MY THOUGHTS on News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

New York Times: “America’s Foes Are Joining Forces.” And adds: “Under both Donald Trump and President Biden, Washington has helped create the very anti-American partnerships it now bemoans.” Sans his mouth, Trump had better relations with China, Saudi Arabia, India, Brazil, and of course, Russia. Good for the U.S. Biden’s blunders? Most recent: How he messes up U.S. efforts to ease tension with China and his approval of shipment of cluster munitions to Ukraine. 

       Review of President Biden’s foreign affairs playbook: Haphazard pullout from Afghanistan. Lukewarm leadership attendance to Summit of the Americas. Economic sanction of Russia that didn’t work. The Taiwan Drama that went pfft. And his weird anti-Xi retort after State Secretary Antony Blinken’s China visit and before Treasury chief Janet Yellen trip. When I say Trump’s friendship with Washington’s rival is good is mainly economic smarts per continuous dealmaking over geopolitical narcissism hinged on military machismo to decide who is #1. 🏦😕🗽

Associated Press: “China accuses US of turning Taiwan into a powder keg.” China’s Defense Ministry says the U.S. is turning Taiwan into a powder keg with its latest sales of military equipment worth $440.2 million to the island. China is Taiwan’s top trading partner. Worth of business: Almost $300 billion, which is 23 percent of Taiwan’s total trade. With the U.S.? 13 percent. Ergo, why would Taiwan fight China? Or why not the U.S. talk about microchips over weapons? 🇨🇳☮️🇺🇸

       Facts behind the intrigue: Taiwan is world’s #1 microchips producer. Top clients of Taiwan’s giant electronics manufacturer Foxconn are U.S. Big Tech, #1 is Apple. Foxconn, which is global, has 12 factories in China, more than in any other country, including the largest in Shenzhen. 

New York Times: “Ruling Puts Social Media at Crossroads of Disinformation and Free Speech.” The Times infers, this is a “broader effort by conservatives to document what they contend is a liberal conspiracy to silence their views.” My FB Friends list is almost split between Conservatives and Liberals, which dominate my Homepage talk. I was a Left-leaning radical, now proudly unaligned. Yet when I chat with a New Left(ist) on my Page, I end up senselessly pissed.📱🗽📲

New York Times: “Is Botswana Getting a Raw Deal From De Beers Diamonds?” Many in the country are pushing to get a better deal from the industry. African countries Botswana, Congo, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and Lesotho are in the Top 10 of diamond mining countries. A more fair treatment of poorer countries on the trade table should be the focus over the ideological purity of “correcting” political systems that cultural facts don’t support. 

       While Russia is the world's largest diamond mining country and Canada is 3rd, African nations dominate the diamond production chart. But giant industry buyers such as the London-based De Beers treat them badly on the negotiating table. Related news: “When It Comes to Rubies, Is Mozambique the New Star?” And adds: “The $34.8 million auction price for a gem discovered in the East African country has the jewelry industry buzzing.” 🇧🇼💎🇧🇼

Rolling Stone: “Twitter Is So Heated Over Threads That They're Threatening Legal Action.” Threads is a new microblogging platform (like Twitter) from Meta/Facebook. Threads reached 75 million users in its first 48 hours, breaking a record set by ChatGPT. Recently, Twitter owner Elon Musk challenged Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg to fisticuffs in a "cage match." Mark accepted. But there’s no date for the “fight” yet. Are you interested now? Let’s get ready to rumbleeeeee! 🐦🙃🕶

Associated Press: “The US will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package.” A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that ejects smaller submunitions, and designed to kill personnel–and civilians–and destroy vehicles. The move would easily invite outrage from some allies and humanitarian groups that have long opposed cluster bombs. Is this Ukraine’s war or U.S. war vs Russia? 

