug:

[Lucky Luciano]

52. well - I would not have taken the comments from create.peace so

personally I guess. No worries.

[UpInArms]

5. guess you need to see other things to understand my lack of

progressive, liberal, and Democratic thoughts -

http://vodpod.com/watch/1076916-paramilitarism-in-colombia-1-uribe-bush-auc-killers-colombia

[create.peace]

7. i am not unaware of the vileness of this man, but if you think that his death would be enought to

end the horrible things, i believe you are wrong/

[UpInArms]

9. his death would create a void and we can hope that something

good would beat back the evil that this person has brought to this earth

[UpInArms]

11. Colombian Senator: Death Squads Met At Uribe's Ranch (Wash Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041702007.html

Wednesday, April 18, 2007


BOGOTA, Colombia, April 17 -- An opposition lawmaker on Tuesday alleged that paramilitary death squads met at the ranch of President Álvaro Uribe in the late 1980s and plotted to murder opponents, an explosive charge in a growing scandal that has unearthed ties between the illegal militias and two dozen congressmen.

Basing his accusations on government documents and depositions by former paramilitary members and military officers, Sen. Gustavo Petro said the militiamen met at Uribe's Guacharacas farm as well as ranches owned by his brother, Santiago Uribe, and a close associate, Luis Alberto Villegas.

"From there, at night, they would go out and kill people," Petro said, referring to the sprawling ranch owned by Álvaro Uribe, who served as a senator from 1986 to 1994.

The allegations, made at a congressional hearing on the "para-politics" scandal, were vigorously denied by the government. In a rebuttal, Interior Minister Carlos Holguín said that all manner of rumors have arisen about Uribe's farm.

Holguín said Petro had "abused" his position by using court documents selectively to make his points and was trying to portray Colombia "as a country of assassins, a country of paramilitaries." And he wondered aloud why Petro was not so aggressive about unearthing links between politicians and leftist guerrillas, noting that Petro had been a member of the M-19 rebel movement until his election to Congress in 1991.

...lots more...

that was in case you needed a US news site to understand how awful this breathing piece of human garbage is

[create.peace]

12. you are incredible, you stoop to educate ME? i am no

johnny-come-lately to politics and don't need you to google shit for me.

[UpInArms]

14. well, bless your heart!

google for yourself, dearie!

[create.peace]

16. go, dearie, yourself!nt

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[spotbird]

15. Not much point in that. nt

[Judi Lynn]

25. Thanks for posting this. I'm still stunned the Washington Post has admitted any of this has happened

You really don't expect them to even bring up the subject, considering how rigidly, and consistantly they have supported right-wing interests (exploitation, suppression of democracy) in Latin America.

[UpInArms]

29. thanks Judi Lynn - I thought the WP

would never even come near this particular subject

[Judi Lynn]

41. It's a fluke. If I'm not mistaken, some of us in the Latin America forum discussed this article,

wondering what was behind it, thinking it might mean Uribe is losing his backing in Washington. You remember he did start toying with the idea of getting his Senate to go through the steps again of changing their constitution to give him access to running for another term (his party BRIBED Senators last time, as verified through testimony, and a prison sentence for one of the Senators) and since it's too easy to own Colombian Presidents, they are essentially a dime a dozen. You also recall there have been multiple LEFTIST Presidential candidates who have been assassinated. (Small detail.)

Washington Post is TOTALLY behind all pro-Washington-control of all Latin America's natural resources, and the rapturous opportunity to take adavantage of all the poor people and put them to work in sweatshops, mines, oil extraction, even Coca Cola, not to mention all the banana companies, etc. So is Uribe, but then, so is the next Colombian President who will probably be his current Defense Secretary, Juan Manuel Santos, whose family owns Colombia's largest newspaper, El Tiempo and whose cousin is Uribe's Vice President. It's just such a happy death-squad loving puppet family there.

[UpInArms]

47. here's another that barely made the US press:

U.S. Threat Is a Blow to Colombia's Easy Terms for Death Squads

Published: July 7, 2005

BOGOTÁ, Colombia, July 6 - Colombia's new law to demobilize paramilitary death squads suffered a serious blow this week when lawmakers in Washington threatened to block aid money President Álvaro Uribe's government needs to put the law into effect.

The powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, incensed that Colombia had approved a law its members see as highly beneficial for paramilitary commanders, said Congress would not finance a disarmament of paramilitary fighters unless Colombia guaranteed the group's complete dismantling while moving to extradite key commanders.

Those conditions, though, are unlikely to be met under the framework of the legislation, called the Justice and Peace Law, approved by Colombia's Congress on June 22. The law offers the paramilitaries loopholes that the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and some members of the United States Congress say will permit commanders to avoid extradition on drug trafficking charges, keep their ill-gotten gains and ensure that part of their army remains intact.

The guidelines in the Senate Appropriations Committee, which were made public on Tuesday and are legally binding on the foreign appropriations bill the Congress will pass this fall, could jeopardize Mr. Uribe's plans because Colombia is hoping the United States will finance much of the disarmament of up to 20,000 fighters. Colombia has not made a formal request for the money, but the authorities here say $8,000 is needed per paramilitary member, up to $160 million.

"The issue is to send a message to the Colombian government, and our government, that we're serious about wanting to fund something that's going to be effective," said a senior Republican aide in Congress who works on Colombia policy. "What's been passed by the Colombian legislative body just won't provide for an effective demobilization."

The Senate committee is not closing the door to financing, but is leaving it to Mr. Uribe, the Bush administration's closest ally in Latin America, to take steps to change the legislation, which he has yet to sign.

In recent months, Mr. Uribe has received harsh criticism of the paramilitary disarmament from senior American lawmakers. "The intent is to reaffirm the standards, saying if you want help from Washington, here are the standards," said José Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director of Human Rights Watch.

The aid is important because Mr. Uribe's government expects little help from the Europeans or the United Nations, which are opposed to the law. "It would mean it would have to come out of Colombia's coffers, and they don't have the money for this kind of thing," said Adam Isacson, a military analyst in Washington.

The law is a cornerstone of Mr. Uribe's efforts to demonstrate here and abroad that Colombia is doing something to curtail a paramilitary army that has killed thousands in its war against leftist rebels.

But the Appropriations Committee, noting the paramilitaries have been listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department, called on Colombia to extradite paramilitary commanders. Several are sought by American prosecutors, but Mr. Uribe told the Voice of America on Friday that "in some cases, extraditions will have to be suspended."

...more...

I wish I had more time to spend in the Latin America forum - it really is a point of interest for me.

:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

56. Oh, my god. This leaves you caught between needing to cry, to laugh with disbelief, and to vomit!

That little jerk wanted to get the US taxpayers to bankroll the pretend demobilization of his death squad members, while allowing their leaders to keep property, including HOMES and FARMS of campesinos, and the money they made from narcotrafficking, etc.

Do you think they were asked to turn in their chainsaws they used to cut up living people in front of their family and neighbors? Nah, sentimental value, no doubt! From the article:

The guidelines in the Senate Appropriations Committee, which were made public on Tuesday and are legally binding on the foreign appropriations bill the Congress will pass this fall, could jeopardize Mr. Uribe's plans because Colombia is hoping the United States will finance much of the disarmament of up to 20,000 fighters. Colombia has not made a formal request for the money, but the authorities here say $8,000 is needed per paramilitary member, up to $160 million.

Those paras already have formed new units with new names, the most notorious new one being Aguilas Negras, "Black Eagles," and they've been busy making up for any assassinations, tortures, etc. they may have missed during the brief reshuffling of the death squads.

http://www.ictj.org.nyud.net:8090/images/content/9/8/988.jpg

Child's painting

http://images.huffingtonpost.com.nyud.net:8090/2008-12-04-fernandoboteromasacre.jpg

Colombian painter, Fernando Botero's artwork



http://www.justiceforcolombia.org.nyud.net:8090/upload_images/519.jpg

[Bacchus39]

63. barely made the press??? its right there in the NY Times you posted n/t

s

[Judi Lynn]

64. One segment really gets to ya:

But the Appropriations Committee, noting the paramilitaries have been listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department, called on Colombia to extradite paramilitary commanders. Several are sought by American prosecutors, but Mr. Uribe told the Voice of America on Friday that "in some cases, extraditions will have to be suspended."

So many twists in that one you could get whiplash!

You may recall learning Uribe, while a member of the Colombian senate, spent a LOT of his efforts ennacting legislation to keep narco-traffickers from being extradicted to the U.S. Pathetic.

As a President he wanted US taxpayers to bankroll their transition to non-violent life. Now there's a great idea! No one believed they were doing that in the first place, and as it is several years later, everyone knows it was only a ploy to deflect criticism, and the paras are still in business, verified by human rights groups' documents.

