Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez accused Europe on Tuesday of taking a page from Washington by adopting a barbaric immigration policy, in stark contrast to moves by South American nations to enable passport-free travel across most of the continent.
New EU rules on expelling illegal immigrants amount to a virtual “wall in the Atlantic,” Chavez said at a summit of the Mercosur trade bloc, which passed a resolution condemning the EU measure.
“We need a strong stance ... in defense of the dignity of our people,” Chavez said to the gathered leaders of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Chile. “‘Civilized’ Europe has legalized barbarism.”
While the US and Europe tighten their borders, the South American trade group is encouraging the freer movement of people through 10 nations.
Passport-free travel already is allowed among Mercosur’s full member states of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The new travel zone includes associate Mercosur members as well, covering all of South America but the Guyanas.
The EU rules standardize how illegal immigrants are treated, allowing undocumented migrants to be held for a year and a half in jail before being deported, and banning violators from re-entering Europe for as long as five years.
Chavez compared the EU rules to the “wall of shame” the US is building along its border with Mexico, and urged a coordinated response.
“Truly we cannot remain quiet. We cannot limit ourselves to just protesting as we have. It is necessary to seek a common stance” against both EU and US immigration policies, Chavez said.
Other leaders joined in criticizing the European measure.
“Emigrating is not tourism,” said Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, who talked of being the grandson of poor European immigrants. “It hurts us deeply that there is no respect for the human rights of Latin American immigrants, who had to leave and seek elsewhere what they don’t have in their own lands — just like their grandparents did.”
The Mercosur meeting also focused on the global food and energy crisis, noting that member nations have the potential to thrive, since its members include major energy and food exporters.
“The situation of food and energy prices presents the region with an enormous opportunity if we can take advantage of it with solidarity and regional integration,” Argentine President Cristina Kirchner said.
Chavez proposed an emergency fund to promote agricultural development, offering to commit US$1 for each barrel of oil Venezuela exports as long as remain above US$100 a barrel. At that rate, Venezuela’s annual contribution could be US$920 million, he said.
GENERAL DETAINED
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s military detained a dissident army general on Tuesday who opposes the socialist ideology espoused by Chavez, but the officer’s attorney said he expects his client to be released soon.
General Angel Vivas Perdomo was being held by military intelligence agents after they detained him while driving near his home in Caracas, said Vivas Perdomo’s lawyer, Jose Zaa.
“We hope that he leaves because he shouldn’t be facing charges,” Zaa said in a telephone interview.
Vivas Perdomo has asked the Supreme Court to toss out Chavez’s order for troops to salute with the motto: “Fatherland, socialism or death — we will triumph.” The general contends the motto is unconstitutional and that it violates the military’s apolitical tradition.
Zaa said it was not clear why the general was detained. There was no immediate response from the government.
Hours earlier on Tuesday, Vivas Perdomo told reporters that the Cuban-inspired slogan used by Chavez should be replaced with a historic statement once made by 19th-century independence hero Francisco de Miranda: “Death to tyranny, long live freedom!”
The 51-year-old general has said he turned to the Supreme Court after exhausting all avenues of internal appeal.
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