Bloggers of The Americas

Malena Marchan Contributor of Bloggers of The Americas

In the 1970’s the United States organized coup d’états and moved and removed Latin-American presidents from power. In the eighties it was the big multinationals eating away the regions natural resources while Washington armed right winged paramilitary groups. 10 years later the drug war went into full speed and the Drug Enforcement Administration sent undercover agents to monitor operations in the region.

For all of this and more, many Guatemalans, Ecuadorians, Chileans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans as well as people from other countries, the United States has been criticized and hated for what its enemies have referred to as meddling in other countries affairs.

And to make matters worse, one of the many things that annoyes many Latin–American people is that the U.S has become owner of the word America. It uses it to refer to everything, like its people as well as its values; American values, American sentiment, American honor etc., etc. They don’t realize Central Americans, North Americans and South Americans are Americans too since they all come from the American continent.

 The funny thing is that Washington has also been criticized for not doing anything like the case of Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted from power last June.

United States USAID is helping in Haiti

No matter all the bad things people can say about the Americans; that they are arrogant, show offs, know it all and that they have no real culture but McDonalds and Sears,  there is no country as helpful and solidary  as the United States of America.

It has been the first to send aid to Haiti where news reports say there could be more than 3 million people affected directly by the massive quake and thousands of deaths.

President Barack Obama sent ships to the island with provisions, special rescue teams with dogs as well as tons of rescue equipment. Some of the navy vessels sent are equipped with state of the art medical facilities and possibly equipment Haitians hospitals don’t have or are short of.

 The earthquake was last Tuesday and I’ve already received emails from different organizations and friends asking for donations. I know that small Latin American countries have also pledged support and aid, but it’s the United States that everyone judges.

Strangely when it’s a natural disaster, there is silence and nobody says anything because they know the one of the first ones there will be are the gringos.  Nobody thanks them. I have never seen the front of a newspaper write in bold letters, “The United States send millions to help the victims”, or “U.S the first to arrive at the scene”.

Aid in Haiti

I don’t remember of any recent disaster in which the United States or its people have just stood and watched. On the contrary, this country led the reconstruction efforts after the Tsunami in Thailand in 2004, probably one of the worst disasters of this decade. The then President George Bush gave more than 300 million dollars in aid.

Today, in the case of Haiti, a mobile phone operator company said it would donate 5 million dollars for relief efforts, while 2 shipping and delivery companies are also contributing with similar amounts to help the Red Cross. Banks, manufacturing companies as well as mayor retailers are also giving their share.

Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers hockey team said that it would collect donations in its next two home games.

From that latest news reports I read, emergency teams in Haiti don’t have enough body bags or the capacity to tend to the victims. To make matter worst,  there’s hundreds of people unaccounted for and the photos and videos aired on television portray a horrible and chaotic situation.

In Facebook, I wrote an email to a Haitian friend asking for her family. It looks like everyone is fine but she’s devastated and very preoccupied. She asked me to pray for a better tomorrow for her country. Haiti was destroyed by a hurricane a year ago and has managed to gain stability after months of political turmoil and violence in 2004. Now this…

I was once heard a journalist friend say that the poorest country he had been to was Haiti. “If you want to see poverty and misery, go to Haiti. It’s shit!” those where his exact words. I cannot imagine how difficult the situation must be now.

And once again, it’s the United States sending aid and thousands of “Americanos” showing us that despite their McDonalds culture, they are the first to help the needy.  Then when they suffer terrorist attacks, they don’t understand why.

According to the 2000 Census, there are more that 400.000 native born Haitians in the United States. Florida and New York have the highest number.

I would be naïve not to think that Washington has an agenda just like all the other companies donating money and relief. But you know what? I prefer someone that is being proactive, no matter what their agenda is, than someone that says they have no personal interests and does nothing at all.  Yanquis, don’t go home. We need you.