June, 10 2009, 01:14pm EDT
Chilean UN Rep - Latin America Demands Equality
H. Munoz: Latin America no longer an 'unconditional friend' of US as China and India increase presence
WASHINGTON
Chilean Ambassador to the United Nations Heraldo Munoz speaks to
TRNN Senior Editor Paul Jay about Obama's speech at the Summit of
Americas. Munoz says that Obama's refreshingly receptive approach was
appealing to Latin Americans, especially in comparison to the
"dictating terms" and unilateral actions of Obama's predecessors.
"In order to work together with the US, and the administration
under Obama, which is a breath of fresh air in Latin America, we need
to acknowledge what happened in the past," Munoz says. "Not to remain
there, but only to say that conditions the present and the future."
China is now Chile's main trading partner, Munoz says, and as Latin
America develops new global economic relations, these links will
inevitably affect their ties with the US.
"[Latin America]
want to be friends with the United States, but on equal terms, so it
doesn't impose its will as it used to do in the past. Second, there are
[other] competitors," Munoz says. "China is not only become important
trade partners to countries such as my own, or to Brazil, or Mexico and
others, but is a major investor now. Buying up mining conserves, oil
conserves, investments in agriculture, etc. On the other hand, you have
new players. India is becoming an important player in Latin America:
they are selling cars, they are selling software, they are investing in
the region, so that the US cannot assume that awful term - that the US
cannot say that Latin America is its backyard."
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