The NEW Banana Republic

[Trent 0]

People really should start paying more attention to this. I hope our representatives start to help the people of Venezuela. This guy is more than off his rocker and his megalomania might just start a few wars in Latin America.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051119/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_plots_and_doubts

Oh, hello again!

[ViperPilot 0]

Yep, the guy's a complete idiot and loose cannon. However, not a threat to the US, right now anyways.

[TheAnvil 0]

Chavez has been a wacko for quite some time.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[Trent 0]

No, at the moment he's not a threat to anyone but his neighbors and his own people. But people need to pay attention, because if he has it his way... he's on the way up.

Also of note, if he wins the election (by fraud approved by Jimmy Carter) again next year, he'll be the president for some ungodly amount of time. Like 15 or 20 years. Hmmmm... I wonder why he changed the presidential term limits if he didn't KNOW he was going to win the election.

While many people have many other things to worry about, I don't think this tard should be overlooked.

Oh, hello again!

[miked10270 0]

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People really should start paying more attention to this oilfield. I hope our representatives start to help themselves to the oil that's right there under the people of Venezuela. This guy is more than off his rocker and his megalomania oil reserves might just start a few wars Regime Change in Latin America.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051119/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_plots_and_doubts

Then again, maybe it's NOT about the oil, maybe it's about the suffering of the Venezuelan people... Just like Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Congo...

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[Trent 0]

That was pretty good. But really, the concern should be more about this guy dragging Latin America into a cold war with the rest of the hemisphere. That and his loco-ness and growing ties with the Chinese... at least Americans should worry a little.

Oh, hello again!

[Trent 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/11/19/venezuela.mexico.reut/index.html

Ohhh, it just keeps getting better. Fuck the oil, this guy is insane enough to fuck the hemisphere if he could get some real power. Let's hope the world just takes him as he is, a fucking joke.

Unfortunately, that doesn't the people in Venezuela now.

Oh, hello again!

[SpeedRacer 1]

Check this out:
(it's the Have Your Say column on BBC re. Chavez):
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=354&&&edition=2&ttl=20051120232727

Notice how the people who actually live in Venezuela hate him & say he's fucking up the country, whereas all those who praise him are from other countries & don't actually have to live under his rule.

(Mostly they praise him for being anti-USA)

Speed Racer
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[miked10270 0]

Try this one:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/4350254.stm

Which asks about Chavez' performance overall.

It includes an interesting comment on the likely politics of computer-owners in Venezuela.

Historically, American "Free-Trade Agreements" and similar have been made deliberately to the overwhelming benefit of The USA. American trade negotiators are perceived as "A Bunch of Snake-Oil Salesmen" who'll gouge out a deal that looks fair on the surface but in reality screws the other country.

A prime example of this is foreign aid to cotton producing countries in Africa. The US gives aid on condition that these countries sell cotton without subsudising it's producers while The US heavily subsidises it's own cotton producers thus allowing US producers a price advantage. THEN the US complains about direct state-subsidy to Airbus against Boeing (who have historically always used profits from military contracts to subsidise civilian development).

In trade, the US idea of a level playing field usually has a very definite, if well concealed, slope!

ANY intervention by the US in Venezuela, which is the world's FIFTH-LARGEST OIL PRODUCER would destroy American credibility throughout the world!... Perhaps the US should cause "Regime Change" in a few poor but needier countries first.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[Trent 0]

Like Speedracer pointed out, most of the opinions in both of those articles that support Chavez are from people outside of Venezuela. Curious... It is funny that they focus on his "standing up" (grandstanding is more like it) to the US, than how he's fucked up his economy, thrown elections and term limits out the window, and led his country to RECORD crime levels and poverty since he came to power.

And as far as your point about how the US slants trade agreements to its side... so what? Name one country that is poorer because of its trade with the US. If we work the deal and it's more 60-40, it doesn't negate the fact that both parties are STILL better off.

Senor Hugo is a fuckin' wackjob. Ask a Venezuelan today.

Oh, hello again!

[Erroll 80]

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Then again, maybe it's NOT about the oil, maybe it's about the suffering of the Venezuelan people... Just like Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Congo...

Stick around. Mugabe has other plans.

