Carlos Slim Vs. Leftists in Lebanon
Redux: Carlos Slim Vs. Leftists in Lebanon
The New York Times and Carlos Slim
Carlos Slim buys himself a Mexican Gold Mine
Maid In Lebanon
Syrian Workers In Lebanon
Mexico billionaire Carlos Slim Helu is often accused of being a monopolist, tycoon and robber baron. That is because the recently declared world's richest man acquired his mass fortune through a near monopolization of the Mexican telecom - both land-line and mobile - industry which has allowed him to charge obscene rates in a nation where 40% of the population live below the poverty line.
The $53billion Slim recently paid a visit to his ancestral homeland of Lebanon. It is somewhat inaccurate to refer to him as being of Lebanese descent (and he never refers to himself as Lebanese) since his parents must have never identified themselves as Lebanese due to the fact when the immigrated to Mexico in 1902 (and founded that country's first Arabic press), Lebanon did not exist as a nation. That entire area was known as Greater Syria and nationalism - an idea born in the late 18th century French revolution - did not exist in the Arab world at the time. People identified with their tribe, clan or religious community since nationhood was non-existent. And if they saw themselves as anything approaching nationalist terms, it was Syrian. But, anyway, Slim's hometown is in modern-day Lebanon so technically he is Lebanese and obnoxious and delusional Lebanese nationalists eagerly claim him as some ostensible reflection of the supposed glory of Lebanese 'Phoenician' genes (but that's a different story). Slim visited Lebanon for the first time since the last 1960s and expressed his love of the country, stated that his visit was personal and he was not looking to invest in the nation for now, and offered the Lebanese the obvious advice that if they are to prosper they must put aside sectarianism and embrace unity and tolerance (they'll ignore the last advice and simply concentrate about how great it is that a 'Lebanese' man is so wealthy).
While speaking Slim was interrupted by protesting leftists:
A small group of masked protesters momentarily interrupted Helu's speech by unfurling a large banner with a slogan in broken Spanish reading: "por todos todo, por nosotros nada," an apparent reference to the Mexican Leftist Zapatista slogan "para todos todo, para nosotros nada" or "everything for everyone and nothing for ourselves."
Security guards dispersed the protesters within minutes.
The spirit of Zapata is felt in Lebanon.