[Bacchus39]

65. you have been arguing against extraditions because the "truth" won't be revealed

if the para leaders are in the US and cannot be interrogated in Colombia.

furthermore, the same reintegration deal applies to the rebels as well. the FARC leadership has not accepted the offer, although it still applies to their individual members who have been defecting.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. I wholeheartedly agree

[David__77]

31. I disagree.

Some pacifists are progressive, but not all progressives are pacifists. In my opinion, self-defense means offense at times.

[proud2BlibKansan]

53. So are we talking about wishing him dead or actually killing him?

[JDPriestly]

57. Welcome to DU, Create.peace. I'm with you.

I like your moniker. The reason that wishing someone dead is such a mistake is that it doesn't create peace.

[Downwinder]

4. He is under 60, at risk. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Wow. How progressive of you

Dick Cheney would be so proud.

[Judi Lynn]

42. He's well acquainted with dying, having been the one who has caused it relentlessly,

and across a vast spectrum of very decent people.

[varelse]

58. I'm gonna go ahead and wish that same fate

on the virus. :P

[ngant17]

60. he'll be replaced with someone more repugnant

and disgusting.

Uribe toadies to the Pentagon and the US military industrial complex, there is always plenty of other low-lifes who will take the money and let the Pentagon run their country.

[Union Yes]

20. A PIG contracted swine flu.

[IndianaGreen]

28. How true!

And he is a disgrace to real pigs!

[Union Yes]

66. Agree, I owe an apology to real pigs.

:hi:

[Odin2005]

34. LOL, DUzy!!!

:D

[Union Yes]

67. ..

:toast: :hi:

[New Dawn]

40. Most appropriate!

[Union Yes]

68. ..

:toast: :hi:

[EFerrari]

33. A tribute of the current to the source!

:)

[Odin2005]

36. A fascist pig gets SWINE flu, how fitting!

[Brother Buzz]

37. Costa Rican President Óscar Arias came down the swine flu last month

Curious.

[Judi Lynn]

50. It has been dormant in his sytem since he visited his friend, George W. Bush on his pig farm

in Texas, without a doubt.

http://www.axisoflogic.com.nyud.net:8090/artman/uploads/bush-uribe.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_FxCl-zDjIOQ/R_Fl7APIK9I/AAAAAAAACXU/zbmHX2K1Xyw/s400/asesino.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_77A5SLV6Ytg/SAcBOuQ5IwI/AAAAAAAAA9w/05w01g1JKv0/s320/renucie-uribe.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_Q04YMxoisSY/SgCe0PvRFKI/AAAAAAAAAyI/u642QNSbYQg/s400/uribe-asesino.jpg

[UTUSN]

54. Huguito!1 n/t

[Mudoria]

55. Get well soon Mr. President

[dipsydoodle]

59. They knew something was wrong

when callers said they were getting crackling on his telephone line.

[Vidar]

61. Glad to hear it.

[Judi Lynn]

62. Colombia: La Rosa Nestlé food worker and union leader killed at his home

Colombia: La Rosa Nestlé food worker and union leader
killed at his home
Report by Luis Javier Correa Suarez, President Sinaltrainal
Published here: 31/08/09

La Rosa Nestlé Food Worker and Leader of Sinaltrainal in Colombia Killed at his Home
August 24, 2009

It is with deep sorrow that we announce that on 21 August 2009, at approximately 6:30 PM, strangers arrived at the home of La Rosa SA Nestlé worker and member of the Township SINALTRAINAL Dosquebradas GUSTAVO GOMEZ, knocked on the door and when GUSTAVO GÓMEZ opened it, he was shot 10 times. He was immediately brought to the Comfamiliar clinic where he died hours later.

Comrade Gustavo Gómez was a member of the Board of Sinaltrainal Sectional Dosquebradas from 1997 until 2000, was a cousin of JOSE DE JESUS MARIN-VARGAS worker Nestlé SA Comestibles La Rosa and member of SINALTRAINAL, also murdered on November 22, 2007 in the town of Dosquebradas.

Unfortunately, this crime occurs at a time when Sinaltrainal has submitted a petition to Nestle Purina PetCare Company de Colombia SA. The list of Nestlé SINALTRAINAL members murdered in Colombia now stands at 12 employees.

We have previously reported to the authorities of the constant threats of death which we SINALTRAINAL members in Colombia have received and we have asked the authorities to investigate and punish those responsible. But while the murders continue, the international community believes that unionists are protected by the state and continues to accept the regime of Álvaro Uribe Vélez.

More:
http://www.labournet.net/world/0908/colomb1.html