Venezuela Says Will Not Tolerate U.S. Meddling

[wicket]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=574&e=2&u=/nm/20050119/wl_nm/venezuela_us_dc

The U.S. government must respect Venezuela's sovereignty and stop meddling if it wants to improve ties with its fourth-largest oil supplier, Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez said on Wednesday.

Rodriguez was responding to comments by Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) who on Tuesday at her Senate confirmation hearing (news - web sites) criticized President Hugo Chavez for what she called his autocratic measures at home and his negative influence in the region.

The exchange is the latest between the Bush administration and Chavez, a left-wing former army officer and fierce critic of the United States whose close ties to Cuban leader Fidel Castro (news - web sites) have irritated Washington.

"We can not tolerate that they try to put on pressure and try to provoke problems within the country," Rodriguez told reporters. "The North American people can be sure Venezuela wants better relations ... but for this to happen there must be respect for our sovereignty."

[Spazito]

1. I am liking Chavez more and more!

He doesn't put up with shit, good for him!

[0007]

7. Wish our Democratic leader would strike out on Condoleezza

Rice and her blatant lies.

[justinsb]

2. Link

http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/

[McKenzie]

5. thnx, been looking for a site like that. n/t

[cal04]

13. Here's another site you might want to read

I'm glad Chavez is speaking out.

http://www.vheadline.com/main.asp

[McKenzie]

16. Bookmarked too. Thnx a lot. n/t

[Old and In the Way]

3. Too bad we value oil higher than we value democracy.

I use "we" in the strict Bush-Republican sense.

[genius]

4. I wish we had a democracy like Venezuela

[htuttle]

6. "Chavez, a left-wing former army officer"

Notice how they try to make him sound like a military despot?

You could have used the same description for John Kerry, or Jimmy Carter. (with the 'left wing' part somewhat less emphasized, of course).

Keeping this in mind while looking back at our last 'election', it seems that service in the military, any military, has become a real political negative in the United States.

"Support the troops, but whatever you do, don't elect them!" is what our media now seems to be saying...

Just saying...

[Dr.Phool]

8. According to a book i just finished reading

"Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins, Chavez was the next target, and the only thing that saved him was 9-11 and Sadaam Hussein. He got put on the back burner for a while.

But it sounds like something is coming. Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL) was doing a lot of sword rattling this morning about Venezuala during Condi's confirmation hearings this morning.

[slipslidingaway]

17. John Perkins interview on Democracy Now

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/09/1526251

still reading the book

[hector459]

21. It's a humdinger. You can almost tell what we are going to do with Chavez

I hope Chavez has read the book.

[newyawker99]

29. Hi slipslidingaway!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Joanne98]

9. I love Chavez!

Hugo don't take no crap. lol

[0007]

10. This is just too funny. Look who's calling the kettle black?

Rice voiced objections to the actions Venezuela has taken against the independent media and opposition groups.
"We are very concerned about a democratically elected leader who governs in an illiberal way,"

In an illiberal way? Is this a joke or what?

[Cha]

12. But no concern for a lyin' awol

cokehead, dry drunk, who steals elections in the USA.

[bahrbearian]

19. I don't think anyone ever sad he was a dry drunk, drunk but

not a dry drunk.

[Cha]

20. There was a whole phase on this..

http://www.counterpunch.org/wormer1011.html

snip~

"Dry Drunk" Syndrome and
George W. Bush
by KATHERINE van WORMER

Ordinarily I would not use this term. But when I came across the article "Dry Drunk" - - Is Bush Making a Cry for Help? in American Politics Journal by Alan Bisbort, I was ready to concede, in the case of George W. Bush, the phrase may be quite apt. end snip~



http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/gallagher169.html

snip~

DRY-DRUNK PRESIDENT LOSING HIS GRIP?
By Bill Gallagher
DETROIT -- The lies, delusions and deceptions of George W. Bush have reached a point where the "dry drunk" madness and the "stinking thinking" in his frighteningly flawed mind are what drives all his remarks on the bogus al-Qaida-Iraq connection and the president's rigid, judgmental world view.

In the best of times, George W. can be impatient, self-important and prone to irrational, contorted rationalization. Now that his crazy, unnecessary war in Iraq and grandiose plans to change the Middle East with more violence have clearly failed and he fears that he might get bounced from the White House like his daddy, our president's mental pathology is gaining more control over his behavior.end snip~

[MasonJar]

11. We should categorically let our representatives (?) know that we

will not tolerate US interference in Venezuela. Those citizens have spoken and their choice was a good one. He is trying to do good for his own people, and is not concerned about avaricious Bush donors. Leave Chavez alone.

[hector459]

22. Their choice was just a valid as the US choice of Bush.

No Dem should tolerate our interference in Venezuela. We must get the word out about what John Perkins has said. Now you can see what was really going on with Cuba. It wasn't about dictatorship, we support lots of them. Musharaff is our friend and ally and he overthrew a democratically elected government.

[Tempest]

14. Once again Kindasleazy doesn't know what the HELL she's talking about

"she called his autocratic measures at home and his negative influence in the region"


Chavez is leading regional nations into the creation of a Latin American free trade zone which will increase exports from the region and lessen U.S. influence over their economies.

Chavez is also opening trade with China and Russia.

And that's what BushCo fears.

[Delphinus]

15. Good for them!!

How can she talk about Chavez's negative influence without talking about *'s?

[radric]

18. Poor Hugo

:eyes:

[alexisfree]

23. Chavez should have been mexico's president

[don954]

24. is it me or is the world getting to be a cold, hard place for the USA?

i mean, even more so than normal.

[pfitz59]

26. Yep.....

Gonna get worse with Codiesleaza at state. The world knows she's outta her league!

[wicket]

25. kick

:kick:

[distantearlywarning]

27. Shrub: "You know, I 'm thinking...

...that Venezuela harbors terrorists. Yes, yes, now that I think about it more, I'm quite sure that they do. And weapons of mass destruction too! I think that the proper response to this clear threat to American security is to bomb the living crap out of all their major cities, and then send troops in to secure the oil pipelines."

[wicket]

28. kick

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

30. Venezuela's leader demands respect of U.S., Colombia

Jan. 23, 2005, 10:28PM

Venezuela's leader demands respect of U.S., Colombia
Washington seen as a force behind divisive rebel grab
Associated Press



AP
A supporter of the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez shouts "Live Chavez" during a rally to commemorate an anniversary of Venezuela's democracy in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez proposed a bet with President Bush on who will be in power longer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

CARACAS, VENEZUELA - Supporters of President Hugo Chávez marched through Caracas on Sunday, demanding respect for Venezuela's sovereignty after U.S. criticism and Colombia's acknowledgment that it paid a bounty to capture a rebel on Venezuelan soil.

To mark the 47th anniversary of Venezuelan democracy, critics of Chávez staged a smaller march, accusing him of threatening freedoms gained in the Jan. 23, 1958, overthrow of Gen. Marcos Pérez Jiménez, Venezuela's last dictator.

"Venezuela must be respected!" Chávez told a massive crowd outside Miraflores presidential palace.

"Nobody can deny that what Colombia has done is a violation of international law ... the only government that has defended this vulgar error is the imperialist government of the United States."

The crowd chanted, "Chávez makes them crazy!"
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/3005654