In Venice, Italy for the premiere of an adulatory documentary, “South of the Border” directed by Oliver Stone, Venezuela’s peripatetic, anti-American president Hugo Chavez said he was ready for better relations with President Obama.
“With Obama we can talk,” enthused Chavez, “we are almost from the same generation, one can’t deny that Obama is different (from Bush). He’s intelligent, he has good intentions and we have to help him.”
Although inclined to quote Castro, Lenin, or Karl Marx, Chavez added, “I’m entirely dedicated to building a real democratic model in Venezuela. As Abraham Lincoln said, what is democracy? It is not the system by which a rich minority exploits the people. It is government by the people and for the people.”
A bravo performance!
In Tehran scant hours before, Chavez sang a different tune, re-validating his anti-imperial credentials. “Tehran-Caracas relations, Chavez declared, are “necessary given [our] common interests, friends, and foes.”
As the U.S. and Iran steam toward a showdown over Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, Chavez was dismissive. “There isn’t a single proof Iran is building a nuclear bomb.”
The cooperative Chavez promised Iran 20000 barrels of gasoline daily, a potential sanctions-busting deal if the West gets tougher on fuel exports over Iran’s nuclear program.
Chavez shared Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei opinion that “America’s repeated defeats and its declining grandeur and power are proof of an undeniable change in the world.”
When thinking about Chavez, it is wise to recall another of Lincoln’s remarks about fooling some of the people all of the time and some of the people all of the time but never all of the people all of the time.
Hugo Chavez has plenty of “all-the-time” sympathizers in the U.S. Be it Oliver Stone in Hollywood, a Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. in Massachusetts, http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/chavezs-friend-massachusetts or certain members of Congress. Most Americans, fortunately, are not so easily fooled by Chavez’ shameless and frequent double-speak.
By the way, anyone desiring a more objective look at Chavez can watch free of charge a recent PBS Frontline documentary, “The Hugo Chavez Show,” to get a better feel for Venezuela’s vocal leader, his ideas, style, and abiding hostility for the U.S.
Obama and Chavez make a perfect couple!
Una Coaliciòn por la Libertad y la Democracia en Amèrica Latina, es la mejor defensa frente a la amenaza totalitaria de Chàvez, Castro, Evo Morales, Correa, Ortega y sus aliados de la "nueva" izquierda extremista que agita el orden en el continente. No se puede permitir que sigan avanzando contra las democracias.
Chavez belongs in Hollywood, that's why his fans idolize him there.
He is not fooling the American people just those who swore to represent us and are not.
obama is taking our F–R–E–E–D–O–M away from us just as chavez has done to his people. They both belong in the same POD.
A loud boycott of Stone's film seems in order. So too with
Michael Moore's latest anti-capitalist movie. These two fools hate America and their propaganda should be protested with
enthusiasm.
Hey people, Citgo has to go.
Citgo, is owned by Venezuela, and Chavez runs it.
Even though he is personal friends with our prez.
Americans…, boycott Citgo. We don't need to be funding this tyrants trips to Iran and his totalitarian propaganda against us.
Viva la 2010!
He and obama are of the same mold, both are intent on destroying their country and haveing total controll. Power is all they both care about.
What more can you expect from a Two-Bit, Tin-Plated, Banana Republic Dictator, or his Washed-up
Hollywood cronies?
Viva la 2nd American Revolution!!!!
Throw the BUMS OUT 2010 & 2012!!!!
If Chavez were my brother, I'd take him on a one way charter to fish!
Hozro
It's scary how many people are still so ignorant about the direction this country is moving in. People need to start re-educating themselves and opening their eyes to what is unfolding in front of them.
When the Revolution does happen, I'll be right up there on the front lines!
if hugo can identify both character traits of bush and obama, and still chooses obama, then he is really focused and knows what he is doing. time will tell.
Or Fannie Maye or Freddie Mack cash. Chris Dodd could get lots of mortgage cash.