WP: Chavez Casts Himself as the Anti-Bush

[kskiska]

With Oil on His Side, Venezuelan Seeks Allies Against U.S.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005; Page A01

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez has recently accused President Bush of plotting to assassinate him, made suggestive comments about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, visited Fidel Castro in Cuba, bashed the United States on the al-Jazeera television network and traveled to Libya to receive an award from Moammar Gaddafi.

Such bluster and anti-American showmanship are nothing new from the fiery former paratrooper. But concern in Washington has been rising as Chavez has worked feverishly in recent months to match his words with deeds.

Since threatening to cut off oil shipments to the United States, which buys 1.5 million barrels a day from Venezuela, Chavez has been traveling the globe looking for new markets and allies to unite against "the imperialist power." He recently signed energy deals with France, India and China, which is searching for new sources of oil to power its industrial expansion. Chavez also has made a series of arms purchases, including one for military helicopters from Russia.

And on Friday, Chavez hosted President Mohammad Khatami of Iran, a nation that has a secretive nuclear program and has been labeled by Bush as part of an "axis of evil."

"Iran has every right . . . to develop atomic energy and to continue its research in that area," Chavez said at a joint appearance with Khatami. "All over the world, there is a clamor for equality . . . and profound rejection of the imperialist desires of the U.S. government. Faced with the threat of the U.S. government against our brother people in Iran, count on us for all our support."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35193-2005Mar14.html

[riverwalker]

1. Viva Chavez!

"Chavez has saved some of his most biting sarcasm for Rice, whom he refers to as "Condolencia," which means "condolence." In speeches, he has called her "pathetic" and illiterate and made oblique sexual references to her. "I cannot marry Condolencia, because I am much too busy," he said in a recent speech. "I have been told that she dreams about me," he said on another occasion. "

"...a few yards away on the beach, Jaime Mendez, a fisherman, said: "We are all with Chavez because he helps the humble people."

[fallout]

15. viva !! nt

[Frederik]

25. I love it

:D

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. We have invaded the United States, but with our oil. - hmm

.
.
.

Japan did it with transistor radios, then Automobiles

China with . . . :shrug: anything specific?

From the posted Article:

" In a recent interview on al-Jazeera, Chavez called for developing nations to unite against U.S. political and economic policies. "What can we do regarding the imperialist power of the United States? We have no choice but to unite," he said. Venezuela's energy alliances with nations such as Cuba, which receives cheap oil, are an example of how "we use oil in our war against neoliberalism," he said.

Or, as he put it on another occasion, "We have invaded the United States, but with our oil."
_______________________________________________

sumthing to think about

hmmmm . . :freak:

[sphincter]

3. Hmmm I wonder...

It seems that all those things that are mentioned above are done by Chavez to purposely piss the US off. I think that it is good that at least someone has the balls to speak up and say what a lot of other people think, but do not dare say, but he should also be careful not to take it too far. Rummy might just send someone down to "off" him.

[Say_What]

4. Chavez quotes out of context as usual--he said over and over

that if the US attacked his country he would cut off oil shipments to the USSA.

The US PROPOGANDA continues. Same shit different day.

[VelvetMonkeyWrench]

5. Not just helicopters

Chavez is also looking to score a LOT of new Russian fighters. He's already got a lot of credible fairly modern French/US/UK gear, so one has to wonder what he's got in mind. That's a lot of jack that could be better spent on improving social conditions.

[Say_What]

7. Super Tucanos from Brazil

Nothing wrong with protecting his country from the USSA's *pre-emptive attacks* given its track record in LatAm and around the globe with leaders who refuse to kowtow to Uncle Sam.

<clips>

.... Lula, 59, in meetings with Chavez in Caracas on Feb. 14, will propose the Venezuelan air force buy Super Tucano turboprop planes made by Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, the world's fourth-largest aircraft maker, Brazil's Foreign Ministry said. Lula and Chavez, 50, also will discuss a surveillance system for the Venezuelan Amazon region built by Brazilian companies.

