The Text:<\/strong> President Barack Obama hosted Uruguayan President Jos\u00e9 Mujica in the Oval Office Monday to highlight the United States\u2019 \u201cclose partnership\u201d with South American country, but Obama may have gotten more than he bargained for.<\/p>\nIn brief remarks before their meeting, a tie-less Mujica, a one-time guerrilla fighter, lectured Obama about the dangers of smoking and the need for the United States to become bilingual.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will have to become a bilingual country\u2026\u201d he told Obama. \u201cBecause the strength of Latin women is admirable and they will fill this country with people who speak Spanish and Portuguese, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Addressing Obama, a one-time smoker, Mujica highlighted his country\u2019s ongoing litigation with tobacco company Philip Morris over Uruguay\u2019s stringent anti-smoking laws.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. President, who is speaking is an old smoker,\u201d Mujica said. \u201cBut in the world, per year, eight million people are dying from smoking. And that is more than World War I, World War II. It\u2019s murder. We are in an arduous fight\u2014very arduous\u2014and we must fight against very strong interests. Governments must not be involved in private litigation, but here we\u2019re fighting for life.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Article: Uruguay President Tells Obama U.S. Needs to Stop Smoking and Learn Spanish by Seke in Time. The Text: President Barack Obama hosted Uruguayan President Jos\u00e9 Mujica in the Oval Office Monday to highlight the United States\u2019 \u201cclose partnership\u201d with South American country, but Obama may have gotten more than he bargained for. In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[259],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Uruguay President To Obama: Stop Smoking, Learn Spanish<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n