       President Biden’s decision, part of a new $800 million military aid package he promised Volodymyr Zelensky, comes as Treasury chief Janet Yellen–following State secretary Antony Blinken–is in China to help ease tensions between Washington and Beijing. The world is very aware that the end of war hinges on how China deals with Russia, and whenever the U.S. and E.U. stop sending arms aid to Ukraine. ☮️☮️☮️

Associated Press: “Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announces resignation after ruling coalition fails to agree on migration policy.” In total, 46,460 asylum seekers and following relatives entered the Netherlands in 2022. Although the number is a lot lower than Germany’s hosting of 2.2 million refugees, including more than 875,000 Ukrainian refugees, the migrant overflow stays as Europe’s decades-old unsolved crisis. 

       In April this year, some 75,000 applications for asylum were lodged in the EU+, up by nearly a quarter (24 percent) compared to April 2022. Meanwhile, Germany (2.2. million) now ranks behind Turkey (4 million) as the country that takes in the most refugees. The ongoing Ukraine War spiked refugee presence in Europe. So it continually confounds me why Europe, especially Germany, insists on tossing military aid to Ukraine instead of maximizing diplomatic channels to peace negotiation. 🇵🇾🇵🇾🇵🇾

New York Times: “Court Rejects U.K. Plan to Fly Asylum Seekers to Rwanda as Unlawful.” I concur with relocating refugees to places/countries where cultural facts are closer to them so assimilation isn't a major issue. Giant economies can of course help by providing more economic investments to these countries or via refugee aid coursed through the United Nations Refugee Fund (UNREF) or direct aid.  Problem is, refugees favor Europe or America. 

       Refugees apparently risk life and limb to enter Europe and the U.S. Though they can cross the border to another country. Turkey hosts the most number of refugees, 4 million. From there, other nations help. The E.U. struck a deal with Turkey in re refugee aid but politics got in the way; it didn’t really work. Meanwhile, in Africa, South Africa boasts some of the most progressive asylum laws in the world. Instead of being forced into sprawling camps, once migrants apply for asylum, they can live and work anywhere in the country until the state determines whether or not they qualify as a refugee. ✈️🇬🇧✈️

New York Times: “Prigozhin Is Said to Be in Russia, as Wagner Mystery Deepens.” And adds: “After the mercenary boss staged a brief insurrection in Russia, the leader of Belarus said his country had taken him in, but now says the Wagner leader was in St. Petersburg and then `maybe he went to Moscow.’” Ah. The Ukraine War is a Netflix-styled political action thriller. Starring a dramatic buffoon and a stoic villain royale, plot twists abound a-la Jack Ryan intrigue. ☮️☮️☮️

Associated Press: “Las Vegas incident: Britney Spears says Wembanyama’s security struck her; Spurs rookie says he was grabbed.” I am not interested with what really went down. Nobody’s hurt? Fact is, Wemby hasn’t really shown his stuff in real NBA contest but hey! He's in The News, Hollywood-style. And all of a sudden Britney is in the spotlight. Kinda moved me to listen to her new duet with Elton John, “Hold Me Closer.” But uhh who held and grabbed who? 🏀🎲🏀

The NICARAGUA Story.

Previously posted on my Facebook page.

NEWS: “Nicaragua’s Secretive Ruling Family Reaches Out Quietly to the U.S.” This New York Times news was months ago during President Biden’s fiery “Sanction Russia!” call. Of course, Washington didn’t invite Nicaragua—along with Venezuela and Cuba—to the Summit of Americas in June. The Times, that time, reported that “…sanctions intended to thwart (President Daniel) Ortega’s dictatorial actions have hit his family and inner circle hard.” More pain was expected as sanctions hit Russia, an ally.

       However, the sanction didn’t pan out, as we know it now. So Ortega is back to his anti-U.S. barbs. And the former Sandinista revolutionary has escalated a crackdown on those he and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, see as a threat to their continued rule of 14 years and counting.

