The Spanish zone of Latin America (which is almost 70% of all of Latin America) is a really dynamic area. The main reason for its political break-up and division is the fact that the Spanish monarchy was fiercely crushed by Napoleon during the 1800's, leading to a period of disorder and disorganization throughout the entire Spanish World Empire. Portugal, in the other hand, had its monarchy and governmen transfered to Brazil when Napoleon invaded Portugal (with the help of the British, who helped escort the entire Portuguese court to Rio de Janeiro). Rio de Janeiro became the only city in the western hemisphere that ever had an European Capital and ever had a government united with an European country (O reino unido de Portugal, Brasil e os Açores. The United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Azores). Brazil wasn't a colony, because Rio de Janeiro was declared the capital and seat of the Portuguese Kingdom. Brazil maintained itself united and strong, and that is why the Portuguese colony of Brazil, which was divided into 15 capitanancies, did not fall apart like the Spanish Colonies of Rio de la Plata, Peru, Nueva Grenada nad New Spain. There is no other area in the world like in Latin America where the same language is spoken throughout many different countries. A total of 16 countries speak the same language : Spanish

To Alejandro Nuñez Vegas

First of all you are a great liar. There are thousands of muslims live there. Matter of fact
king fahad got lots of mentions in spain and the chatholic are accepting ISLAM rapidly. If you can read buy a book call "" WHY WE ACCEPTED ISLAM AND OTHER BOOK CALL ISLAM IS OUR ONLY CHOICE""
You probably took one hour spinish history in school and you know a lots of spain.


Tell me who builed the beautiful civilization in spain, your mama or papa. Wrong boy, tell the truth and find out before you die.

You probably accepted chatholic for few crumbs form the pope. For your informations read the book call "" sex lifes of the popes"" you will understand your faith 100% better.


You killer, killed millions of muslims in spain and your hand is full of muslims blood.

A muslim,

I can tell by your composition that you are probably an African-American (I could be wrong about that, however you don't seem to be well versed in Spanish history), but I am basing by research with books of high historical academical reputation. Spain is 100% Catholic and the great civilization of Spain was created by the Catholic Monarchy that united the country and washed the Arabs out in 1493 (officialy, all Moors were washed out in 1608). The Great culture of Spain was built with the Catholic church helping flushing out the Arabs and Moors. Now I don't recognize Muslim Blood or Chrisitian Blood, I only recognize racial divisions such as Caucasoids, Mongoloids, Negroids and Hindu and Amerindian (which are the 5 main divisions in this world). Tell me what Muslim blood is, how could a Blood be created in a religion that is 6 centuries much much younger than Christianity?

I've read much and heard much about how Islam is considered to be the perfect religion, and how some people claim it is fully unified (which is not true because I can have many muslims I know testify to that). Islam is a divided religion (Sunni and Shiite are the first branch of division) and is misued a lot like Christianity, only that Christianity is not being misued today because it has learned from its past history and has lost its power due to that. Islam is being misued in Afganistan, Chechnya, Kosovo, etc... I guess its time for Arabs to grow up and discover misusing religion leads to decline in that religion.

Kissie,

just identifying the thought process - not agreeing with it. No apologies for compassion, though. Sick of the machos- thought I would open a new line of discussion. Seemed succesful.
I find your view a tad cynical,but see where it is coming from.I grew up in this system,but have visited with yours. I can see the pitfalls in this one. Pluralism offers a multitude of views, conflicting info, the trick is to find the truth.
not always easy,but some of us don't eat oats for lunch.(baa!). Sorry about the sickos and yes-men,
your opinion is recognised.

******************************************

L'menexe,

D.D.S.S - sigh

*****************************************
Alejandro, Truth person,

Maybe you find it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in the western media,how about in your own? When you live with the system you learn to deal with it,right. Uruguay has been known to fall prey to disinformation itself,from time to time. While we are at it, so has Russia.

The only other thing I can say is:"Baaaaaaaa to you too- with bedknobs on it!!"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Svoloch,

"..but please explain to me, how can you not be able to leave city in 4 months? Seriously you ether have to be incredibly stupid or you mast be a rebel."

Well some reports claim that they have been prevented from leaving by the rebels- but we have no proof of course...

I can think of other reasons, people too old, too sick, too frightened. Imagine carrying a three year old for however many miles it is to the border. Better the devil they know? Who knows!

