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Thursday, March 29, 2007

Priests to Purify Sacred Mayan Site of 'Bad Spirits' After Bush Visit

by Juan Carlos Llorca for the Associated Press

March 9, 2007

GUATEMALA CITY -- Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday. Bush's seven-day tour of Latin America includes a stopover beginning late Sunday in Guatemala. On Monday morning he is scheduled to visit the archaeological site Iximche on the high western plateau in a region of the Central American country populated mostly by Mayans.

Tiney said the "spirit guides of the Mayan community" decided it would be necessary to cleanse the sacred site of "bad spirits" after Bush's visit so that their ancestors could rest in peace. He also said the rites - which entail chanting and burning incense, herbs and candles _ would prepare the site for the third summit of Latin American Indians March 26-30. Bush's trip has already has sparked protests elsewhere in Latin America, including protests and clashes with police in Brazil hours before his arrival. In Bogota, Colombia, which Bush will visit on Sunday, 200 masked students battled 300 riot police with rocks and small homemade explosives. The tour is aimed at challenging a widespread perception that the United States has neglected the region and at combating the rising influence of Venezuelan leftist President Hugo Chavez, who has called Bush "history's greatest killer" and "the devil."

Iximche, 30 miles west of the capital of Guatemala City, was founded as the capital of the Kaqchiqueles kingdom before the Spanish conquest in 1524.

[This is just so funny. Actually it’s not just funny….. it’s hilarious.]

5 comments:

Sadie Lou said...

Venezuelan leftist President Hugo Chavez, who has called Bush "history's greatest killer" and "the devil."

Oh yes, the list should look something like this:

1. Bush
2. Hitler
3. Saddam H.
4. Any other leader guilty of geneocide
5. Jeffery Dahmer
6. any mafia boss resposible for countless hits


Now that's freakin' funny. What a gross statement.

Scott said...

lol

Calling Bush the "Worst (insert description) Ever" is politically beneficial at this point. People are mad at him and no one really knows enough about history to question it or care. Hearing someone claim he the worst (President, civil rights violator, interventionist) ever is a sure sign that person has no clue what they are talking about.

CyberKitten said...

Actually the bit I found funny was the fact that Mayan priests feel the need to purify a sacred site after Bush had been there...

The Chavez quote is typical political rhetoric.

sirkolgate said...

You know… I understand that pulling out of something like these “planned peace trips” looks ‘bad’ but why is it they always choose to 'go ahead' in the face of news like this?

Political analysts are always looking at better ways to read the ‘undercurrents’ in their endeavors. How is it they can’t see that when a population’s spiritual leaders feel the need to ‘cleanse’ an area visited by our President that maybe this is not a ‘good’ move.

What does walking into a hornet’s nest accomplish? Lord knows he’ll do it with his classic crooked Texas smile and his stupid comments that’ll have everyone standing there going, “WTF?” *laughs and wonders if that’s the point*

Oh, and if Chavez was in the mood to be sane for 5 seconds he could quite legitimately call Bush "history's biggest f*ck up"

I call for Celebrity DeathMatch Chavez vs. Bush. Let the clay decide.

Oh and Sadie, that was exactly what I thought when I read that statement.

Sadie Lou said...

Calling Bush the "Worst (insert description) Ever" is politically beneficial at this point. People are mad at him and no one really knows enough about history to question it or care.

Haha. Exactly and that's not funny. 'Scuse me for laughing.

Oh and Sadie, that was exactly what I thought when I read that statement.

Yeah, pretty pathetic statement for a president.