       Last year, Ortega detained at least seven potential presidential rivals and barred opposition parties from participating in the presidential election. The President also closed 7 radios. Dozens more human rights activists, business leaders, students, journalists and others in the Central American country of 6.5 million were threatened.

       Meanwhile, Nicaragua is in the midst of an aggravated economic crisis that began in 2018 in the wake of the political crisis that only worsened, to date. The 5 percent unemployment amidst a 3 percent GDP growth rate aren’t so bad though, especially if Noriega manages to play his deflating ball to his advantage, as did Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, another fiery anti-Washington dude.  

       “Play cool” means play cool politics with the U.S. and cool trade with China. 🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮

IRRELEVANT of Daniel Ortega’s mouth, the United States remains Nicaragua's top economic partner, buying 49 percent of Nicaraguan exports, supplying 22 percent of its imports, and expats in the U.S., sending 60 percent of remittances.

       Since 1990, the United States has provided over $1.2 billion in assistance to Nicaragua. About $260 million of that was for debt relief, and another $450 million was for balance-of-payments support. The U.S. also provided $93 million in 1999, 2000, and 2001 as part of its overall response to Hurricane Mitch.

       But that’d be after Washington funded Contra groups vs the left-wing Sandinista movement. In the 19th and 20th centuries, tensions were high between the U.S. and Nicaragua; U.S. intervention was frequent, especially in the 1980s. Years of Red Scare or socialism paranoia. Hence, with Noriega in power, the animosity resumed.

       The Biden administration did not invite Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua to the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in June; White House accused the three countries of having undemocratically elected leaders.

       But then other Latin American leaders snubbed the Summit altogether, including Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico, a top U.S. ally. Other Presidents followed Obrador’s no-show: Xiomara Castro of Honduras, Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala, Luis Arce of Bolivia, Nayib Bukele of El Salvador; and Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

       Apparently, Noriega has some “allies” as well in the region. 🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮

BUT then, there’s China. So as Daniel Ortega shuffles political cards with Washington, he is dealing trade chips with Beijing. In late 2021, Nicaragua broke off diplomatic relations with the Republic of China or Taiwan and recognized the People’s Republic of China as the legitimate Chinese government.

       Just a month after the switch, Nicaragua and China signed several key agreements underpinning their new political relationship, including an MoU with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

       True, the U.S. is still Nicaragua’s top trading partner since 1990, when the leftist padron was ousted via a 10-year Washington-funded proxy war.

       The 1990s Nicaragua was an era of U.S.-directed neoliberalism that created special export zones for shipping duty-free goods to America. It created free trade zones in which up to 20 percent of Nicaragua’s formal sector workforce is employed by local contractors who sell their manufactured goods to US corporates such as Wal-Mart, VF Jeans, Levi Strauss, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, and Gap. However, wages were kept low, while Nicaraguan commodities were sold at low prices to be resold at many times their value on the U.S. markets. American middlemen made a fortune with very little being left on the table for Nicaraguans.

       That’s where we are at. Ortega faces an economic crisis that he can still save—as long as he knows how to play the Washington/Beijing power tug in the region. And stop his people from pulling him out of his seat. Hint: There was no regime change in Venezuela and Bolivia. Nicaragua can also prevent this macabre ghost from hounding the region again. 🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮

The SOMALIA Story.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

NEWS. “Somalia Elects New President, but Terrorists Hold True Power.” And adds: “The militants of Al Shabab collect taxes, decide court cases and control the streets. Somalis ask, will a new government even matter?” Let me try to work around what/which really is Somalia. Officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, this nation with the longest coastline on the region’s mainland, is located in the Horn of Africa. The capital and largest city is Mogadishu.

       The Somali Republic is the name given to the sovereign state composed of Somalia and Somaliland, following the unification of the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) and the State of Somaliland (the former British Somaliland). The Republic of Somaliland is a de facto state in the Horn of Africa, considered internationally to be part of Somalia. Uhh are we confused now? LOL!