I do take issue with the statement made by the russian army- "If you haven't left - you are a terrorist". Should'nt they deal with each case as they find them? Too much effort,I guess.

*************************************
Suleyman,

A pluralistic media controlled by capitalist interests or a State media as the political and only source?
The debate is ongoing,except that Marxist analysis is out of fashion at the moment.

What about the BBC? A state owned broadcasting company payed for by licence fee, yet with a clause in its remit to avoid political bias. A media watchdog system to oversee the whole process.

Isn't media coverage by westerners for westerners
bound to show western bias. Could the same be said in other parts of the world.( let's say the Saudi press, by the Saudis, for the Saudis).
There are always different sides to the same story and that doesn't mean that they are wrong.
Truth has many faces.
*******************************************
May peace be with all of us.

Kim Arx

I was also informed by a Muslim that you cannot convert to Christianity. Well, the ex-President of Argentina, Carlos Saúl Menem (De La Rua is the new President as of this month), who is of born of Syrian immigrants in Argentina, was actually raised as a Sunni Muslim, but later converted to Christendom. Much of the excuse that I hear from Islamic perfectionists is that they claim that those that convert or misuse Islam are "untrue Muslims". That's the same thing I hear from Christian perfectionists, claiming that Cathlocism, the oldest of the Christian branches, is not "true Christianity". This sort of judgement is simply not factual and is only an excuse to avoid any anomalies that rid the perfectionism of your faith.

La pequena Chechnya tiene importancia


Comentario de The Economist

EL caso contra la decisión de Boris Yeltsin de aplastar a la república rebelde de Chechnya por la fuerza se produjo el 13 enero de 1991, cuando Radio Riga transmitió esta apelación a los soldados rusos: "Quizás les digan que, con vuestra ayuda, el orden será establecido en la sociedad. Pero, ¿es posible considerar las violaciones a la Constitución y a las leyes como el establecimiento de la paz? La violencia... traerá una nueva crisis en la misma Rusia..." La ocasión fue el día en que tropas soviéticas mataron a 13 civiles en un intento de aplastar el deseo de Lituania por su independencia.

Quien dijo esas palabras no fue otro que Boris Yeltsin, afirmando que las democracias no pueden mantenerse sólo por la fuerza. En el caso de Lituania, tenía razón. Ahora, en el caso de Chechnya, no la tiene. Chechnya podrá ser considerada como un pequeño lugar sin importancia que pocos en Occidente podrían encontrar en el mapa, aún ahora. A su debido tiempo, podrá volver a ocupar su bien merecida oscuridad.

Ladecisión de Yeltsin de enviar los tanques ha provocado una cuestión de principios que merece una reacción, no sea que otras partes remotas en las márgenes de Rusia quieran también llegar a fuerza y sangre a las primeras páginas de los periódicos del mundo. La cuestión principal en Chechnya, igual que en Lituania, es si la región que quiere separarse tiene un derecho razonable a su autodeterminación. No hay duda alguna de que Lituania lo tenía; pero en Chechnya la clase de gobierno que presiona por la separación es marcadamente diferente, pero la reacción es la misma.

Los chechenes constituyen un pueblo distintivo, no un grupo "ad hoc" que ve la oportunidad y trata de llevarse un trozo injusto de la riqueza del país. Es más, su territorio. Chechnya, es parte de Rusia solamente por el derecho de la conquista imperial, justo como lo fuera Lituania.

Aunque las conquistas del pasado no siempre pueden ser consideradas ilegítim as hoy día - la mayor parte del oeste de los Estados Unidos fue robada a México - inevitablemente parecerán sospechosas si los pobladores continúan rechazando a sus nuevos gobernantes. Los chechenes, igual que los lituanios, jamás han aceptado su incorporación forzada a Rusia. Chechnya fue la primera zona de la Rusia poscomunista en declarar su independencia, poco tiempo después del golpe contra Mikhail Gorbachev en agosto de 1991. En octubre de 1991, Jokar Dudaev, quien hizo esa declaración de independencia, ganó el respaldo de los votantes en unas elecciones presidenciales. Sin embargo, esto no les dio a los chechenes el derecho automático de separarse de la Federación Rusa y aplicar por ser miembro de las Naciones Unidas.

