Mujica and Guantanamo Amnesty

So the big news circulating on G+ these days is how Uruguay has now started putting its legalization of marijuana into effect.  I think its less of a big deal here than on the world news scale, since its actually been years now since any ordinary growers (i.e. not tied to major organized crime) got prosecuted for it at all.

Meanwhile, the other news I've seen circulating, and have even been asked about by people online who know where I live, is the news that President Mujica is offering to take the remaining Guantanamo prisoners in, bring them to Uruguay, and let them live freely here. As in, not incarcerated.

So what's the deal with that? Simple. Its an election year, so stupid things are said.  This is one of them.
The whole thing is a meaningless offer he knows the US will never agree to, which lets him get 'leftist cred' and reminds everyone he spent 10 years as a political prisoner himself (something he lords over as the 'most legit' of all the leftist presidents in south america, most of whom were never jailed and a couple of whom had quite comfortable livings during their countries' dictatorships).  It helps his particular sector of the Frente Amplio (the "Broad Coalition" party that is currently in power and consists of a wide grouping of various leftist parties, ranging from left-centre social democrats to literal Soviet-style Communist parties) get more votes, and holds off accusations from his party's radical left that he's far too centrist.  All without having to actually risk doing anything.

Actually, its kind of funny that what the extreme left want from him is more meaningless gestures; they
love that shit. They love making a big smug self-righteous deal about extreme and radical ideas that if
implemented would be absolutely disastrous but could never actually come to pass so they feel safe making a big show of demanding it.

That's the story.

RPGPundit

Currently Smoking: Lorenzetti Tempesta Poker + H&H's Beverwyck