Chavez rallies tens of thousands of supporters amid clash with US

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Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez rallied tens of thousands of supporters in Caracas on Saturday as the socialist leader squared off with Washington in a diplomatic spat over charges of U.S. espionage. In a sea of red banners and flags, state oil workers, students and public employees marked the anniversary of a 1992 coup Chavez led as a young soldier, while his opponents marched to protest against a leader they accuse of authoritarian rule.

Ties between Washington and oil producer Venezuela hit a new low in the last week after Chavez expelled a U.S. military attache accused of spying and the U.S. government responded by ordering a Venezuelan embassy official to leave. The Venezuelan leader has put himself at the center of regional opposition to U.S. President George W. Bush who he calls "Mr Danger" while Washington brands Chavez a threat to regional stability and criticizes his alliance with Cuba.

"There is no opposition here, the only opposition is Bush and his gang in Washington. They are gang members," Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said at the rally. "The real modern-day Hitler is George Bush. For me he is Adolf Bush."
Marchers hoisted placards praising Chavez's social programs for the poor and bearing images of Argentine revolutionary hero Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Cuban President Fidel Castroas the rally snaked along a highway toward the center of the capital. Buses brought Chavez supporters from outside the capital and many wore red T-shirts from government ministries, regional governor offices and state-run programs. The president was expected to address supporters later on Saturday after returning from a trip to Havana.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060204/ts_nm/venezuela_chavez_dc

[LynnTheDem]

1. But the bushCartel find democratically elected leaders "worrisome"

Seems kinda contradictory to bush's constant spewing of "spreading democracy" though, don't it.

[John Q. Citizen]

2. I especially appreciate that Chavez calls bush Mr Danger!

It cracks me up.

[leftstreet]

3. Me too. I like it and I wish it would stick. BUSH = MR. DANGER

:rofl: