Latin American Leaders Pay Respects to Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth (AFP)
AFP
Christian K. Caruzo

The governments of Latin America offered solemn condolences to the people of the United Kingdom and the Royal Family over the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, paying their respects to Britain’s longest-ever reigning monarch.

Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro declared 3 days of national mourning in Brazil as a sign of respect to the Queen. Bolsonaro said Queen Elizabeth II was “a Queen not just to Britons, but to all of us,” expressing his condolences on behalf of the people of Brazil on Thursday through Twitter.

Bolsonaro’s message read in full:

It is with great sorrow and emotion that Brazil receives the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, an extraordinary and singular woman, whose example of leadership, humility and love for her country will continue to inspire us and the whole world until the end of time.

Eternity often surprises us, taking from us those we love, but today, it was eternity’s turn to be surprised, with the glorious arrival of Her Highness the Queen of the United Kingdom.

May God receive her in his infinite goodness and comfort her family and the British people. On this sad date for the world, we decree three days of official mourning and invite all the Brazilian people to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

In Venezuela, socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, who the United Kingdom does not recognize as the president of Venezuela, set aside political differences to offer condolences on behalf of Venezuela.

“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela mourns the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of England, British monarch. We express our condolences to the royal family, the United Kingdom and the British people. Peace to her Soul!”​​​​​​​ Maduro said.

Maduro’s statement was surprisingly gracious, since his regime is engaged in legal dispute with the United Kingdom over control of Venezuela’s nearly $2 billion gold reserves stored in the Bank of England’s London underground vaults. The London High Court granted control of the funds to Juan Guaido, who is regarded as Venezuela’s legitimate president by the British government. In August, Maduro accused the United Kingdom of ‘stealing’ the Venezuelan gold.

President Juan Guaido also expressed his condolences on Thursday:

“We extend our deepest condolences to the British people and the Royal Family on the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. During her reign, Elizabeth II was an example of leadership, public service and commitment to democracy around the world,” Guaido stated.

Argentina, which invaded the British Falkland Islands in 1982 and launched a 74-day war against the United Kingdom, expressed its condolences through a brief message issued by the Casa Rosada (Pink House), the office of the president of Argentina.

“The Argentine Government greets and accompanies the British people and Government on the death of their Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II,” the message read.

In Cuba, the communist Castro regime declared a day of official mourning on Friday. The regime’s puppet president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, expressed his condolences through a tweet. 

“It is with deep regret that we have learned of the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the Cuban people and government, I express my deepest condolences to His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the rest of the Royal Family and the British people and government,” the tweet read.

In Mexico, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, expressed his condolences on Thursday through a tweet that read:

I send my condolences to the people of the United Kingdom on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, British monarch and ruler of 14 independent states. In the same way, I extend them to your family, friends and members of the Royal House.

Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro, sent a brief message: “I join the expressions of solidarity for the departure of Queen Elizabeth II, a symbol of union for the British people.”

The news website Infobae reported on Thursday that the Queen’s congratulations to Gustavo Petro on his inauguration as President of Colombia in August was her last official message to the South American nation.  

The government of Chile sent their condolences to the British people and the Royal Family through an official statement of its Foreign Affairs Ministry, which read in part:

Queen Elizabeth II was a transcendental figure for understanding the modernization of the United Kingdom and its international insertion after World War II, and a forerunner of the Commonwealth as we know it today. Her political stature allowed her to live up to the great events of the last century, cementing her as a world leader in her more than 70-year reign.

The government of Uruguay, like Chile’s, issued their condolences to the government and people of the United Kingdom through an official statement of its Foreign Affairs Ministry:

With a firm commitment to the service of her nation, Queen Elizabeth II, she was able to provide stability to her country and face global political and economic challenges during the years of her reign. We join today in the sorrow of the British people with our respect and tribute to a memorable political figure.

The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, said he was “dismayed at the death of Queen Elizabeth II, whose long life and dedication to the service of her people go down in history as an exemplary reign.”

President Lasso extended his condolences to the Royal Family, government, and people of the United Kingdom.

Nicaragua’s authoritarian socialist regime “raised prayers” in a message to the British Prime Minister, Liz Truss. The message was read on Thursday by Rosario Murillo, vice president of Nicaragua and dictator Daniel Ortega’s wife:

We raise our prayers to the Blessed Sacrament for the soul of Her Majesty, and we ask for relief and consolation to be poured out on the family and people of the United Kingdom in the face of this transit of Her Majesty, whose life has meant [so much] for the British people, to another plane of existence.

Like many other regional leaders, President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele expressed his condolences through a tweet:

 

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