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Mugabe hails uranium find and vows to pursue nuclear power

[SpeedRacer 1]

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Mr Chavez quickly wins our hearts, so we forget the main issue at stake: Mr Chavez presidency was supposed to last 5 years. That would have been three years ago. Democracy is dead in Venezuela, thanks to SmartMatic/Sequoia. Wake Up World! This is what electronic elections do to Democracy!.
Jaime Cohen, San Bernardino, Venezuela

After reading some of the comments here, it's obvious that some of the people here have no idea of what they are talking about, specially the ones outside the country. I support Chavez and his government is one of the most democratic that this country ever had.
AM, Caracas, Venezuela

The readers, Hugo Chavez and the BBC should notice that 99% of the comments from Venezuelan people are against Chavez. If foreigners want to praise him, they should come and live here for a year, and lets see and see 'Chavez's great government' for themselves.
Ana Lopez, Caracas, Venezuela

I am among a group of Venezuelans that even agreeing with you in some of your views don't agree on the way you put them in practice. I agree with you in some of your views regarding USA international politics, but I don't agree on the way you insult the governments of other people or their presidents as much as I wouldn't allow anybody to insult mine. I don't agree with the missions but I do agree that the medicine and the healthcare has to be available to the people especially the poor. Same with the education, same with providing decent places to live and land to produce. But I don't agree with expropriations by summarial decision of the executive power without any legal procedure to allow the land owners to defend themselves.
Kira Kariakin, Caracas, Venezuela

As a Venezuelan I don't understand what you are doing in my country. Since you are President we're poorer and more negligent about public issues. You are an autocratic leader and you must go out of the presidency to give chance a really representatives of the poor. Venezuela would thank you.
Carlos Fernando Calatrava P, Caracas, Venezuela
President Chavez is more concerned about trying to get under the skin of the US Government than he is about his own country and his own people. The business environment in this country has gone downhill fast in the years he has led this country. He is not well liked in this country. The outsiders who know nothing that goes on are the one's who have a fascination with him.
Eduardo Perez, Caracas, Venezuela

I am a single mother of 3 with a food shop in Caracas. The government has just opened a Mercal store close to me with subsidised prices at 50% of what I can sell. My business will soon be finished. I am one of millions of poorer Venezuelans that are facing lower income and unemployment. Does the government plan to employ 25m people? Why don't they understand they can best help us by allowing our businesses to do well? Most of us do want work and do well and provide for our families.
Andreina, Caracas, Venezuela

My question is actually for the readers. Doesn't it strike you as odd that all the people that seem to like President Chavez's policies are foreigners? You need to hear the other side of the story. The one of prosecution, disrespect for basic human rights, economic uncertainty, poverty. He is not different than any other populist presidents we've had in the past... well, maybe he is: he is selling himself and his so-called revolution to the world. I would invite any of you to come to my adored country for a few months... leave your comfortable lives in US, Canada, Denmark, etc and come here and see for yourself. He is the best marketing person there is.
Maria Paula, Caracas, Venezuela

Poverty in my country is increasing. Freedom of speech is dominated by the government. Those against the President's rule are coined as traitors and villains. Private property its been undermined. Mr. Chavez, if you think that been rich is a bad thing, as you have said - can you explain to poor people why are you surrounded of luxury?
Daniel, Cumana, Venezuela

Mr. President: How dare you pretend to export your "Bolivarian Revolution" to the entire world, when the levels of poverty in our country, are higher than ever? At International press conferences why don't you talk about the way you control all of the states institutions? Perhaps you have forgotten to tell the rest of the world how you are using a new law to control and silence the private media.
Rafael Martinez, Valencia, Venezuela

OK we got one for, all the rest against Chavez.

don't see anything about computer users in Venezuela, but I guess the point is that anyone who has access to a computer is obviously an evil rich capitalist oppressor, so that's why they're against Chavez.

Chavez, like a lot of these "socialist" demagogues, will spout a lot of BS about how they're on the side of the poor, without actually helping them out of poverty. Why would they? Anyone who has made it out of poverty is no longer poor, and therefor, no longer one of his supporters. Best to keep the whole country poor then. We can't have anyone climbing out of poverty based on his/her own efforts, that would violate the idea of the Almighty State as the supreme benefactor of the people.

Speed Racer
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[wmw999 2,589]

The people in Venezuela who are for Chavez are the really poor, who don´t answer polls and the like. No, he´s not serving them, but he panders to them, which no one else has done, so he keeps on going.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of poor people in Venezuele to pander to, and the number isn´t decreasing.

But hey -- they do get cheap gasoline

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[miked10270 0]

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OK we got one for, all the rest against Chavez.

Naughty naughty - You've printed only one of the pro-chavez quotes!

don't see anything about computer users in Venezuela,

***

After reading some of the comments here, it's obvious that some of the people here have no idea of what they are talking about, specially the ones outside the country. I support Chavez and his government is one of the most democratic that this country ever had.
AM, Caracas, Venezuela

To Maria Paulus: Actually, it's not odd that it's only foreigners who admire President Chavez on this site and not Venezuelans. The vast majority of Venezuelans love his policies. They just don't have access to the internet to express their feelings like the rest of us.
Jabu Gubula, Pretoria, South Africa

And finally, perhaps the summary?

