tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21674624.post9207558172383666679..comments2024-02-21T05:16:22.788-05:00Comments on Two Weeks Notice: A Latin American Politics Blog: Dead presidentsGreg Weekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15765114859595124082noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21674624.post-54842087539190242972011-10-24T08:16:32.917-04:002011-10-24T08:16:32.917-04:00Better than, I suppose, the U.S. fixation on dead ...Better than, I suppose, the U.S. fixation on dead pop stars -- think of Velvet Elvi, and the endless Michael Jackson memorabilia. <br /><br />The exhumation of Bolivar was not all that "necrophiliac" (as British writer Christopher Hitchens labeled it)— the causes of Bolivar's death have been a medical and historical mystery for years. <br /><br />I sense that much of the Anglo-American "issues" with Latin American are rooted in historical anti-Catholicism: the veneration of saints (and their relics) when carried over to the political sphere is "icky" to the English-speakers. The display of the remains of Mexico's independence leaders last year, for example, came in for more than a little snark from Ango-American commentators.Richard Grabmanhttp://editorialmazatlan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21674624.post-15731833929955239112011-10-23T17:08:21.567-04:002011-10-23T17:08:21.567-04:00One of Oppenheimer's books is about that too, ...One of Oppenheimer's books is about that too, right? I don't agree with it either. It just seems to be one of those things everyone believes because it's been repeated so much. Your points are completely correct. Peron is a rather unusual example who doesn't have any real counterpart in other Latin American nations, but is, say, Lazaro Cardenas any more beloved than FDR? Does Bernardo O Higgins or Diego Portales loom larger than say Madison? Or Jefferson? I don't see it at all. This argument really has little foundation.pchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973333514392213258noreply@blogger.com