Brazilain Politican Visits the Land of His Ancestors

Latin Arabia Diaspora , 0 Comment

Brazilian politician visits ancestral home for first time
April 19, 2013 01:35 AM
By Mohammed Zaatari
The Daily Star

“This is the land of my father and mother, who were from the Hage and Homsi families. My father was a physician who graduated from St. Joseph University and emigrated to Bahia in Brazil in 1925,” Hage boasted to reporters.

Despite his Lebanese heritage, the head of the Office of the Comptroller General of Brazil is in Lebanon for the first time. Having attended a conference in Beirut with representatives of countries such as Egypt, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Algeria, Hage decided to extend his stay to visit Qaitouleh, the village of his ancestors.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Apr-19/214300-brazilian-politician-visits-ancestral-home-for-first-time.ashx#ixzz2RfjzdWse
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

He found out that he was eligible to vote in Lebanon.

Turns out the Brazilian politician was Christian (read the article – at the source)

What is interesting is how matter-of-factly they refer to Palestine. The South Americans have recognized Palestine as a nation.

This would not be so commonly seen in American reporting.

Jorge Hage is the Comptroller-General of Brazil, which is a cabinet position in that country, roughly equivalent to our Secretary of the Treasury.

Free Trade Zone of Iquique

Latin Arabia Business, Untranslated , 0 Comment


From Nov 2011

The Free Port of Iquique is a commerical wonder.

But for a short while, the Free Port of Iquique caused a bit of a problem. When the heat was turned up on Hezbollah money laundering operations run by Lebanese Muslims in Paraguay, some moved on to Iquique.

They were not making weapons, but their money laundering was considered a bit of a problem. Iquique’s free port gave them the opportunity to hide and prosper.

Initially, since they were not violent, Chile did not care so much until the USA put pressure on Chile to act.

Chile acted.

Feds Call Chile Resort a Terror Hot Spot (Jewish Daily Forward)
By Marc Perelman
Published January 03, 2003,

IQUIQUE, Chile — The Bush administration has designated this windswept resort town and free-trade zone on Chile’s northern Pacific coast as a terrorist hot spot, second in South America only to the notorious tri-border region where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet.

Indeed, American and regional officials say, Iquique — pronounced “ee-KEE-kay” — a booming free-trade zone created 30 years ago in what was once a sleepy fishing village, may be poised to compete with the tri-border area as a center of terrorism financing and support.

The tri-border area, with its 30,000-strong Arab community and reputation for smuggling and money-laundering, has been monitored closely by intelligence agencies during the last decade, especially following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The stepped-up law enforcement has contributed to the exodus of terrorism suspects to Chile.

The surrounding area near Iquique is 15% Arab ethnically – three times the national average of 5% Arab for Chile. However, almost all Chilean Arabs are Christian. The Hezbollah operatives were Muslim.

However, they could blend in easily.

Things seem to have improved, recently, which is nice as Iquique is a world famous tropical resort as well as a commercial boom town.

Argentina and Brazil Plan to Boost Exports to Arabs

Latin Arabia Arab-Argentine Chamber of Commerce, Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Business, News , , 0 Comment

http://en.mercopress.com/2013/04/23/argentina-and-brazil-private-sectors-team-up-to-promote-exports-to-arab-countries

Tuesday, April 23rd 2013 – 02:09 UTC

Argentina and Brazil private sectors team up to promote exports to Arab countries

With the intention of boosting exports to Arab nations, the Argentine and Brazilian chambers of commerce have established an Arab-South American Commerce Federation it was reported in Buenos Aires.

The aim is to increase both countries’ exports to the region after reaching a combined total revenue of 30 billion dollars last year, with six billion corresponding to Argentina.

This is really heating up. These regions are connected by blood as well as interests.

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