As
Guatemala
Says "Legalize
It," Ban Goes
Light on
Latins,
Maritime
Disputes
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 25,
updated --
When
Guatemala's
president Otto
Fernando
Pérez Molina
arrived to
speak to the
media at the
UN on
Wednesday,
only three
came and asked
questions.
Inner City
Press asked
if, on
his signature
issue of
de-criminalization
of drugs, he
has a sense of
the views of
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon, and
what he thinks
the
US should be
doing.
Otto
Fernando Pérez
Molina, who
had mentioned
the support of
Ban's
predecessor
Kofi Annan,
said he had
spoken with
Ban last year.
He
noted that two
US states have
decriminalized
marijuana and
said the
Federal
government is
not opposing
that. He spoke
of small
compartments
in cares
carrying drugs
through
Guatemala.
An
irony, of
course, is
that Otto
Fernando Pérez
Molina has
been
accused of war
crimes,
including making rebel
leaders
disappear.
Guatemala is
now on the
Security
Council; this
part of its
history
and of Otto
Fernando Pérez
Molina rarely
come up, even
as Sudan and
Syria are
discussed.
On
September 24,
the president
of Costa Rica
spoke, mostly
about her
country's
dispute with
Nicaragua. A
response by
Nigaragua,
scheduled
for September
25 at 11 am,
was canceled.
So far, Latin
presidents
are the most
accessible,
but with most
UN press
fixated on
Syria and
Iran, they are
not getting
much play.
Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
spokesperson's
office about a
letter
Colombia
gave Ban and
was told that
not only Costa
Rica and
Panama but
also
Jamaica had
signed it, about
maritime
issues.
After Costa
Rica's
president told
Inner City
Press it did
not include
Jamaica but
also on-land
issues and the
Press reported
it, the
UN
quietly issued
a correction.
Who's
counting?
We
are.
When
Evo
Morales,
President of
Bolivia, met
with Ban
Ki-moon on
Tuesday
evening the UN
had five
officials at
the table.
Twenty minutes
later
for an Israeli
minister the
UN brought
more than 12
officials.
Does
Ban's UN take
Latin America
for granted?
Some say, Si.
Watch this
site.
Update:
we'll note for
the record
that Ban will
have many meeting
with Latins
this General
Debate week.
Then again, so
far as golfing
partners, only
South Korea,
San Marino and
the UK are
listed. Are
there are Latin
golfing partners?
Inner
City Press has
asked for
disclosure of
the list.
Transparencia!
, 
