As Obama Meets With President of Peru, Mother-Daughter Pair Chain Themselves in Protest Outside WH
EmailFrom Sunlen Miller:
As President Obama met with President Alan Garcia of Peru in the Oval Office this evening, a woman and her daughter protested outside the North West gate of the White House.
The 20-year-old daughter chained herself to the White House fence and her mother poured an oily substance on her as a protest against the president of Peru’s visit.
The Secret Service says that it was a non-toxic oil, as hazmat crews and Secret Service responded to the situation.
The mother and daughter have now both been removed and charged. The mother was charged with defacing government property, the daughter with disorderly conduct.
Inside, Obama met privately with the Peruvian president and called his Peru a “success story.”
“Peru I think has been an extraordinary success story over the last several years,” Obama said. “We’ve seen not only the solidification of a thriving democracy but also an extraordinary economic success story. Even over the last year in the midst of a very tough global recession, we saw that Peru was able to remain resilient.”
The two leaders discussed a range of issues, the president said, including “continuing to pursue the details” of a free trade agreement, security issues, climate change and a broader international vision of promoting democracy, human rights, press freedoms and economic development.
“Finally we discussed important geopolitical issues. One of the main concerns that President Garcia and I share is the issue of nuclear non-proliferation,” Obama said, adding that he appreciates the “strong stance” Garcia has taken on the issue.
Garcia — speaking in Spanish, which was translated for Obama — attributed Peru's success to the opening of the economy to free trade and the "waning effect of socialist capitalism."
– Sunlen Miller
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“The Secret Service says that it was a non-toxic oil,..”
A thoughtful protester. Let’s hope nobody gets the bright idea of unloading a tank truck loaded with 10W-40W on the streets of Washington to prove a point.
Posted by: Sigmonde | June 2, 2010, 7:43 am 7:43 am
Don’t get fooled by terrorism advocacy of such “protesters”. Peru had enough with terrorists groups and wild pseudo “natives” not respecting legal authorities.
Posted by: Orlando | June 2, 2010, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
I don’t get the point of the oil, but I have never heard of a mother/daughter chaining themselves like that before. It will definitely get the attention of the whitehouse as to what their reasons were.
Posted by: laura castillo | June 2, 2010, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
Nowadays, something that nobody would have expected 20 years ago is happening: A country that was affected by comunist guerrilas and huge economic problems, defeated them both and is now on track to economic development and progress:
- Forecast for Peru’s econimic growth for 2010 is around 7% , the highest in Latin America (source IMF). Extremely remarkable during these times of global crisis.
- Peru GDP grew 1% in 2009, even when most of the world’s economies where not growing in all regions, showing the strenght of its economy.
- Peru GDP grew 10% in 2008, one of the highest in the world for that year, even above China.
- Per capita income growth and poverty decrease have progressed faster in Peru than in any other country in Latin America during the last years.
Peru is strategically located at the center of the Pacific coast of South America, next to Brasil acting as its natural door to access the Pacific and asian markets.
Given it’s privileged location, it’s also the major air cargo hub in South America, central air hub for several air lines serving South America, one of the major maritime hubs on this part of the Pacific, being its main port, el Callao in constant growth and modernization and Lima’s Jorge Chavez airport ranked as best airport in South America last year.
It’s territory is also crossed by the Pan American highway, being the Trans-Amazonic highway to be finished by 2011 to connect it with Brazil by land through the Amazonic jungle, and being also other major transcontinental roads in process of being constructed with the objective to convert it in the central point of land communications for the South American continent.
There are major oil and gas pipelines transporting these resources from the Amazonas jungle to the ports and petrochemical plants on the Pacific.
Peru is 1st world producer of silver, and is among the 5 top producers of gold, copper and many other minerals.
The country has a wide variety of different climates which allow the production of an enormous variety of crops all year round.
It has signed free trade agreements with the USA, China, EU, Corea, Singapur; being conversations with Japan and other countries in progress.
The country acquired investment grade status in 2009 and the amount of foreign investment in the country will easily be over 100 billion US dollars during the next few years.
Posted by: Cesar | June 2, 2010, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm