I don't understand why the media follows the presidents and protests.  They report on a farcical show  Maybe it's important to record the political conversations of two heads of state for important developments, but to follow a political entourage is to ask to be misled.  When members of the media rarely do look the other way, they don't try very hard, opting for extremist images of flag and efigy burning instead of any semblance of reality.  The result is images of smiling children, grateful "villagers", and happy Indians, alongside ugly, evil, and violent protests.  It's like we're asking for misinformation

The Bush administration tried to put forth a complex message today, though, which I confess I'm pretty impressed with.  One of a few stops was with a cooperative, Labradores Mayas, that was started up with USAID money and now supplies the Central American Wal-Mart with produce.  It was a message of free trade helping even the indigenous peoples in these countries.  It's a patronizing message, but a complex one, and I think this patranization is illustrated ever so slightly by the label villagers on a whitehouse photo.

The reality is of course a different one.  Geopolitics is a useful tool in determining how the majority of indigenous are living.  Bush visited Chimaltenango, adjacent to Guatemala's capital, the most prosperous region in the country.  The majority of indigenous people live in the highlands, isolated from the Guatemalan economy.  I'm not making a judgement on free trade, but I am saying Labradores Mayas is the exception not the rule. 

The last thing I'll say regards the attempt by Bush to show compassion.  I can't help but bring up the recent raids in New Bedford, MA, where children have been seperated from deported parents.  Bush didn't budge on these detentions today in Guatemala, saying "The United States will enforce our law".  Again I'm not making a judgement, but there is certainly no compassion in that position.  To close on this media them, I leave you with the images of smiling children in Guatemala, and crying children in New Bedford.

PS  The most nuanced coverage of this trip is definitely found in Prensa Libre, for those of you that can speak spanish.  They even wrote on Bush's poor Spanish, as he's messed up a phrase over and over again on his trip.