The big story this week in South America is the interception of Bolivia President Evo Morales return flight from Russia on Tuesday night. Morales had been in Russia to explore export possibilities.The Bolivian equivalent of the U.S. Air Force One, with the president aboard, was denied permission to cross the air space of three countries, forced to land in Austria and President Morales confined there for 14 hours while officials demanded to search his airplane, the Guardian reported on July 4.

The reason? The United States intelligence sources allegedly reported that whistle blower Edward Snowden was aboard the president’s flight. The report was false.

President Morales and other South American presidents harshly criticized Spain, Italy and Portugal for denying air space to the Bolivian airplane, as have several other heads of state.The Star reported that French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius issued a statement Wednesday night acknowledging that Morales’ plane was initially refused and saying he called his Bolivian counterpart to apologize. Apparently France did give permission as soon as they realized it was President Morales plane. Bolivia has confirmed that report.A meeting of South American dignitaries was scheduled for Thursday to decide what action should be taken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4bwEFhftWQ

Morales believes that the United States was responsible and had pressured the countries involved. He says he doesn’t understand why countries would kowtow to the U.S.  We guess  he doesn’t read the newspapers. In any event, he has threatened to throw the United States Embassy out of Bolivia. If he does, it will be about the third time he has evicted a United States ambassador from  his country. The last time he took that action against an ambassador, the accusation was for spying. On that occasion, an emotional Morales, wiping his eyes, stated his disappointment to reporters in that he had hoped that he would be able to work with the U. S. this time.

Morales has said in the past that he believes the economic problems of his country were “resulting from the pillage of our natural resources.”  In 2005 he made a two week trip to several countries to ask for political and economic support for his efforts to advance Bolivia. He did something previously unheard of. Usually heads of state  on similar tours go first to the United States. Not only did Morales not go there first, he did not go there at all.

Certain countries are now making efforts to support each other, avoiding the United States.

Our own concern here at FFJ is that much of South America interprets all this to indicate that capitalism is the problem.  In South America the United States is regarded as that great example of capitalism. The U.S. is also regarded as causing much pain in the world. We have heard of seminars in Argentina where the public is told that the cause of the problems of the world is capitalism.

Of course the problem is not capitalism. In the case of true capitalism, as established when the United States was young, any poor boy, willing to work and learn to be an entrepreneur, could become rich.  The U.S. was established on truly free market capitalism. But as corporations have grown and encroached into government, they have instituted more and more regulations to keep that poor boy, willing to work, an employee of a corporation rather than an entrepreneur.

Meanwhile it has become gradually more difficult and expensive in the U. S. to open certain types of business—and to do almost everything.  When corporations manage to entrench their people in any government–passing laws and regulations that protect their power, drive others out and keep new business from coming in–the word is not capitalism. Government by corporations is fascism.

Not only is South America confused about the difference between capitalism and fascism, even some Americans don’t understand the difference.  And when we don’t understand it, we are likely not to even recognize it when it is happening in plain view–right in front of our eyes.

Expat to South America Now Declared Stateless!

Honestly, you meet the most interesting people in South America. One of our Uruguay expats, now emigrated to Paraguay, announced to the expat community on Independence Day that he has declared his personal independence. He gave up his United States citizenship and has become a stateless person.On this same subject, one of my favorite newsletter writers, Leif Simon, publisher of The Simon Letter, wrote an article a while back that this could be a way to get citizenship elsewhere since some countries have made an agreement to give citizenship in their country to anyone within their border who has no other citizenship. He said he would not recommend it since he knew no one who had done it, but looking at the law, it is a possibility. Well he may not know anyone who has done it, but we do.Except that we are sure that Glen did not give up his citizenship for that reason. You can read his story in his own words at Total Uruguay. .Well that about ties it up for this week. Until next time . . . .Arlean

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