President Chavez, like all of us, is far from perfect. However, he has ample reason to suspect the USA of having unfriendly designs towards his country's sovereignty. Venezuela is oil-rich, a resource of obvious importance to the American economy. President Chavez has consistently refused to acquiesce to American wishes on a number of economic and political issues. This is a behaviour that the American superpower does not easily abide. Moreover, Chavez's championing the political and economic rights of the poor in his country sorely irritates the Bush Administration, who fears such notions may spread to other Latin American countries. America has already been caught trying to finesse Chavez' removal from power. Having failed in that effort, it then staunchly supported the economic elite of Venezuela who claimed Chavez had lost the support of his electorate. That, we now know is not true. Will America be content to let the Venezuelan people elect their own rulers? The world can only hope so.
Eric Calderone, New York, USA

Surely there is an overwhelming case for The USA NOT to intervene. Certainly not on the basis that "He calls us names and trades with China!"

There's a belief in Americans (which seems to originate in the vicinity of the Hollywood Hills and concentrate in the Bible-Belt) that The USA are always the good guys, are always right, and can fix every problem simply by applying "The American Way" and wearing a White Hat. Invading US Soldiers invariably carry a Hershey Bar in one hand and a childs doll in the other (the nylons are in the hip pocket). Thus, anyone opposed to the"Americanisation" of their culture is patently an evil megalomaniac bent on world destruction by socialism & godlessness. AND... He wears a Black Hat!

The "American Way" is a good way, one that has served The USA very well... BUT... It is not the only way nor even neccessarily the best way for all cultures, particularly in the form the current administration is pursuing it!

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[Trent 0]

Yes, he panders, but I STILL don't beleive that he could actually win in a free and fair election. You're taking for granted that he actually won the election.

Want a pretty good sign that he faked the election results? Check this out....

If he gets re-elected next year, he'll be president until like 2025 or something. Of course, he's the one who made it possible for the president to have a term that long. WHY would he do that if he didn't KNOW he was going to win?

Whoever monitors those elections is a paid stooge, starting with Jimmy Carter in the last one.

And for Mike, I'm not advocating intervention... I just want people, and government officials to pay attention. Or maybe pat robertson should just put up money next time he shoots his mouth off about this guy.

Oh, hello again!

[Channman 2]

Its like the Americans to wait until the Chinese establish bases there when we start getting concerned.

Nothing like have the Chinese in your front yard looking at you while rubbing their hands together.

[Frenchy68 0]

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Its like the Americans to wait until the Chinese establish bases there when we start getting concerned.

Nothing like have the Chinese in your front yard looking at you while rubbing their hands together.

Uh... Why would the Chinese do that?

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[SudsyFist 0]

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Uh... Why would the Chinese do that?

Cos they're evil, of course.

[miked10270 0]

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Its like the Americans to wait until the Chinese establish bases there when we start getting concerned.

Nothing like have the Chinese in your front yard looking at you while rubbing their hands together.

That would be nothing like Formosa / Taiwan? Japan? South Korea? And soon Vietnam?

Mike.

Edited to add for Trent: I get a little concerned at the progressive demonisation of Chavez in the American Media... Almost like a justification is being built up?

As for Jimmy Carter monitoring the elections - I'd call Carter a few things resulting from his time as President... BUT dishonest or incompetent aren't included.

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[rehmwa 2]

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Uh... Why would the Chinese do that?

Cos they're evil, of course.

and their hands are cold (plus it looks cool)

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[miked10270 0]

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Uh... Why would the Chinese do that?

Cos they're evil, of course.

AND... They all wear Black Hats (or have black hair, which is the same thing)!

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[Trent 0]

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Edited to add for Trent: I get a little concerned at the progressive demonisation of Chavez in the American Media... Almost like a justification is being built up?

Holy crap, are you kidding?? The media here almost pays ZERO attention to what's going on over there. You want real demonization of the demon? Look for Venezuelan blogs and ex-pat websites. You want further demonization? Just look at what he's done to his country!

Like they say sometimes, "You just can't make this shit up!"

Oh, hello again!

[wmw999 2,589]

The ex-pats are just as biased a source as anyone else. Kind of like the ex-pat Cubans -- no one would call them unbiased about Castro, right?

It doesn´t mean they´re wrong, just that their viewpoint is biased.

I think he´s an asshole who panders. However, he is their asshole.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Trent 0]

I guess, you could say that anyone for, or against him is biased, right?

But I didn't only mention ex-pats... dig around, check it out. Blogs are interesting, combined with what I know and what people over there say to me. (MSN is great, no?)

He IS their asshole, but he'll be everyone's problem soon enough. Just pay attention.

Oh, hello again!