Latin America seeks today mechanisms in order to face the effects of the controversial Directive on Return that will regulate the detention and expulsion of illegal immigrants in Europe.
Discontent warms up in Latin American, which is getting ready to respond as a region to this initiative, deemed as “a slap and an insult to civilization” and “a human aberration.”
As this controversial migration law was passed less than a week ago, it stirred up the rejection of the Latin American countries, which immediately urged the European Union (EU) to respect the fundamental rights of illegal immigrants.
Influential organizations and regional leaders have raised their voices against this law, which threatens to repatriate thousand Latin Americans illegal immigrants living in Europe.
This controversial initiative includes an 18-month detention of illegal immigrants and it has been described as a law violating the human rights of over 8 million illegal immigrants currently living in Europe.
The European Parliament passed the law with 397 votes in favor, 206 votes against, and 109 abstentions and approved the forced deportations and a 5-year re-entry ban.
Experts estimate that the approval of this law, which will enter in force by 2010, is a negative message and violates the elemental principles of International Right such as the prerogative to move and development.
The leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, described this measure as “brutal.” He pointed out that it will “expel illegal immigrants from Latin American countries, some of which have populations which, in their majority, are of European origin.”
He affirmed that immigrants are also the “fruit of colonial, semi-colonial and capitalist exploitation” in times when “political helplessness prevails, and ignorance and illusions tend to flourish.”
Likewise, the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, said it was “a directive of shame”, and warned that his country’s oil will not reach those countries adopting the measure.
Chávez pointed out that if Europe decides to repatriate illegal immigrants to their places of birth, the Latin American countries may also decide to expel European investments.
Bolivia joined this rejection and President Evo Morales said that he would seized the opportunity of attending the Summit of the South American Nations in order to propose an international fight against the directive.
In addition, the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, pointed out that he would analyze the possibility of suspending talks with the EU and will try to make the Andean Community of Nations (CAN, Spanish acronym) issue a joint.
As the pro tempore President of CAN, comprised by Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, Correa warned that it could end the negotiations on an association agreement with the European bloc.
The Ecuadorian president stressed that the EU resolution criminalizes migration and recalled how thousand Europeans arrived in Latin America in the 20th century and no restrictions were imposed on them.
Furthermore, the Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez demanded respect and tolerance when dealing with migration policies from the 27 European countries. He also slammed the law, which was also described as a terrorist law by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
By Liset Salgado / Prensa Latina / http://www.aporrea.org
