Chavez tells hotels to shelter flood homeless

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Chavez tells hotels to shelter flood homeless
By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER, Associated Press – 36 mins ago

CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that he would force privately owned hotels to help shelter tens of thousands of Venezuelans who have left their homes due to floods and mudslides caused by weeks of torrential rains.

"I want the tourism hotels," Chavez said during a visit to the coastal state of Miranda. He said his government would pay for flood victims to remain at the hotels until the rains subside. "We will occupy them under lease."

Chavez also announced that his government would build apartments near Simon Bolivar International Airport, the country's largest and busiest airport, and other residential complexes inside El Avila National Park, a mountainous swath of land separating Caracas from the coast.

He lashed out at the opposition, which has criticized the government's handling of the floods. He said wealthy Venezuelans have done little to help ease the effects of the floods.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101206/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_floods

[sasha031]

1. what a beautiful man

How I wish we had a Chavez.:)

[earcandle]

2. Agreed! I wanna be in a socialist country who helps people in all circumstances and rehabs those

who need it.  

[sasha031]

3. he drives around in an open jeep, the crowds flood around him

must be a wonderful feeling, to love and trust your president.

I really like Oliver Stone's movie "South of the Border"

[Ginto]

4. Depends on the timing.

The truth of this part of the article can be debated.

Chavez foes have charged that the government's response to the floods has been lackluster and say he has failed during his 11-year rule to meet rising demand for low-income housing. Consequently, increasing numbers of poor Venezuelans have been forced to live in ramshackle slums ringing major cities, they say.
"There are no longer any excuses for this unprecedented failure," prominent opposition politician Julio Borges said Sunday.

[alittlelark]

5. sigh.....

A leader who cares about the welfare of his people, and is willing to stand up against powerful interests to do so.

What happened to our country?:-(

[defendandprotect]

6. Nice to see some humanity in the world ... wish we had some!!

3.The quality of being humane; benevolence.
4.A humane characteristic, attribute, or act.




and then there was W. Bush and Katrina!!

[Catherina]

7. Viva Chavez!

[unkachuck]

8. "We will occupy them under lease."

....absolutely....aren't the hotels part of the community?....part of the nation?....during an emergency, hotels can help out and do their part for the good of their country....they're being compensated....

[cbdo2007]

9. How much do you think the lease is for?

The same thing the hotels normally make or 1/10th of that amount because it's for the greater good?

[unkachuck]

11. "...normally make or 1/10th..."

....you know, the devil is always in the details....but I would think most hotels would want to be considered good citizens....

[dana_b]

10. wonderful!

too bad we haven't demanded the same of our hotels after any number of disasters.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

12. Now that's an Honorable Leader of the people

[RedCloud]

13. El pobre en su choza libertad pidió

Straight out of their national anthem

The poor in their shack liberty cried...

[southmost]

14. how appalling

what a terrible example of leadership... the U.S. must stage a coup quickly

sarcasm

[craigmatic]

15. Chavez has heart and balls. I wish we had a leader like this.

[ooglymoogly]

16. And yet our government and their mouthpiece, the "msm"

and even many on this site tell us he is a dictator; to be shunned and maligned. He works for the folks who need his help, not those who don't.

Our president is the opposite.

He is a good man.

[David__77]

17. If Obama were more like Chavez, Democrats would have won big.

...

[conspirator]

18. Kick and rec for human solidarity. The only thing that the greedy rich fear n/t