Thursday, December 5, 2013

World leaders pay tribute to Nelson Mandela

Jonathan, Obama, Cameron tributes to Mandela

The death on Thursday of South Africa's liberation leader and first democratic president Nelson Mandela triggered an unprecedented worldwide chorus of awed respect.

"He no longer belongs to us; he belongs to the ages," US President Barack Obama said, in a deliberate echo of an early tribute paid to Abraham Lincoln, the American leader who emancipated the slaves.

"We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again," said Obama, America's first black president, citing Mandela's release from prison as one of his own early political inspirations.

U.S. president, Barack Obama, ordered wave flags at half-staff at the White House and all public buildings until Monday evening,  and also added that Mandela "did more than what can be expected from any man "and wished his legacy continues to inspire humanity.

Nigerian President Jonathan, said “Mandela will always be remembered and honoured by all mankind as one of its greatest liberators, a wise, courageous and compassionate leader, and an icon of true democracy.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted the "exemplary" of the South African president and Nobel Peace 1993 in his tributes

"Nobody as he did for the values ​​and aspirations of both United Nations," Ban said in stressing his "moral strength" was "crucial" to end apartheid.

The death of Nobel Peace Prize was also lamented by U.S. presidents George W. Bush (2001-2009), who in 2002 was awarded the Medal of Freedom at the White House, and Bill Clinton (1993-2001), who argued that today the world has lost "one of the best human beings."

Also, Raul Castro, President of Cuba, a country that Madiba visited a few months after his release from prison after 27 years, today expressed "deep sorrow" and stressed the "greatness" of his work.

In Brazil, President Dilma Rousseff said Mandela's example is a "guide to all those who fight for social justice and peace in the world" and called it "the greatest personality of the twentieth century."

In the same vein, the former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Mandela represents the "biggest global symbol in the search for peace, democracy and social inclusion."

For his part, the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, declared three days of mourning in the country for the death of the South African leader, whom he described as a "giant."

Also the president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, decreed three days of national mourning and called for a minute's silence for "the great hero of humanity."

The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, expressed his "deep sorrow" and called him "a man of indomitable spirit that brought darkness to the people of South Africa."

While the president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, called Mandela a "tireless fighter for peace, freedom and equality. "

The Head of State of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, said, "he's died the greatest of the great" and said Mandela "was generous enough to forgive, to struggle all his life to reconcile South Africans."

Meanwhile, Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez, expressed "deep regret" and described him as a "world leader in the fight against racism."

The president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, said the South African leader leaves behind a guide for achieving peace in the Andean country, and the president of Peru, Ollanta Humala urged other leaders to follow the path of justice, fraternity and liberty left South African president.

The president of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, said the South African leader's death "an irreparable loss for all humanity." El Salvador also stressed "the enormous legacy" Mandela left to the world. The president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, said that "Mandela is an example to follow by free men."

While the president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, called Mandiba a "leader with commitment and ideals."

Another Nobel Peace Prize, the Argentine Adolfo Perez Esquivel, described him as "a man who left but is never going to go."

And the head of the World Bank (WB), Jim Yong Kim, Madiba said "a rainbow of possibilities to a country segregated between blacks and whites."

Brazilian soccer player Pele also expressed regret said Mandela was a promoter of sports and "a hero" for him and "a friend and a partner in the fight for the village and for peace in the world. "

"He died in peace, our nation has lost the greatest of his children and a father," said South African head of state Jacob Zuma, announcing today the death of Mandela.

Mandela, who spent 27 years imprisoned for his activities against the apartheid regime in 1994 became the first black president of South Africa's history and led, by the last leader of apartheid, De Klerk, a democratic transition that avoided war civil between blacks and whites in the country.

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