Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias says US President George W. Bush was the big loser at the IV Summit at the Americas.
Speaking after the summit ended, Chavez Frias reveals that the USA and Canada put strong pressure on member countries to push through the stalled Free Trade for the Americas Agreement (FTAA) that should have been signed this year.
Four dissident countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay) belonging to the Southern Cone Economic Zone (Mercosur) are praised for their performance during the debates ... Chavez Frias calls them and Venezuela "The Five Musketeers" fighting off immense pressure to reactivate the failed FTAA.
Bush "left before the debate concluded when he saw he had been defeated ... I didn't see him but he had some blows to the face."
Chavez Frias says the debates were intense and sometimes the majority showed a lack of respect for the five opposing countries. "Nestor 'D'Artagnan' Kirchner (Argentinean President) said he didn't like the way they kicked us here and that they came with prepotency."
Describing the conduct of his allies, the Venezuelan President defends Brazil's Lula da Silva for being firm in his defense of Mercosur and Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez for talking "calmly but firmly."
"The Mar de Plata Summit produced an unusual debate and one that has never been seen in other summits in intensity, depth and frankness."
Chavez Frias says a new consciousness is growing on the continent and fundamental impositions will not be accepted.
"Politics reclaims its place in the world ... technicians are doing a great job but we, the politicians and statesmen, are the ones to lead the debate."
