Venezuela Defends Chavez After Spat With Spanish King

[Purveyor]

Venezuelan officials are blasting Spain's king after the monarch told President Hugo Chavez to "shut up" at the close of the Ibero-American summit in Santiago, Chile. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington, the verbal spat stole the spotlight from the gathering of leaders from Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

--
In Caracas Sunday, Vice President Jorge Rodriguez suggested the Spanish monarch may have forgotten that Latin America achieved its independence from Spain long ago, and said the king's words were "unacceptable".

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, left, talks to Spain's PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, unseen, during the last working session of the XVII Iberoamerican Summit in Santiago, Chile, 10 Nov. 2007
He said, "Mr. Juan Carlos can treat his subjects in that fashion if they permit him to do so. But we Venezuelans are a free and sovereign people constructing our own future. No one can speak vulgar words to deny Venezuela's chief of state the right to speak. Nothing and no one will ever silence him ."

--
For his part, the Venezuelan leader has downplayed the controversy. Speaking with reporters, Mr. Chavez said he did not hear King Juan Carlos' outburst at the time. Mr. Chavez added that he never meant for his choice of words to offend anybody at the summit, but that he stood by those words nonetheless.

---eoe---

http://voanews.com/english/2007-11-11-voa25.cfm

[mitchtv]

1. If QEII told "W" to shut up I would cheer

I know, I know, it's different. The royal should have realized what he was doing.

[Swamp Rat]

2. How long before the anti-Chavez brigade shows up?

¡Payasos! :D

[Judi Lynn]

3. Glad he spoke up! Thanks.

Vice President Jorge Rodriguez.