Por lo regular hay dos partes en cada argumento acerca del derecho a separarse, justo como por lo regular hay dos partes en un caso de divorcio, y los rusos podrían ofrecer varias razones para querer impedir la separación de los chechenes. La primera razón podría ser que el derecho de Chechnya a la independencia ha sido pronunciado ilegítimo por las acciones de su gobierno. Y es verdad que el gobierno chechén es ofensivo. Dudaev tomó el poder a la fuerza en 1991 y en junio de 1994 suprimió un referendum acerca de su presidencia.

El contraste con el caso de Lituania es extraordinario: Allí, un régimen democrático estaba luchando contra un Estado soviético autoritario. Chechnya es más como una república gángster luchando contra una Rusia que por lo regular ha estado dispuesta a acatar decisiones populares. Aunque nunca el asunto de la independencia ha sido presentado directamente a los votantes de Chechnya, hay pocas razones para sugerir que se opongan a ella. Quizás prefieran ser gobernados por demócratas. Quizás no. En cualquier caso, no parecen querer una democracia impuesta por Yeltsin.

¿Qué sucede con las minorías dentro de Chechnya? Si el gobierno que quiere la separación los ha perseguido, o no ha salvaguardado sus derechos, Yeltsin podría afirmar, razonablemente, que él actúa en defensa de los intereses de esas minorías. Pero aunque los rusos étnicos constituyen un quinto de la población de Chechnya, no hay indicios de que hayan sido maltratados. Los chechenes tienen una reputación de conducirse como bandoleros; no obstante, su bandidaje parece haber sido practicado tanto dentro como fuera de su territorio; el maltratar a golpes a las minorías locales no representa mucho papel en ello.

En realidad, Yeltsin ha enviado los tanques a Chechnya no para proteger a los rusos étnicos, y menos todavía para imponer la democracia. Sus preocupaciones, o las de sus generales, tienen mucho más que ver con la seguridad del Estado. Una de estas preocupaciones es local. Justo al norte de Chechnya está la zona maicera de Rusia, la región de tierra negra de la cuenca del Kuban. Hacia el sur están Irán y Turquía.

La participación rusa en el Cáucaso siempre ha sido impulsada principalmente por su temor a la influencia islámica en el sur y por su deseo de tener una zona amortiguadora como protección a sus campos de maíz. Este temor es hoy día tan fuerte como siempre lo ha sido. No obstante, las preocupaciones sobre la seguridad, a pesar de ser comprensibles, no justifican la supresión de Yeltsin a los deseos de Chechnya de separarse. La seguridad señala la necesidad de un arreglo negociado.

La otra preocupación es más general. Desde 1991, Rusia ha progresado extraordinariamente en construir un Estado multinacional creando un sistema federal el cual les da a las 20 repúblicas (además de Chechnya) grandes poderes para gobernarse a sí mismas. Sin embargo, este logro es frágil. Si a Chechnya se les permite separarse, otras partes de la Federación querrían tratar de seguir su ejemplo; los tártaros están notablemente impacientes.

Es concebible que la desintegración de Rusia pueda conducir a una serie de Bosnias. Más probablemente, irritaría, a los generales rusos, algunos de los cuales han dicho que a sus ojos, por lo menos, mantener la integridad del país es su confrontación principal con el ejército. A Yeltsin se le podría culpar de no estar preparado para arriesgar una confrontación, si el ejército está equivocado. Y equivocado está si de veras está tratando de mantener unida a la Federación en contra de los deseos de los pueblos que la constituyen.

Eso no quiere decir que los chechenes se hayan comportado bien o sabiamente en su intento de liberarse. Al contrario, simplemente declarando la independencia en 1991 sin después de hacer ningún intento serio de negociar con Rusia, Dudaev se ha comportado sumamente mal. Y sus acciones, aún si tienen éxito, podrían resultar también imprudentes. Como un país de alrededor de un millón de habitantes, pretender salir adelante solo, aún con petróleo, podría encontrar que cualquier independencia que obtuviera sería ilusoria. Esto, sin embargo, es un asunto de los chechenes. Si ellos quieren divorciarse con precipitación, se pueden arrepentir sin prisa.

Para Yeltsin, la lección importante es comprender que las democracias no pueden unirse por la fuerza.

