2007年VOA标准英语-Thousands of Uruguayans Protest Bush Arrival

By Michael Bowman
Montevideo
10 March 2007

Thousands of Uruguayans took to the streets of Montevideo to protest President Bush's arrival in their country late Friday. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from the Uruguayan capital, where Mr. Bush is making the second stop in a five-nation tour of Latin America aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties with the region.

 

Anti-Bush protesters in Montevideo, Uruguay

Protesters chanted, beat drums, set off firecrackers and burned effigies¹ of President Bush along Montevideo's main avenue. Labor² leaders read vitriol-laden speeches denouncing Mr. Bush, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and what they termed U.S. "imperialism³."

Near the front of the crowd was shoe salesman Jose Ramirez, who said Mr. Bush bears responsibility for atrocities⁴ in Iraq and other parts of the world. "The Uruguayan people have traditionally rejected imperialism and genocide. And it seems very correct for us to come and express how we feel," he said.

Elsewhere in the crowd, Brazilian-born Marta Silva, a registered nurse, said she is offended by the Bush administration's plan to stem the flow of illegal aliens to the United States.

"I really hate President Bush who is doing so much harm with the wall he wants to build between Mexico and the United States. It is a wall that goes against all human rights and will only bring death," she said.

Sitting next to Marta Silva was her friend, Silvia Mauro, who said there is something the U.S. public should know. "We have nothing against the American people. Our anger is against those who conduct U.S. foreign policy. A policy of war," she said.

The protest began peacefully, but was later marred⁵ by several incidents of vandalism.

President Bush is to meet with his Uruguayan counterpart, Tabare Vazquez, in the picturesque⁶ town of Colonia Saturday. Mr. Vazquez has said he wants to secure better access to the U.S. market for Uruguayan goods, such as beef and textiles, but in no way endorses⁷ U.S. actions on the world stage.

A recent poll of Uruguayans showed broad antipathy⁸ towards President Bush, but overall support for increased commerce with the United States. For his part, Mr. Bush has announced a boost in U.S. aid to Latin America, and expressed a desire for an eventual⁹ free trade accord with Uruguay.

Standing¹⁰ one block away from the anti-Bush demonstration¹¹ was retired¹² cattle rancher Raul Maldonado, who said he has no reason to protest the U.S. leader's arrival. "I think that Uruguay, as a small country, needs to be visited by big countries. We have to sell our products. We have to be able to sell our beef, which is our primary product. Beyond that, I do not agree with Bush's policies towards other countries. But those other countries are not Uruguay," he said.

President Bush's Latin American tour began with a stop in Sao Paulo, Brazil. From Uruguay, he heads to Colombia, then Guatemala and Mexico.

1 effigies   

n.（人的）雕像，模拟像，肖像( effigy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• stone effigies in the church 教堂里的石雕像
• On 5 November British children burn effigies of Guy Fawkes. 每逢11月5日英国儿童都焚烧盖伊．福克斯的模拟像。 来自辞典例句

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 imperialism   

n.帝国主义，帝国主义政策

参考例句：

• They held the imperialism in contempt.他们鄙视帝国主义。
• Imperialism has not been able to subjugate China.帝国主义不能征服中国。

4 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

6 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

7 endorses   

v.赞同( endorse的第三人称单数 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• There isn't one country in the Middle East that now endorses the Eisenhower Doctrine. 但至今没有一个中东国家认可它。 来自辞典例句
• Whether any of this truly endorses Dr Patel's hypothesis is moot. 这些视频能否真正证明帕特的假设成立还是个未知数。 来自互联网

8 antipathy   

n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物

参考例句：

• I feel an antipathy against their behaviour.我对他们的行为很反感。
• Some people have an antipathy to cats.有的人讨厌猫。

9 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。