Ecuador Offers US $23 million to provide human rights training

Don

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Agorism FTW!
It's all about Snowden. First came the threats:
On Wednesday, led by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the US threatened to deny Ecuador preferential trade status if it accepted Snowden's application for political asylum after he leaked a trove of classified documents that revealed details about the NSA's vast surveillance programs in the US and abroad.
In response, Ecuador thumbed their nose.
But on Thursday, Ecuador nullified the US threats—and made it clear it would not be intimidated by the global superpower—by proactively cancelling the trade agreement.

"Ecuador unilaterally and irrevocably renounces these preferential customs tariff rights," government spokesman Fernando Alvarado said at the news conference.

"Ecuador will not accept pressures or threats from anyone, and it does not traffic in its values or allow them to be subjugated to mercantile interests," he said.
Then after sticking the knife in, they gave it a little twist.
Alvarado, who called threats from the US over trade arrangements a form of "blackmail,” said Ecuador’s government would not only willingly accept the loss of approximately $23 million in trade benefits, but in addition would offer a gift, in the form of an aid package of the same amount, that would be directed to provide human rights training in the United States.

According to reports, Ecuador indicated the money could be used to help the US address its recent problem with torture, illegal executions, and the attacks on the privacy of its citizens.
I love it when an underdog stands up to a bully.
 

aswiftsunset

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Would you like some ice for that burn, 'murica?
 

Kaiser-Kun

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The metaphorical foot has struck the metaphorical groin.
 

AncientEagle

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Regardless of its faults and missteps, I take no pleasure and can't bring myself to chuckle over seeing my country ridiculed. Guess I'm just funny that way.
 

missesdash

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That's in USD, right? :D

It's posturing anyway. Correa's comparing dick measurements with Hugo Chavez's corpse. The program was set to expire at the end of the month and despite the threats, it's seems to me that after speaking with Biden and getting criticized for letting Assange run the show, Correa isn't going to accept Snowden.
 

Kaiser-Kun

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Fidel Castro has praised Ecuador and declared that the Evuhl Umpire is gonna use its evil weapons on non-evil Russia and non-evil China.
 

Don

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Regardless of its faults and missteps, I take no pleasure and can't bring myself to chuckle over seeing my country ridiculed. Guess I'm just funny that way.
I see a distinct difference between my country and the clown car in Mordor on the Potomac, and I saw the barbs as rightfully directed at the latter, who deserve worse for such blatant attempts at blackmail. I realize not everyone does, though.
 

AncientEagle

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I see a distinct difference between my country and the clown car in Mordor on the Potomac, and I saw the barbs as rightfully directed at the latter, who deserve worse for such blatant attempts at blackmail. I realize not everyone does, though.
You're right, not everyone does. I feel sure Ecuador is not aiming barbs at "Mordor on the Potomac," but at what much of the third world sees as the Great Satan, the United States. All while shipping tons of goods to the Great Satan, which is why I can hardly buy vegetables in the supermarket without Ecuador's name on them. Suggesting that it might cost them favorable trade relationships if they choose, in order to stick their thumb in Uncle Sam's eye, to harbor Snowden, the self-appointed head of our national security and authority on international relations may be seen by some as blackmail. I see it as the kind of pressure countries sometimes exert to get their way. But, of course, we are shocked! shocked!
 

Magdalen

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lol love it!! Uncle Sam's become not only a greedy, unscrupulous bastard, he also appears to not play well with others.