Kim Arx,

Actually, the Uruguayan media isn't a prey of disinformation, it is a prey that presents very little information because our Media doesn't really cover foreign policy that much. We are a very little country that doesn't get involved in Foreign Policy. It is actually better not to cover a story at all than to cover it telling a bunch of biased lies and hilarious anomalies. Our country really doesn't have a media that portrays much foreign policy. I, in order to circumvent this dilemma, read and watch European News (Mainly German, Italian and British). In my opinion, BBC is the least biased and best news broadcasting service in the entire world. Tell me of any disinformation Uruguay is a victim of? Tell me when Uruguay has brainwashed its people into believing a bunch of garbage (unless the American government forced our government to do so, which is a different situation, called foreign Imperialism), just tell me.

SHALOM TO ALL JEWS

With the exception of Jews like my brother Blackjack and sister kissie -YOU ARE ALL BEASTS

Baba Necia 114, 6: "The Jews are human beings, but the nations of the world are not human beings but beasts."

But even amongst beasts, the dirtiest animals are Russians. Especially the filthy Russians now emigrating to the Pure and sacred land of Israel. These dirty pig eating Russians have bought nothing but filth, squalor and crime to Israel.The Red Sea at Eilat is NOW full of dirty Russian prostitutes, selling themselves. Israel is holy land NOT Bangkok! Why are Russian girls bought up to be prostitutes?

Observant Jews are not permitted to cook on the Sabbath, so we eat cholent, a heavy stew cooked on Friday night. But the filthy Russian animals are not only EATING ON THE SABBATH, but they are eating pig flesh!

Shabbat is celebrated from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, and no work may be done on this day. But do the filthy Russians in Israel care? No it is business as usual for them! and for Russians, business means crime and prostitution.

We have warned the filthy Palestinians, now we are warning the filthier Russians. You will reform your dirty animal ways or ELSE. The mighty state of Israel donates much money to hungry Russians. We will NOT let you come to Israel and we will no longer feed your starving nation. Understood.

To Alejandro Nuñez Vegas..


Please do not bring shia and sunni issue here, shia are not muslims like lois faarakhan(nation of islam are not muslims). There is only one muslims and one Islam. Muslims took conostantine(now call istanbul) form pope in 1442 and same way they will take vatican, believe it. They already builed the mosque in vatican.

I want to know if you know the women pope who was killed by the church, when they found out that she was pregnant. Her name was pope Joan and her punishment for this gross impertinence was to be tied to the tail of the horse adn dragged around rome until she was dead.

So man you can not copare with Islam with any things. Islam is light and beside every things is dark.

"Para Yeltsin, la lección importante es comprender que las democracias no pueden unirse por la fuerza."

-en verdad

garzareys , muchas gracias, muy informativa.
Lo siento,no puedo respondar en castilliano sobra las questiones politicas.

Hablas Inglais?

Kim

THE MIGHTY STATE OF ISRAEL is the on the list of the 3 largest recipients of US aid in the world.

THE MIGHTY STATE OF ISRAEL is a puppet little government created overnight because a few lost people that left Germany had no where else to go.

THE MIGHTY STATE OF ISRAEL is a country that joins Pakistan and India into the list of illegal Nuclear powers.

THE MIGHTY STATE OF ISRAEL was destroyed more than 2 thousand years ago.

The Jews are human beings and others are beast? How much more arrogant can you become? The idea of nationalism and ethnic greatness is simply an invented myth backed up by a few adjectives and a few words that a few idiots created hundreds of years ago, all invented to benefit the well-being of a few people that make up a small elite. Holy Land? hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, even I can say may asss is holy, who says Israel is holy? These dangerous adjectives simply lead to the arrogance, prejudice and hatred (which leads to war and death) that has already infested your mind. GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You just happen to be born to parents who claim to possess an adjective called "Jewish", which virtually means nothing. Humans are all the same. The creation of adjectives are simply the source of the devil because all of the ethnic, religious and nationlist adjectives that have existed in time (Aryan, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, etc...) has simply lead to arrogance, war, destruction, plunder and hell. Adjectives that serves the interests of a few who propagate nationalism, ethnicity and religion are tools of the devil himself

Who killed Che?

Kim

A Muslim,

You are a typical Muslim/Christian perfectionist, claiming perfection in what you think is Islam and discarding all other things which people consider to by Islam "not islamic" (Untrue Muslims, Untrue Christians). Islam, like Christianity, is branched up, there is no unified religion.

You claim the shia are not Muslims? Are you claiming that 90% of all Iranians are not Muslim? You are no different that the Christian Perfectionists that I know who claim Catholics are not Christians.

Best Regards,
Alejandro