``There are promising possibilities for cooperation in the defense area in terms of surveillance of the Amazon,'' the ministry said in a statement on its Web site.

The military pact is part of a ``strategic alliance'' the two leaders plan to sign that includes joint oil, infrastructure and coal-mining ventures. Lula is stepping in to pitch military planes to Chavez as the U.S. criticizes Venezuelan government plans to buy Russian helicopters and assault rifles.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=aVuEv031ixhU&refer=latin_america

[VelvetMonkeyWrench]

21. The tucano

The Tucano is nothing special from what I can see. Basic trainer, ground support type layout. Not much different operationally than a Vietnam era SkyRaider prop job.

If its not operating in secured airspace, it'll be a sitting duck for a heat seaker with the hot turbine exhaust.

[Frederik]

26. I think it's

a wise investment, in case the US is going to use Colombia to fight a proxy war against him, he better be prepared, or even deterr them.

[Toots]

35. He is still spending more on "social conditions" than the richest nation,

the USA. His people adore him because he has showed time and time again he is for the people first.. Wish we had a government that felt that way..

[blackhorse]

6. Wow,

I wonder if Condy has complained to her "husband" George about Hugo's unkind remarks . . .

Interesting tidbit about the modernization of Venezuela's armed forces. Chavez wouldn't be able to win a conventional conflict with the U.S., but perhaps he expects the U.S. to be massively distracted in the future -- by problems with the economy etc. In such a case, modern armed forces might be able to buffer the effects of a quick strike.

'Course, it *is* kind of hard to imagine America being much more distracted than it already is <sigh>

Cheers

BH

[Say_What]

8. South and Central America uniting, will bring the Bushistas trouble

<clips>

MERCOSUR, Central American countries explore "flexible arrangement"

In other trade developments in the hemisphere, a mission from MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) led by Paraguayan Foreign Minister and acting MERCOSUR Chair Leila Rachid met with the Central American Integration System (SICA - Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica) to analyse the best route towards integration between the two regions. Rachid's visit to Central America forms part of MERCOSUR's strategy to maintain forward momentum in regional trade negotiations by inking trade arrangements with other countries in the hemisphere as long as the FTAA process remains stalled.

A MERCOSUR spokesman said that the intention was not to reach a free trade agreement with Central America, but rather a "flexible arrangement" that took account of the asymmetries between the two parties. The MERCOSUR economies are generally at a higher level of development than those of their Central American counterparts, which are highly dependent on exports of primary commodities and imports of industrial goods.

http://www.ictsd.org/weekly/05-03-09/story4.htm

[cliss]

9. An interesting comment from Stan Goff recently:

He wrote that very soon, the "United States will be forced to reveal its real intentions". He means here that the mask will come off very soon.

In particular, if the US decides to invade Venezuela. What on earth can they use as their rationale, attacking a democraticlly elected leader?

Goff said that the thin veneer of "democracy" will come off.

I WAIT for the day.

[Politiclo8]

11. LOL. Where has this guy been for the last two years?

Obviously, he missed the Iraq invasion a couple of years ago. Of course the rational then was WMD but of course now it's democracy. The only problem is is this is about the forth iteration of why we invaded a country which wasn't a threat to us.

[cliss]

14. I think what Goff meant was that

the US at some point will be forced to say, "We need to invade because we need Chavez's oil".

In other words, they will be forced to use the word 'oil', or 'energy source', or something to that effect.

Now, they're just using 'democracy', 'freedom', 'Liberation', as cover words for their real intentions.

They sure as hell are not going to say 'oil producing country'.

[LynnTheDem]

19. "National security"...as in the US Energy Policy which says "will use US

force if necessary for national security..."

What would "national security" mean in an energy policy, I wonder...

Hell yeah it's all about oil.

[natrat]

32. us energy policy

give big tax breaks for the least efficient vehicles----greedy old men

[Say_What]

13. Russia, China, India, and a number of other countries must feel the same

based on the reports over the past few days. Russia supporting China's right to keep Taiwan part of China, etc.

The globe is tired of TortureBoy and his cabal trying to dictate to the world how it ought to operate, while they go around destroying third world countries.

