In Hernani

This picture was taken at Hernani today, it is meant to portray the political campaigning in full force in the Basque Autonomous Community as we speak.

A lot is at stake.

The players in Madrid and their underlings in the BAC are nervous, they can feel a major victory for the pro self determination parties. And the word referendum is mentioned again and again.

Hernani

Now, let us analize the footnote to this picture.

A woman walks past electoral posters in Hernani, in Spain's Basque Country, April 15, 2005. With separatist party Batasuna banned from the ballot as the political wing of ETA, the Marxist-Leninist group EHAK has been backed by Batasuna putting it on the center-stage as the pro-independence force. Basque regional elections will be held on April 17 in a vote the Basque premier Juan Jose Ibarretxe bills as a verdict on his plan for 'free association' with Spain, which would recognise Basque nationality and the rights to self-determination. The poster reads in Basque language, 'vote EHAK, Democracy and peace.' REUTERS/Pablo Sanchez

First mistake?

The use of the word separatist. To then suddenly use the correct word, pro-independence.

Second mistake?

Batasuna banned from the ballot as the political wing of ETA.

Ahem, where is the assumption of innocence? Batasuna has never claimed to be ETA's political arm. The only ones saying that are the right wingers in Madrid, and well, the process is still open, so, the word alleged is missing in that sentence.

The US press just doesn't get it right.

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