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Chavez & Aristide Become Buddies
via Seattle TimesVenezuela offers asylum to Aristide Venezuelaâs strongly anti-American president yesterday offered asylum to former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, echoing allegations that Washington, D.C., "kidnapped" him into exile. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez also said he would not recognize the Haitian transition government being formed by Prime Minister Gerard Latortue. An official said none of the 11 of 13 Cabinet ministers chosen so far came from Aristideâs Lavalas Family Party. Chávez told a nationwide address yesterday that "the doors of Venezuela are open" to the former president, who resigned and fled Haiti on Feb. 29, spent two weeks in the Central African Republic and arrived Monday in Jamaica to reunite with his family. Chávezâs offer of asylum is certain to whet the already sharp edges in U.S. relations with the leftist populist Chávez, whose oil-rich nation is all but politically paralyzed by a drive to recall him. Anyoneâs Surprise Meter register? Posted by: .com 2004-03-17 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=28309 |