Ibarretxe in Puerto Rico

The Basque Autonomous Community's lehendakari Juan José Ibarretxe is touring the Caribbean nations for business purposes I would think, the CAV's economy continues to grow and needs new markets. But while visiting Puerto Rico, a nation robed of its independence by the United States of America, Ibarretxe said some interesting words, here you have the note by EITb regarding this :

Basque Premier in Puerto Rico

Each country "must decide without outside interference" -Ibarretxe

09/08/2007

The Basque premier was to meet the Basque community of Puerto Rico following his meeting with the governor of Puerto Rico. Likewise, he will lecture at the General Assembly of Lawyers' College of the country.

The Basque premier, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, met the governor of Puerto Rico, Anibal Acebedo, in his official trip to the Caribbean. There, he reiterated that Basques, "men and women who live and have political rights" in Euskadi will be "whatever they want to be" as Puerto Ricans will.

In statements following the meeting between the two leaders, Ibarretxe added that "each country has its own path" to cover and must decide without outside interference.

"There's one thing that links us in the 21st century, we Basques will be whatever men and women living in that land, who have our political rights in that land, want. The country of Puerto Rico will also be what you decide," he affirmed.

The Basque premier was to meet the Basque community of Puerto Rico following his meeting with Acebedo. Likewise, he will lecture at the General Assembly of Lawyers' College of the country under the title "Identity, dialogue and negotiation."

Before visiting Puerto Rico, Ibarretxe was in the Dominican Republic within his official tour around the Caribbean.

One can only hope that he means what he says, and that when he refers to the Basques he is actually talking about the inhabitants of the seven modern day Basque provinces.

Just like one can only hope that one day the Puerto Ricans will be able to get rid of the shackles imposed to them by the US imperialism.

One can only hope.

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