       So let’s just settle with Somalia. Like other beleaguered and perennially in crisis nations in Sub Saharan Africa, I hope that the new leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud leads the 7 million Somalis to better life. Mr Hassan was named in the Time 100, the magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013. 🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴

LET’s go straight to my usual line of discussion: How’s China doing in Somalia? China and Somalia have long relations in terms of trade, military, culture and language that predate the Middle Ages. In 2019, Somalia along with 36 other countries, have signed a joint letter to the UNHRC defending China's treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

       But then, the following year, Somaliland established relations with Taiwan which also included the opening of representative offices in their respective countries. Confused about Somalia and Somaliland? I know.

       Anyhow, through trade, the peoples of both Somalia and China established good relations. Giraffes, zebras and incense were exported to the Ming Empire of China, and in the process influenced the Chinese language with the Somali language and vice versa.

       The Chinese exported celadon wares, spices and muskets in return for horses, exotic animals and ivory. Currently, Somalia’s top exports are gold, sheep and goats and other animals, insect resins, and oily seeds. China, however, is only the 5th destination of exports. Top 4: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Bulgaria. Though China is the country’s #2 importer.

       But it doesn’t mean Beijing isn’t active in Somalia. In 2007, the Chinese state-owned oil company CNOOC also signed an oil exploration agreement with the Somali government over the north-central Mudug province, situated in the autonomous Puntland region. 🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴

SOMALIA and the United States. Somaliland and the United States do not have official diplomatic relations although they had historic relations under the Geledi Sultanate in 1776, when the then Somalia was the first independent state in Africa to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation. In those days, the two countries shared naval intelligence.

       The latest interaction was political. On May 12 this year, Larry André Jr., the American ambassador to Somalia, and General Stephen J. Townsend, Commander of the United States Africa Command met with Musa Bihi Abdi, President of Somaliland, in Hargeisa in what was described as the U.S not promoting the "secessionist ideology being pushed by Somaliland" in the context of the 2022 Somaliland presidential election and continuing the "single Somalia policy" while urging close cooperation between Somalia and Somaliland.

       Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the President of Somalia. Musa Bihi Abdi is the President of Somaliland. I know it is confusing.

       A “better” discussion of Somalia/Somaliland and the United States can be ushered by the 2001 war film “Black Hawk Down” by Ridley Scott, based on the 1999 non-fiction book of the same name by journalist Mark Bowden, about the U.S. military's 1993 raid in Mogadishu. 🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴

Photo: The Intercept.

MY THOUGHTS on News.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

New York Times: “Federal Policy on Homelessness Becomes New Target of the Right.” And adds: “The approach known as Housing First has long enjoyed bipartisan support. But conservatives are pushing efforts to replace it with programs that put more emphasis on sobriety and employment.” What is wrong with sobriety and employment? Come on, now. That isn’t a “conservative” take but a primal sense of maturity and grownup responsibility. 

       Or let’s study why countries with diverse cultural facts and economic well-being. Iceland, Japan, Thailand, Costa Rica, Chile, and Ghana have the lowest rate of homelessness in the world. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there are around 582,000 Americans experiencing homelessness in 2022. And over 11,000 homeless shelters nationwide. Shelters are not a fact in other countries but lack/shortage of employment yet homelessness isn’t a national crisis or local level issue. In the U.S., drive around, what we see are “We are hiring!” signs. On a larger context, it is so confounding that America has so much money tossed to a war elsewhere while numbers of the homeless in our midst continue to soar. (Photo credit: The Homeless Charity and Village.) 🚶‍♀️🚶🛖

New York Times: “With Pandemic Aid Ending, Vermont’s Homeless Are Forced From Hotels.” Hotels are emptied of about 2,800 homeless people living there as part of a pandemic-era program — and offering them tents — after federal funding ran out. While White House keeps on trumpeting employment highs. Confounding. Meanwhile, more than 200,000 migrants “freely” cross the southern border monthly since Jan 2021. Yet politics seem unable to stop the surge. 

