October 23, 2007  Today the U.S House of Representatives finally passed a Resolution condemning Chavez and Correa's new business partner: the illicit mullahs of Iran and stated, ..."“Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is doing all he can to build strategic alliances in the Western Hemisphere.  He has built dangerous friendships with self-proclaimed communist Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and enjoys the support of the Russian, Cuban, and other questionable regimes.  In addition, Hezbollah, an undisputed agent of terrorism for Iran, is gaining a strategic foothold in Latin America."
 
Furthering, the announcement notes, " The passage of this resolution comes on the heels of confirming statements made by the head of U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Jim Stavridis, who wrote, `We consider Latin America and the Caribbean as being highly likely bases for future terrorist threats to the U.S. and others.' ”
 
The original H.R. 1400 can be found here at www.thomas.gov.
 
We continue to ask: why does Ecuador's Correa believe it is helpful to serve, like Hezbollah, as a proxy for Chavez and Iran's terror ambitions?

When will Ecuadoreans finally review all the Correa-Ahmadinejad agreements and all the Correa-Chavez and Chavez-Ahmadinejad agreements?

And more to the point- just WHERE are those bicycles they have been building in Caracas for almost a year now? How long does it take to build a bicycle?

[Hint: less than three months.] Do you know what Chavez is doing inside Ecuador? Ask. And do not take phony, enabling answers. Insist on the facts.
 
And then...ask yourself: even though most Ecuadoreans think that Correa is fabulous for stealing from American companies and lying to Wall Street and lying before the United Nations, that this is terrific because, as we all know, all Ecuadoreans seem to think that manipulations and lies are helpful. At some point, even Ecuadoreans get tired of the machinations and the corruption and realize how utterly unattractive they have become. No one likes them or trusts them because of what they do now. What will you do if sanctions are levied against Ecuador for its allegiance to the criminal Ahmadinejad? Will you defend Iran's perversions and global jihad against Christianity and western civilization? Or will you, as is the case today, try to simply cut a new deal with Iran and continue manipulating life? This plan has, we remind, ruined the heart and soul of Lebanon to the point of sheer dysfunction. It is not a useful plan, however Lebanese, for Ecuador. Iran's mullahs are serious. So too it seems are some from the U.S. Congress. Who do you support? Mahmoud or the facts?
 
And before you decide about the wonderfulness of being a rogue nation/criminally outcast for criminal relationships due to Ecuador's affiliation with Chavez and Iran, we suggest you reread the October 2, 2007 statement on Rafael Correa by U.S. Congressman Mack. It is edifying.
 
- Pedro Camargo for ECrisis

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For Immediate Release - Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Contact - Stephanie DuBois (MACK), (202) 225-2536;  Adrienne Elrod (KLEIN), (202) 225-3026

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Ron Klein (FL-22) and Connie Mack (FL-14) today praised Committee passage of their resolution calling on the U.S. government to work with countries in the Western Hemisphere to combat terrorism and Hezbollah’s growing influence in the region.  H.Res. 435 passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously this morning and now awaits a vote in the full House of Representatives.

 

Iran’s influence in the Western Hemisphere is growing at an alarming rate.  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has tried to gain a foothold in the region by doling out aid packages to Bolivia and Nicaragua.  Direct airline flights between Tehran and Caracas started earlier this year.  Ahmadinejad recently returned from a visit to Venezuela and Bolivia after speaking at the UN General Assembly, where he chastised the United States and President Bush.  In addition, as a result of Chavez’s takeover of Venezuela’s oil production, American oil companies have pulled out of the country and Iranian companies have stepped in. 

 

Klein, the Vice-Chair of the House Iran Working Group, said, “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinehad’s attempts to undercut U.S. policy in our hemisphere are alarming, and we authored this resolution to express Congress’ concern over this dangerous trend.  Iran’s history in Latin America is ominous, as we all remember the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Community Center, which killed 85 innocent people.  Argentines are still waiting for justice, and warrants are out for the arrests of several Iranians and members of Hezbollah.  Eliminating the threat of terrorism and its state sponsors is not just in the best interest of the United States.  The countries in our hemisphere will be safer.  The United States and Central and Latin American countries have an aligned interest.” 

 

Mack said, “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is doing all he can to build strategic alliances in the Western Hemisphere.  He has built dangerous friendships with self-proclaimed communist Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and enjoys the support of the Russian, Cuban, and other questionable regimes.  In addition, Hezbollah, an undisputed agent of terrorism for Iran, is gaining a strategic foothold in Latin America.  For our own safety and security, the United States must do all we can to help our Latin American neighbors respond more effectively to the threat of terrorism in their own countries and let them know we stand with them in their quest for freedom and democracy.”

 

The passage of this resolution comes on the heels of confirming statements made by the head of U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Jim Stavridis, who wrote, “We consider Latin America and the Caribbean as being highly likely bases for future terrorist threats to the U.S. and others.”

 

Klein and Mack are also cosponsors of H.R. 1400, the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act, which passed the House in late September and currently awaits action in the Senate.  This legislation would close loopholes in existing laws that prohibit U.S. companies and their foreign subsidiaries from investing in Iran’s energy sector.  It would also increase funding for U.S. agencies working to isolate Iran from the international banking system, which would make it more difficult for Iran to do business with global partners.
 
 

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For Immediate Release - Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Contact - Stephanie DuBois, (202) 225-2536; stephanie.dubois@mail.house.gov

 

WASHINGTON – Congressman Connie Mack (FL-14) issued the following statement today after socialist Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa called for new elections and the dissolution of Ecuador’s Congress. Correa made the statement after his coalition of supporters won the majority of votes in a special assembly to overhaul the constitution on Sunday.

 

Mack, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said:

 

“Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has ripped a page out of Hugo Chavez’s socialist playbook and is emulating his Venezuelan friend’s rise to power. Correa has made clear his desire to rewrite the constitution, assume greater control over the nation’s oil revenue, and stack the legislature with his henchmen.

 

“One nation at a time, Chavez is succeeding in exporting his radical socialist revolution, convincing his fellow Latin American rulers to rewrite their constitutions, put their cronies in power, nationalize key industries, and destroy the hopes and dreams of their people. It’s a dangerous formula that threatens the freedom, security and prosperity of the Latin American people.

 

“The Administration must not sit idly and allow Chavez to expand his dangerous influence in America’s backyard. The United States must do all it can to let the people of Latin America know that we stand with them in their quest for freedom and democracy.”

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