Hillary at Dilma Rousseff’s Inauguration: Jealous? Imperialist?
Published in Le Figaro
(France) on 2 January 2011
by Véronique Saint-Geours (link to original)
(France) on 2 January 2011
by Véronique Saint-Geours (link to original)
Translated from
by Lauren Oke.
Edited by Gillian Palmer.
While representing Barack Obama at the inauguration of Dilma Rousseff, an old-fashioned, tired looking Hillary Clinton presented herself without panache. She was all smiles for the niceties with Dilma, but arrived after everyone else and left early, with her own security and communication team she wasn’t playing the game, and tactlessly showed the imperialist character of her presence. And yet, at the age of 63, like Dilma, she could have shown a female solidarity and something which could overcome the pique. But, ever American, she didn’t know how to tell Brazil of the admiration this deserves.
It’s doubtful that the photo of Hillary and Dilma is now on Hillary’s “ego wall” in Washington, securing this unforgettable day for the first female president of Brazil. But there’s no need to go as far as Hillary’s wall. The American press have been sparing when it comes to images and articles for this event, in a country where women are more celebrated for their physical performance and the desire that they attract than for their access to the country’s important political functions.
However, the inauguration of the first female president of Brazil, from the Workers Party with Lula as predecessor, merited a classy gesture from the U.S. to consecrate the outstanding enthusiasm of this country since the union activist was elected to lead the country and hadn’t forced them to become leftists at the same time.
Hillary and Dilma were born in the same year, 1947. They are both baby boomers and militants. Dilma resisted dictatorship and spent time in jail from 1970 to 1973. There is no link, but Hillary fought for women and also defended, in general animosity, a health reform for all which was overturned in 1993, but which she was very passionate about. Both are intellectuals; Dilma is an experienced economist, and Hillary a sheer product of the University of Yale.
Nevertheless, Hillary must have seen the success she had failed to obtain in Dilma’s inauguration: The transformation of a brilliant political career into a presidential election. Plus, the swearing in came back to her like a bad film of her personal failure. It must be tough!
The attitude of the secretary of state confirmed the narrow-minded view of North America on South America:
1. A week ago Lula declared that he was “sorry to observe that the United States still held an unchanged view of Latin America.” That is to say, underdeveloped, patriarchal, lead by caudillos who want to emigrate to the U.S.: a “back yard.” It’s ignorance to reality. Even worse, Americans do not see a difference between Brazil and other South American countries.
2. Definitively, Brazil is not an American subculture. It is without any fascination with North America: Brazil is self-sufficient, has its own identity, has the ability to be autonomous, plays soccer, dances the samba, celebrates carnivals and definitely not Halloween. On September 11, Brazil talked about the Twin Towers one day, and then moved on. Shocking…
3. There is no Brazilian Diaspora to the U.S. like in other South American countries. At least they don’t create an immigration problem.
4. And, as if thumbing their nose at America, Brazil is multicultural. It is therefore another model example, and “another destiny” is revealed. The eye of America remained well grounded in Brazil before underdeveloped and un-egalitarian Lula. In that era, the clash of cultures was not the enviable success story of the B in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China).
5. Brazil is a rich country. It is America’s rival, and as Lula said on the eve of his departure, “the goal is to become the fifth biggest economy in the world before 2016.”
It’s up to America to rethink its views on Brazil and on the distribution of world power before coming to the Olympics, which Chicago has lost for 2016.
It’s doubtful that the photo of Hillary and Dilma is now on Hillary’s “ego wall” in Washington, securing this unforgettable day for the first female president of Brazil. But there’s no need to go as far as Hillary’s wall. The American press have been sparing when it comes to images and articles for this event, in a country where women are more celebrated for their physical performance and the desire that they attract than for their access to the country’s important political functions.
However, the inauguration of the first female president of Brazil, from the Workers Party with Lula as predecessor, merited a classy gesture from the U.S. to consecrate the outstanding enthusiasm of this country since the union activist was elected to lead the country and hadn’t forced them to become leftists at the same time.
Hillary and Dilma were born in the same year, 1947. They are both baby boomers and militants. Dilma resisted dictatorship and spent time in jail from 1970 to 1973. There is no link, but Hillary fought for women and also defended, in general animosity, a health reform for all which was overturned in 1993, but which she was very passionate about. Both are intellectuals; Dilma is an experienced economist, and Hillary a sheer product of the University of Yale.
Nevertheless, Hillary must have seen the success she had failed to obtain in Dilma’s inauguration: The transformation of a brilliant political career into a presidential election. Plus, the swearing in came back to her like a bad film of her personal failure. It must be tough!
The attitude of the secretary of state confirmed the narrow-minded view of North America on South America:
1. A week ago Lula declared that he was “sorry to observe that the United States still held an unchanged view of Latin America.” That is to say, underdeveloped, patriarchal, lead by caudillos who want to emigrate to the U.S.: a “back yard.” It’s ignorance to reality. Even worse, Americans do not see a difference between Brazil and other South American countries.
2. Definitively, Brazil is not an American subculture. It is without any fascination with North America: Brazil is self-sufficient, has its own identity, has the ability to be autonomous, plays soccer, dances the samba, celebrates carnivals and definitely not Halloween. On September 11, Brazil talked about the Twin Towers one day, and then moved on. Shocking…
3. There is no Brazilian Diaspora to the U.S. like in other South American countries. At least they don’t create an immigration problem.
4. And, as if thumbing their nose at America, Brazil is multicultural. It is therefore another model example, and “another destiny” is revealed. The eye of America remained well grounded in Brazil before underdeveloped and un-egalitarian Lula. In that era, the clash of cultures was not the enviable success story of the B in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China).
5. Brazil is a rich country. It is America’s rival, and as Lula said on the eve of his departure, “the goal is to become the fifth biggest economy in the world before 2016.”
It’s up to America to rethink its views on Brazil and on the distribution of world power before coming to the Olympics, which Chicago has lost for 2016.
As the world turns , it evolves .
And so be it .
Viva Brazil !
Viva Dilma !
Hillary has no choice , she just has to brush up on her portugese .