Canadian imperialism grows rampant in Latin America & Colombia
Photo Credit: (Government of Canada/Google Images)
Written by: Luis Alberto Matta
What is the international agenda from Canada in Latin America, and particularly for Colombia? Is Canada just following and compliant with US foreign policy in regards of Latin America? These two, apparently innocent questions, have been floating through my thoughts for some time now. The questions started back from seeing the ultra-conservative Harper government’s policies in Latin America, but continue now seeing the Liberal government’s actions headed by Justin Trudeau.
Only five years ago a thunderous silence from Canada followed the antidemocratic impeachment against Dilma Roussef in Brazil. Nothing has been said that may disturb the abusive “kingdom” of human rights violations run by Sebastian Piñera in Chile. Even worse, Canada has blindly supported the Organization of American States that played a role in the destruction of Bolivia’s democracy, during the former illegal government of Jeannine Ánez, one of the leaders of the coup against Evo Morales. Despite one year of political repression and racism in Bolivia, sadly Canada said nothing.
Instead, Canada has been the unfortunate leader of the Lima Group, a cluster composed by highly questioned presidents such as Piñera, Lenin Moreno from Ecuador, Jair Bolsonaro from Brazil, and Ivan Duque from Colombia, under the coordination of the US “bishop” Luis Almagro, secretary of the OAS, which main goal is to overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela. The previous Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, without any shame or blushing was the host of a meeting in Ottawa, whose central objective, at least for some members of the group such as the government of Colombia, was to overthrow the government of Venezuela.
Meanwhile Colombia is bathed in innocent blood. Hundreds of social leaders, teachers, and human rights defenders have been killed in Colombia after the peace agreement between the FARC guerrillas and the previous Colombian government. The leaders of the party supporting the current government publicly and openly promised, as a part of their political campaign towards the presidency they finally won, that they were going to destroy the peace process: “we are going to tear the peace agreement apart”. 230 disarmed FARC members, peace signatories, have been killed since the moment that the peace agreement came into force.
Did Canada voice any concern about the tremendous political violence in in Colombia? You can guess, but the answer is no. Apparently Canada is very busy and focused on Venezuela and Nicaragua, and not by mere chance, in coincidence with USA.
Canada is losing a great opportunity in Latin America. With the lack of prestige of the United States in what they consider “its backyard”, Canada rather than being a leader of democracy, peace and human rights, has become the backup of the US government in its regressive and imperialistic international policies.
In contrast with this unwanted reality, this upcoming November 19th, the CLAA (Canadian Latin America Alliance) and CASA (Colombian Action Solidarity Alliance), are organizing an international online forum that includes the Canadian Member of the Parliament Leah Gazan, the Colombian social leader Charo Mina Rojas, and the Colombian Senator Ivan Cepeda to discuss about the Canada’s role in Colombia’s humanitarian tragedy. I am delighted to invite the readers to connect and register to participate in this forum through claa.ca and to keep an eye in what is Canada doing in Latin America.
Luis Matta is a Colombian writer and human rights activist in exile.
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