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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Venezuela's Chavez blames Bush for Bolivia crisis |
| 2005-06-12 |
| Venezuela's Chavez blames Bush for Bolivia crisis Soooooo predictable and booooooring! By Pascal Fletcher 1 hour, 45 minutes ago CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez blamed President Bush on Sunday for Bolivia's crisis and said Bush's "poisoned medicine" of free-market democracy was being rejected by Latin America. The left-wing Venezuelan leader said the protests that shook the Andean nation this week were triggered by popular opposition to capitalist free-trade policies advocated by Bush. Chavez condemned as "poisoned medicine" a speech given by Bush to the Organization of American States last week in which he recommended a mix of representative democracy, integration of world markets and individual freedoms. "That is what is killing the peoples of Latin America. ... This is the path of destabilization, of violence, of war between brothers," Chavez said, speaking on his "Hello President" weekly television and radio show. The Venezuelan leader is a fierce critic of U.S. policies although his country, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, sells billions of dollars worth of oil to the United States each year. Chavez rejected charges by some U.S. officials that he and Cuban President Fidel Castro were directing the Bolivian miners, rural peasants and labor groups who are demanding the nationalization of their country's rich gas resources. "What's the cause? Is Fidel? Is it Chavez? No, Bush is the cause ... and what he represents," he said. Addressing Bush in broken English and calling him "Mr. Danger," he added, "We, the people of Latin America are saying 'No Sir, Mr. Danger,' your poisoned medicine has failed." Chavez welcomed signs the Bolivia protests were easing following the inauguration as president on Thursday of Eduardo Rodriguez. He replaced Carlos Mesa who resigned. Chavez, a firebrand nationalist first elected in 1998, says free-market economic policies have increased not reduced poverty in Latin America. He proposes as an alternative his self-styled "revolution" in Venezuela, which channels oil income into health, education and job training for the poor. He spoke while inaugurating one of 600 new medical treatment centers which his government was opening with help from Communist Cuba. During his program lasting more than seven hours, Chavez received a phone call from Castro, which was broadcast live. The two leaders mocked U.S. accusations that they had created an anti-U.S. alliance to destabilize Latin America and that it was being financed by Venezuela's oil income. "You're the malevolent genius and I'm the rich financier of revolutions, what do you think?" Chavez told Castro. "Well, it's marvelous," the Cuban leader replied. Venezuela ships up to 90,000 barrels per day of oil to Cuba and more than 20,000 Cuban doctors, dentists, teachers and technicians, including sugar experts, are working in the South American oil exporter under a broad cooperation program. The United States has criticized Chavez's close alliance with Castro, a longtime foe of Washington, and says it fears his rule in Venezuela is becoming increasingly authoritarian. |
| Posted by:TMH |
| #6 ... more than 20,000 Cuban doctors, dentists, teachers and technicians, including sugar experts ... Uh huh. Sure they're all humanitarian experts, sure ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2005-06-12 23:53 |
| #5 LMAO mojo! |
| Posted by: Rafael 2005-06-12 23:32 |
| #4 In Heaven, the police are British, the cooks are Italians, the staff are Germans, the lovers are French, and it's all organized by the Swiss. In Hell, the police are Germans, the cooks are British, the staff are Italians, the lovers are Swiss, and it's all organized by the French. |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-06-12 22:37 |
| #3 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez blamed President Bush on Sunday for Bolivia's crisis.. If there was anything Hugo did NOT need to do was something like this. If people already didn't suspect he was just another leftist nut bag, it's all but certain now. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-06-12 22:27 |
| #2 There is a Hell. Unfortunately, it's living under the rule of one of those tyrants. Maybe we can hope for reincarnation back in time. They can be Cambodian schoolteachers. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-06-12 21:26 |
| #1 "'You're the malevolent genius and I'm the rich financier of revolutions, what do you think?' Chavez told Castro. 'Well, it's marvelous,' the Cuban leader replied." Yes, it's marvelous to be a Chavez, a Castro, a Mugabe, a Kimmie... I do hope there is a Hell. |
| Posted by: Tom 2005-06-12 21:09 |