The Bagatela Returns: Pan Americanism, Extraditions, Slavery, and yes- the Leahy Law.

Emily Hausheer
4 min readJan 17, 2022

I have returned my dear readers- and I must apologize for my absence. I originally intended this for Odyssey but thought Medium should be an interesting take

Where did your bagatelista go? Well, nowhere in particular I must confess. These days I have been writing less because I’m filling my own personal portfolio with interesting and deeper researched “bagatelas”, but my Odyssey will forever be a place to explain complex ideas in a form easy for you to understand.

First thing is first, since I have plenty to cover here.

Pan-Americanism

​When one country suffers under a dictatorship- it reaches outside the borders of that country as well. For example- Putin stores his wealth in highrise apartments in London and Washington, DC. Dictators also are linked in a new “holy alliance” with each other; Venezuela and Nicaragua are controlled by Cuba which is controlled by Russia and China. The people of all of these countries yearn for freedom and rights and are deprived of their voices. Journalist are imprisoned and peaceful protests are immediately crushed by troops from overseas. Government should be based on the consent of the governed, and in this case it is more of an alliance strangling the people’s natural desire for rights to be practiced. We must all stand together and share the stories of those who cannot speak for themselves. Especially here in the American hemisphere where 200 years ago we casted off the chains of oppression, and now through peaceful means should show some Pan-American unity by raising awareness and listening to the voices of those suffering under dictatorships. Another point- imagine how wonderful it would be if the Americas were like the European Union? Sharing knowledge with each other and learning about each other, and perhaps someday coming into greater relations with the EU as well? Oh what a happy day that will be!

​Extradiction

​Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman/Venezuelan politician was extradited from Cape Verde to the United States on money laundering charges. This is welcomed news since the US is one of the countries most impacted by money laundering (as is Venezuela as the ordinary people are deprived of their money) and he will stand trail. In other news I am strongly opposed to Cuba being the one to determine Venezuela’s fate at the ICC. Cuba has a vested interest in this case and Venezuelan oil, they also have a terrible record with their treatment of peaceful protestors. The country overseeing should be a neutral state like Switzerland or another. The UNHCR is in need of reform and like I mentioned in a previous Bagatela- no dictators should serve on it.’’

​Slavery

While I’m most certainly pleased people are disgusted with slavery- and yes we should teach about it, I’m troubled that this does not extend to slavery in our day and age. The very products you and I are typing on are most likely made by enslaved people- let us extend that indignation and continue to fight for those in the sweatshops of India, China, and Bangladesh.

​Leahy Law

A much anticipated topic that I regret to tell you all I originally cancelled because it died in the Senate. However, I would do a great disservice to not mention it. Before anybody is enraged at me for this topic can be misinterpreted I implore you to read my formal piece on Colombia https://lesdroitsetlaliberte.wordpress.com/2021/06...

I read from Zabier Hernandez, one of the paro leaders, that one of the acts of violence “from the protestors” was a setup. I am thankful that he offered proof and that he had the courage to speak. I am troubled at the normalization of reactionary actions. Unless you read the writings of Bolivar and Narino, it makes no sense to be angry at them in a modern protest unless somehow the protest is for a return of the Spanish Empire. It counts as a violent action and violence is only a justification for more violence and it results in a cycle. If more of these acts of violence like the one Hernandez denounced were setups- absolutely enforce the Leahy Law, but if the violence was coming from both sides we could not enforce the law. In democracies today we need to rely on dialogue and rationality. If Cubans attacked images of Castro it would make more sense because he is directly who they are angry at, but in Colombia’s case it appeared to be violence against more violence. Narino himself was a victim of horrific state brutality and fought for indigenous rights. I agreed that the Leahy Law is a good idea and should have been passed, but there definitely needs to be more evidence as to where the violence was from. When anger is not direct and focused on specific policy change and becomes random or against innocent people- all that it results in is a more violent response against peaceful protestors and no goals get accomplished. It is counterproductive at best, and reactionary at worse.

I conclude this Bagatela in hopes that I will continue more in the future. I hope you all enjoy my new setup of formal articles on my blog and quick updates over here.

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Emily Hausheer

Writer, Translator, Commentator, Human Rights advocate