[mmonk]

28. Wonder when

this veneer will come off?

[Rainscents]

10. I like this man... he has guts!

[AP]

12. The truest paragraph in that article is the last one.

And here's the context for calling Rice illiterate:


Chavez called Rice “illiterate” and invited her to “learn the language of people’s dignity”. Chavez criticized the US support for the April 2002 coup d’etat against his government, and reminded people that Condoleezza Rice had cheered on the coup. When rebel military generals removed Chavez from power, the US State Department declared that Chavez had provoked his own removal and praised the Venezuelan military for its role. After the coup, the US Ambassador to Venezuela met with the new dictator, who had dissolved Venezuela's Congress and the Supreme Court, fired all elected state governors, the Attorney General and other officials. Shortly after Chavez’s return to power, Condoleezza Rice said that Chavez needed to "respect the constitutional processes”, and that “just because Chavez was elected doesn't mean he exhibited democratic values”.


"It is beyond me to understand why anybody who believes in democracy or wants people to believe that they believe in democracy would want to have anything in that regard to do with Fidel Castro," said Rice at a press conference ahead of next week's Summit of the Americas in Moterrey, Mexico.


Chavez asked why Rice has not expressed any concerns about the elections in which George W. Bush resulted president of the US, “which will go on to history as a doubtful election.”


“I have the video tape of this advisor lady -who praises herself of being a defender of democracy- applauding the fascist coup d’etat here,” said Chavez. The President said it would be a good idea to play that video on a big screen at the Monterrey meeting so people can see Ms. Rice making statements in supporting the coup.


"When I call her illiterate, I meant that she does not know how to read the reality of our people," later said Chavez.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1162

[Say_What]

16. Who's Afraid Of Venezuela-Cuba Alliance?

Enjoy...

<clips>

For a long time there was only one country in Latin America offering free health care to all its citizens. Now there are two. The governments of both countries regard health care as a basic human right. So Cuba, rich in health care, and Venezuela, rich in oil, have arranged a barter deal for the benefit of each population. This would seem to be a major historical example of beneficial free trade. Who could possibly object?

Well, Condoleezza Rice for one, who seems quite disturbed by this alliance. During an interview last October with the editorial board of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, then National Security Advisor Rice called President Hugo Chávez "a real problem." She said, "He will continue his contacts with Fidel Castro, maybe giving Castro one last fling to try to affect he politics of Latin America." Why is she so alarmed?

In that same interview, she praised Russia in contrast to the Soviet Union. "Amazing things are happening in the economy," she enthused, citing a "remarkable" example of progress: "Putin is telling people they're going to have to pay for their health care." Condoleezza Rice with roots in Alabama, where many people cannot afford adequate health care, has grown up to become a member of the corporate elite, on the board of directors for such giants of industry as Transamerica, Charles Schwab, and Hewlett Packard. Like her boss, President George W. Bush, and other members of his cabinet, she is invested in the oil industry, with a direct interest in Venezuelan oil through Chevron Corporation. In 1995, the same year that Chevron signed an agreement in Caracas to operate Venezuela's Boscan heavy-oil field over a 20 to 30-year period, Chevron named its largest oil tanker for a member of its Board of Directors: Condoleezza Rice. After Rice became National Security Advisor in 2001, Chevron renamed the tanker to avoid such a blatant connection.

Now Miss Oil Tanker of 1995 is Secretary of State, in charge of implementing U.S. policy toward all countries. It is no wonder she is eager to support such anti-Chávez activities as the oil strike of 2002 that temporarily devastated the Venezuelan economy. And it is no surprise that the alliance between Havana and Caracas causes great consternation for the Bush administration. Take the issue of free trade. For decades Havana has refused to be controlled by Washington's trade mechanisms, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with its consequential subtractions for domestic welfare and additions for foreign debt. In 1985 Cuba hosted a conference on the Latin American debt crisis where delegates called, to no avail, for a basic restructuring of the relationship between debtor and creditor nations. Now Venezuela has become a partner in resistance to this financial bondage, although Venezuela, unlike Cuba, belongs to international financial institutions such as the IMF.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1396

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

31. Who's Afraid Of Venezuela-Cuba Alliance?

I'm much more afraid of a Sweden-Mongolia alliance, but that's just me.

[0007]

29. I enjoyed Condi getting what she deserved from a man that

won't dance to junior's tune.

Wish this country had a man like Chavez for President

[gtar100]

17. This article has a RW filter on it

It's trying to make him sound crazy to people who worship the bush. After reading everyone's responses here and having read about Chavez elsewhere, I think he's much more level headed than this article makes him out.

I agree with Chavez that the rest of the world needs to unite against these criminals in charge of the US. Really sad for us but it's the right thing to do. Bush & Co and all his minions think they can walk all over everyone with this BS "America's #1" attitude but he and his kind are blind to the depth and knowledge of other societies. Venezuela has every right to protect its own and Condi has made insinuated threats against them, including saying that something to the effect that it's the most troubling region they will have to deal with in the next four years.

I admire his courage. I hope he's got a plan to protect himself from these criminal assholes in the White House.

[depakid]

24. Of course it does- it's the Post!

Pravda for dummies....

[Frederik]

27. They're sure trying

to make him sound crazy by quoting those specific remarks, but I love those remarks nonetheless!

[MisterP]

18. the Anti-Bush? I doubt he's Jesus himself...

[VelvetMonkeyWrench]

22. Indications are...

...there's some bad karma cooking now between VE and Colombia. Chavez is quasi-clandestinely backing the FARC and allowing them safe haven across the border in VE.

The Colombians are naturally somewhat upset about this.

[Bridget Burke]

30. Which indications?

Do you have a link? Can't let those peace-loving Colombians get upset.....

[Say_What]

36. "Chavez backing the FARC" My A$$...

That's RW Bushista PROPGAGANDA. As for the "bad karma" between Venezuela and Colombia, they settled their differences a month ago despite USSA's best efforts to prevent that.

<clips>

Venezuela and Colombia Patch-up Relations, Vowing Closer Cooperation

...After affirming that all difficulties could be overcome with a frank and constructive dialogue, the Uribe stated that it is necessary to have constant communication between the ministers and different agencies in charge of security in both nations, in order to strengthen the fight against terrorism and insurgents and to avoid diplomatic impasses such as the Granda affair. “We need more direct communication and less communication through the media; then we can move forward and I am sure that everything will turn out better,” noted Uribe.

Uribe pointed out that in the Venezuelan-Colombian border, which stretches over 1,400 miles (2,200 kilometers), it is inevitable that incidents occur, but they are overcome with good will and close relations between nations. The Colombian Head of State recognized that the so-called guerrilla problem creates “difficulties with the neighbors of Colombia.” He acknowledged that the Colombian conflict must be resolved in Colombia.

Chavez reiterated that Venezuela “is not a sanctuary for guerrillas, terrorists, or narco-traffickers,” and that his country rejects all kinds of terrorism “without making distinctions.” He added that Venezuela has twice the number of troops along the border with Colombia compared to six years ago when he first took office.

Minister of Communication and Information, Andrés Izarra reaffirmed that currently there are more than 20,000 Venezuelans monitoring the Venezuelan-Colombian border, in four theaters of operation, adding that Venezuela is investing resources in the border for defense and protection of the country, so that the internal Colombian conflict does not spill across the border.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1508

[shanti]

20. yeah baby

chavez is no idiot....he knows what time it is.

[applegrove]

23. Now Chavez is not a man suffering from anxious masculinity. He's got

it together and probably in touch with his female side (as demonstrated by his policies). You can just tell.

[kiraboo]

33. And DU'ers question why freepers vote against their own

self-interest...! This isn't good news, folks. Yes it's a blow to the Bush administration but it's a blow to american citizens as well. I fear we are becoming not only cynical which is unavoidable these days, but also suicidal. Let's not applaud the downfall of our country.

[Zorra]

34. But, I thought Jesus was the anti-Bu*h.