Sunday 20 March 2011

Mr. Obama comes to town

I don't even want to think about what traffic will be like tomorrow. The visit of anAmerican president always implies a major security operation, which means that downtown Santiago will be a mess.

The visit of an American president also lways implies some national soul searching. Is his visit a slap on the back for the current Chilean administration, or a comment on Chile's place in the world? What kind of activities will there be for the president, and for his family? Are they appropriate? Are the guests invited to the official dinner the right ones? What is the exact nature of the nuclear agreement signed? Will Obama comment on sticky subjects like the Mapuches? Will he be fed over-antibioticized salmon?

It seems that one place to start contemplating the 22-hour blitz-visit is reading the interview Obama granted El Mercurio.
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