       As the number of homeless citizens spikes in major cities, border breaches seem unabated. In April, there were 211,401 alien encounters along the Southwest Border, up almost 10 percent from the previous month and up nearly 20 percent from April 2021. In FY 2021, a record 122,000 children were taken into U.S. custody without their parents. Why without their parents? Of course, you know why. Yet the issue stays as is. A partisanship theater of murkthrow. 🚶‍♀️🚶🛖

New York Times: “Republicans’ Problem in Attacking Biden: They Helped Pass His Economic Bills.” Passage of bills is legislature’s job. But implementation of the law to its success rests with the President’s leadership. Overall, Biden’s policies have fallen short of expectations on seven out of the last eight economic growth reports. Meanwhile, in his Springfield VA speech, Biden bragged that his administration funded “700,000 major construction projects.” Fact: 7,000. 🏦🗽🏦

New York Times: “ESPN Announces Layoffs of On-Air Personalities to Cut Costs.” And adds: “The layoffs included several well known broadcasters, including Suzy Kolber, Jeff Van Gundy and Jalen Rose.” Media people are indeed losing their jobs. Big Tech takes over TV, newspaper, and other communications channels as the industry posted a record $4.2 trillion in combined revenue in 2022. Ironically, they also cut employees and workers out. AI rationale? 

       2022’s Big Tech revenue is up from about $4 trillion the year before and $3.3 trillion two years before. BTW, I like Jeff Van Gundy’s interjecting side-comments on ESPN, fun. But I wish they’d taken out the female ESPN late night highlights anchor. Her voice is shrill, eerie, and annoying. Didn’t bother to know who she is. Probably she’d be better in non-talky jobs in the newsroom? If she’s still there, I mean. 🏀🗣⚾️

New York Times: “National Geographic Lays Off More Writers.” And adds: “The company did not specify how many were shed and said that the magazine, known for its focus on discovery and exploration, would continue to be published on a monthly basis.” Layoffs in 2023 have targeted nearly 40 media companies, with at least 17,436 job cuts. The level of cuts is worse than at the outset of the pandemic in 2020, when 16,750 job cuts were announced through May. 

       This year so far, more than 151,054 workers in U.S.-based tech companies (or tech companies with a large U.S. workforce) have been laid off in mass job cuts, according to a Crunchbase News tally. In 2022: More than 93,000 jobs were slashed from public and private tech companies in the U.S. Of course, in his latest speech, President Biden bragged about job gains. Yet per debt limit austerity in next FY, expect more employment terminations in government funded programs. 📜📰📜

Associated Press. “Jeffrey Epstein's suicide was the result of negligence and misconduct by federal jail guards, a Justice Department watchdog says.” However, whatever the cause of Mr Epstein’s death, it’s a sort of “roll of the eyes” situation. Mr Epstein’s one-day in Sept 2014 itinerary, for example, reveals names such as Bill Gates, Leon Black, Thomas Pritzker, and Mortimer Zuckerman. Then there’s Les Wexner, Prince Andrew etcetera. Have I omitted other VIP names? 

       News adds: “The Justice Department’s watchdog says `a combination of negligence and misconduct’ enabled the financier to take his own life at a federal jail in New York City while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.” Jeffrey died by suicide in jail in 2019, as he awaited trial on charges of sex trafficking minors. 🥹🤨😟

Time: “Southeast Asia’s Most Gay-Friendly Country Still Has No Law Against LGBT Discrimination.” I don't concur with western laws that are muzzled via media in other countries with dissimilar sociocultural facts. LGBT is truth back home. But “respect enforcement” is implemented by families, communities, and other institutions beyond governmental interference. Unless crime--murder/homicide, rape, physical abuse etcetera--is committed. 

       The gay issue hasn’t been politicized back home till these days. I was exposed to LGBT facts since I was a boy. In my professional life in media and theater, many friends are gay. But it wasn’t a huge issue at all. Acceptance and respect are accorded to those, whatever gender preference, who attain achievements in the community and gain friendships via sheer goodness.

😒🇵🇭🤨

New York Times: “The Failed Affirmative Action Campaign That Shook Democrats.” And adds: “The Supreme Court will soon rule on race-conscious college admissions, a core Democratic issue.” Affirmative action is a policy of favoring groups regarded as disadvantaged or subject to discrimination. I am an Asian. But I don’t think “affirmative action” benefited us. Yet Asian Americans had the highest educational attainment of any race in America. Why? Figure it out. 🏦🗽🏦

New York Times: “New York’s Shelters Were Packed. Now They Are Bursting at the Seams.” Homeless people hit a record 100,000, driven by an influx of migrants. The system is straining to adapt. Nearly 61,000 migrants have arrived in the city since last spring. Taxpayer money is currently housing 37,000. Yes, New York has the 2nd largest national budget and where the world’s most number of billionaires live. To Mayor Adams, Gov. Hochul and Madame AOC: Fix it! 🗽🏃‍♀️🏃

David Brooks of New York Times writes: “Why Biden Isn’t Getting the Credit He Deserves.” And adds: “It’s the national psychology, not the economy.” Really? LOL! Fact is, the “national psychology” dissed Donald Trump’s economic record in favor of his not so sweet personality. But I don’t think the “national psychology” isn’t aware of Joe Biden’s economic failures and foreign affairs blunders. But trudat. Partisanship dogma blinds people from reading writings on the wall. 🏦🗽🏦

The SWEDEN Story.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

NEWS. “How the Far Right Bagged Election Success in Sweden.” / “In Dramatic Shift, Right-Wing Bloc Wins Slim Majority in Sweden.” Sweden’s political life could be a bit confusing if we follow from the vantage view of American Left/Right party politics. New Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s Moderate Party or Moderata samlingspartiet is center-right that hinges on liberal conservatism. Okay, let’s just say Ulf is a right-wing leader.

       Anyhow, among his first pronouncements as chief executive of Stockholm’s parliamentary democracy is to ensure continuity in Sweden's application process to NATO. Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership in response to Russia's war on Ukraine, but faced opposition from Türkey, which accuses them of supporting terrorist groups.

       Anyhow, the winning political party, right-wing populist Sweden Democrats, campaigned via the gut per issues such as immigration, religion, crime and the cost of environmental rules and won. And so liberal media is quick to point at SD’s alleged “neo-Nazi roots.”

       Despite the victory of Sweden Democrats, however, they are not expected to be formally part of the governing coalition but, of course, they can influence.

       And I am confused now, LOL! 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪

BEFORE the general election, Ulf Kristersson suggested that he would form a loose right-wing bloc consisting of the Moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats and the Liberals but expressed uncertainty at SD's demand that they be allocated cabinet positions should the right-wing bloc win a majority.

       Whatever the case, the new PM sounds his plan to form a new conservative government with support from Sweden Democrats although he previously ruled out an alliance with the SD. And so on and so forth.

       The hyphenated categorization of political groupings in massive multi-party system in Sweden, the 3rd largest country in the European Union and the 5th largest in Europe, can cause a bit of confusion for the outsider looking in. Yet Sweden is still a much-emulated nation.

       Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens. It ranks very highly in quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties, economic competitiveness, income equality, gender equality, prosperity and human development. Ideals that you’d probably categorize as uhh Leftist. 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪

SO who cares about the ism when we go to Sweden? It is still a fine country, anyhow.

       Stockholm’s high-tech capitalism/socialism works just fine with its major industries that include motor vehicles, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, industrial machines, precision equipment, chemical goods, home goods and appliances, forestry, iron, and steel. Traditionally, Sweden relied on a modern agricultural economy that employed over half the domestic workforce. Easily, Sweden is one of the world’s richest economies.

