2007 Freedom Award goes to Tony Saca

In case anyone is concerned that I am not giving time to all sides after yesterday's post about the FMLN rally with Mauricio Funes, I will quote the following press release from the International Republican Institute without any comment:
IRI to Honor Elías Antonio Saca González, President of El Salvador with the 2007 Freedom Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2007

Washington, DC – The International Republican Institute (IRI) will honor Elías Antonio Saca González with the 2007 Freedom Award for his leadership in building on a quarter century of dramatic democratic and economic progress in El Salvador.

“Twenty-five years ago El Salvador was the most divisive foreign policy issue in Washington, but Ronald Reagan determined to stand with El Salvador’s democrats against the violence of the right and left,” said IRI Chairman Senator John McCain. “As a result of the steadfastness of the good people of El Salvador, backed by the United States, the country today is a model of democratic and economic development for other nations. President Saca has shown that it is possible to lift people out of poverty and adhere to democratic principles. Advocates of freedom have no better ally in the region than President Saca.”

The youngest president in El Salvador’s history, President Saca has built on the strong legacy of his ARENA forebears by linking economic growth with democratic governance, and vigorously defending freedom at home and abroad. His administration’s slogan, “Government with a Human Touch,” reflects Saca’s commitment to ensuring that free-market democracy benefits all citizens. (more).

Comments

Anonymous said…
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
lol, what the f*ck!
really???
Anonymous said…
visit: pescozada.com
Anonymous said…
What a joke...those Republican are such kidders..LOL...LOL...LOL.

It was a joke...right????

Seriously...it was only a joke...right?
Anonymous said…
Rightwing, neoliberal, free market, exploit the fear of the war terror, Republicans and ARENAeros are no joke.
Anonymous said…
There are a couple of problems with the award going to Saca. He has not lifted the people out of poverty nor adhered to democratic principles. Ergo, what grounds are there for this award to be granted?
Anonymous said…
hehhehehehhehe, hahhahaa, jojojojo...

Man... Thanks Tim! I needed the laugh. You made my day.


What is even funnier, ignoring the truthfulness of the last anonymous's comments, is the excerpt where it says that Ronald Reagan stood by the side of El Salvador's "democrats" to fight the violence from the right and left... Come on, he was the right's sugar daddy!


Again, Tim, thanks for such a humorous post!
Salvi_Alchemist said…
Isnt that amazing? Saying Reagan was determined to fight the right and left in the 80s. No one, and I mean no one, believes the load of trash the GOP spouts these days. For them to give that award to Saca and even mention Reagn fighting for us, is spitting in our faces.

ARENA has D'buisson and the Repubs have Reagn. They're meant for each other.
Anonymous said…
“As a result of the steadfastness of the good people of El Salvador, backed by the United States, the country today is a model of democratic and economic development for other nations. President Saca has shown that it is possible to lift people out of poverty and adhere to democratic principles.

Haaaaaaa haaaaa ! I almost messed myself!
Anonymous said…
The 2007 "freedom award" is ridiculous and a sham. Above all an insult to the people of El Salvador whom do not see any properity from the right wing governance. Oh and by the way Saca is turd, freaken joke ex radio jok.
Joe said…
Unbelievable. I thought McCain was better than that. I would like to think he's just ignorant, but I don't think so.

Do you think the timing was meant to come so close to the anniversary of the murder of the 7 Jesuit priests? It's possible. Reagan famously gave a speech on "states' rights" in Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1980. Sixteen years earlier, 3 civil-rights workers were murdered there. In the US, "states' rights" is often used as a code word for being against civil-rights (against blacks). Reagan sent a powerful message that day, and I have a feeling a similar message was sent with this Freedom Award.
Tim said…
I think the award is another pat on the head to Tony Saca for keeping troops in Iraq, is part of the Republican desire to get back to the "good old days" of Ronald Reagan when they had a popular Republican in the White House, and any timing has more to do with the popularity of Funes as the FMLN presidential candidate than with thumbing American noses at the memory of the Jesuit murders.
Anonymous said…
Perhaps they should rename this the Freedom from Accountability Award.
Tenant#1 said…
Tim, I have also criss crossed El Salvador in the past 10 years, and would like to ask if you have been to the boys town in Santa Ana (training poor boys) and the Siramá foundation (training poor girls and women)?
There are many people working hard at helping the poor overcome their misery, one of them is to TEACH them a job so that they can plan their own destiny, and this is most important in the case of young women. Empowering women by giving teaching them a trade, will make them stronger and will be the best birth control method without infringing in their own culture.