       But currently the country, as in majority of Europe, is facing economic crisis borne from the Covid pandemic’s economic dislocation and the Ukraine crisis that hugely affected the region’s energy supply from Russia. Although Sweden has low dependence on Russian oil and it mainly imports gas from neighbor Denmark, still the current downturn brings Stockholm’s inflation rate at 9.8 percent. Sweden’s inflation has always been low, averaging 3.42 percent from 1980 to early this year, until the current high. The highest inflation in Sweden was 15.50 percent in 1980 under Prime Minister Thorbjorn Falldin.

       Meanwhile, let’s see if Mr Nice Guy Ulf can steer his country out of the 9.8 inflation though I’d like his coalition government to simply withdraw its NATO application. 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪

Photo credit: BBC. Rockford Register Star.

The EL SALVADOR Story.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

NEWS. “In El Salvador, the President Cracks Down on Civil Liberties, and Is Beloved for It.” And adds: “Much of the country’s population is willing to tolerate an autocratic leader, if it means that someone will finally solve their most pressing problem: gang violence.” Unemployment is almost 7 percent. Economic pace is at 2.9 percent. These are not unusual numbers in post pandemic years and current global impact of the Ukraine crisis. Considering as well that El Salvador is the third largest economy in Central America.

       So why the tempest? We always see social unrest in economies that aren’t really down, neck-deep, in the pits. It is more complex that what it seems. For starters, maybe because President Nayib Bukele is friendly with China? How relations with China affects the U.S. foreign policy though it’s all political facades.

       San Salvador’s relations with Washington has always been shaky due to America’s controversial moves and operations in the country since its Civil War years from 1979 to 1992, and interference in Salvadoran elections. But El Salvador’s decision to cut ties with Taiwan in 2018 in favor of China sealed the animosity. 🇸🇻🇸🇻🇸🇻

SUCH news can be a bit confounding, ain’t it? Part of the larger competitive fire between the United States and China? Expected? Just the way geopolitics per superpower rivalry goes?

       Meanwhile, Salvadoran and Chinese leaderships have been meeting recently, per trade. President Nayib Bukele, after meeting with counterpart Xi Jinping in June said the forged or pledged investments represented a “gigantic, non-refundable cooperation” for the small Central American nation. For its part, China is all-set to join hands with El Salvador “to promote international fairness and justice, advocate win-win cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative together, and move forward toward building a community with a shared future for mankind.” Grand words, indeed.

       In 2018, prior to El Salvador’s break from Taiwan, the U.S. was the country’s top trading partner. Info says Washington still dominates San Salvador’s trade. But China in inching in, quietly but surely. In 2019, China inked several major infrastructure projects in El Salvador including a stadium and water treatment plant, which signaled China’s growing role in the region after El Salvador cut ties with Taiwan.

       El Salvador’s chief industries are food processing, beverages, petroleum, and chemicals. 🇸🇻🇸🇻🇸🇻

WHAT’s going on here is a paradox of sorts. El Salvador does huge business with the U.S. despite its leadership’s newfound cordiality with China. Despite Washington’s interference in the country, the people love America.

       Surveys by the Pew Research Center in recent years say around 80 percent of Salvadorans viewed the United States positively respectively revealing El Salvador as one of the most pro-American nations in the world.

       Following decision of the Salvadoran government, under then President Salvador Sanchez Ceren, to cut ties with Taiwan in favor of China in 2018, some Republican senators like Marco Rubio had demanded that economic aid to the country be cut and their expulsion from Alianza Para Prosperidad. The U.S-supported program is aimed to help El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala with education and healthcare to reduce illegal immigration to the U.S.

       But then, these seem like political sideshows. Meantime, gang violence in El Salvador, could be orchestrated or manipulated (refer to the past)—but blood in the streets isn’t showtime at all. 🇸🇻🇸🇻🇸🇻