Hugo Chavez Called Tom Shannon Yesterday

[magbana]

This article is in spanish, but here is an english translation by Machetera of the two paragraphs that pertain to Chavez' phone call to Shannon.

Chavez said that in his more than 10 years as president, he'd never called the State Department, but yesterday (Thursday), in the face of what was happening, he called Tom Shannon personally and spoke with him, expressing his appreciation for the way the U.S. was treating the subject of Honduras.

He said he was received very well and he made the quick decision to make the call because he was worried that the coupsters were using Hillary Clinton, and Obama himself, whom Chávez said he hoped would come out publicly against all of this when he gets back from his international trip.

Chávez dice que negociación en San José está muerta (+ Videos)
10 Julio 2009 2 Comentarios

Con información de YVKE Mundial
Este viernes el Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela se encuentra reflexionando sobre los últimos acontecimientos en Honduras. Calificó como un gran error, por parte del gobierno norteamericano, haber propuesto una negociación con golpistas. Calificó este intento como un aborto de Washington. Consideró un \

Este viernes el Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela se encuentra reflexionando sobre los últimos acontecimientos en Honduras.

Durante una rueda de prensa con medios nacionales e internacionales, el mandatario venezolano afirmó que fue un “error craso” de Estados Unidos proponer un diálogo. “¿Un diálogo con quién? ¿Con estos usurpadores? ¿Los mismo que a estas horas están persiguiendo hondureños? ¿Los que ya han matado a varias personas?”, se preguntó Chávez, y destacó que eso sería indigno. “Espero que el presidente Arias tome conciencia de la responsabilidad que ha asumido”.

Indicó que Estados Unidos debería rectificar a tiempo, y señaló que en el gobierno norteamericano “esta aflorando un mundo de contradicciones”. Chávez señaló que EEUU ahora debe demostrar con acciones su condena al golpe de estado en Honduras, ya que ha habido solo tímidas medidas.

“Estamos dando el beneficio de la buena fe y estamos creyendo que fue un error, más no queremos pensar que se trate de un plan de Obama con Clinton. Esto constituiría una trampa para al democracia, un peligro y grave error no sólo para Honduras, sino para todo el continente Americano, esto que ocurrió en San José de Costa Rica”, sostuvo.

Destacó que afortunadamente el presidente Manuel Zelaya salió rápido de esa trampa, y lamentó que Oscar Arias pretendiera que Zelaya y Goriletti (al que ahora también bautizó este viernes como “Carmonetti”) se sentaran en la misma mesa. Opinó que Goriletti debería ser detenido como delincuente internacional.

Indicó que Zelaya, de manera inteligente, aceptó este supuesto diálogo en estas condiciones, cuando todo indicaba que ya esa propuesta estaba muerta antes de comenzar, lo cual lo constató el Presidente constitucional hondureño.

El Jefe de Estado venezolano dijo que lo sucedido en Costa Rica este jueves sentó un precedente muy grave en el continente. “Que horrible que se vio a un presidente legítimo recibiendo a un usurpador y dándole el mismo trato”, enfatizó Chávez.

“No solo la democracia está en juego, sino la paz del continente”, resaltó. Explicó que se trata de la burguesía imperial y lacaya contra los pueblos, una muestra de la lucha de clases. “La batalla de Honduras, una batalla de todos nosotros”, calificó.

El presidente venezolano resaltó que ahora los golpistas están queriendo lavarse las manos y dicen que los militares fueron los que se equivocaron. “Lo que tiene que hacer Goriletti es aceptar que no puede cambiar el rumbo de la historia”, afirmó.

“Nosotros no descansaremos hasta que la democracia retorne a Honduras, y que el pueblo hondureño decida cual va a ser el rumbo”, señaló Chávez, y detalló que no va a ser ni Zelaya ni Chávez quienes decidan. En este sentido hizo referencia al ataque que recibe de todo los medios internacionales de intervenir en la política del país centroamericano.

También salió a la defensa del secretario general de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA), José Miguel Insulza. “Lo están masacrando y lo tildan de chavista, como parte de la locura de la derecha extrema del continente que no haya cómo justificar el golpe de Estado dado contra el presidente Zelaya en Honduras. Es la burguesía de la extrema derecha, la imperialista, su irracionalidad”, enfatizó Chávez.

Por otro lado contó que en sus más de 10 años como presidente nunca había llamado al Departamento de Estado, pero que este jueves ante los acontecimientos llamó personalmente y habló con Tomas Shannon, subsecretario de estado para el hemisferio, al cual le expuso sus apreciaciones en cuanto a como la nación norteamericana esta tratando el tema Honduras.

Informó que fue atendido muy bien y que tomó la decisión de comunicarse con la instancia porque le preocupó como los mismo golpistas usaron a Hillary Clinton, “y al mismo Obama”, de quien Chávez espera que se pronuncia en contra de esto al llegar de su gira internacional.
"
http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2009/07/10/chavez-dice-que-negociacion-en-san-jose-esta-muerta-video/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Very honest of him, and decent making the move himself. That's far more diplomacy

than we're used to seeing.

Just imagine what could be accomplished if people started speaking directly to each other, rather than letting the corporate media do it for them.

[flamingdem]

2. Needed move by Chavez nt

[EFerrari]

3. I just caught an hour of Chavez on Free Speech TV on "Speaking Freely".

He described a situation where some underling at State kept calling him to berate him about his plans to visit Habana. It must have been before the first visit. Chavez said he finally hung up on this person after telling him that he had no business choosing who the Venezuelan president would talk to or where he would travel.

[magbana]

4. Chavez is covering bases prior to his next move (ALBA's next move).

He made the call so he could reference it later when he has to defend his actions. This is all in the spirit of, "we talked and talked to the US and I even called Tom Shannon asking him to help find another way, but to no avail." Further,Chavez doesn't believe a word he said to Shannon because he knows the US is up to its armpits in this coup. But, you can't very well call Tom Shannon and say "how you doing, coup monger."

This move by Chavez yesterday tells me more than anything else I have seen that he/ALBA are about to make a move. Something is brewing.

[rabs]

5. I was stumped on why Chavez would call Shannon

and I think maybe you have divined it. Bushie-appointed Shannon for all intents and purposes is out as Western Hemisphere sub-secretary. Arturo Valenzuela will be taking over, probably next Tuesday when the Senate votes on his confirmation.

There was a hearing just two days ago where Valenzuela went before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Dodd. Unfortunately can't find a transcript, but Honduras apparently took up a lot of time.

Chavez must surely know that, and maybe the call was as you say, to defend his actions if indeed ALBA nations are cooking up something dramatic, since the Costa Rica "mediation" fell through the cracks yesterday. You think Chavez may have clued in Shannon so the word gets to Hillary/Obama ???

Have you heard any D.C. scuttlebutt on what it could be?

[magbana]

6. No, I don't think Chavez' motivation was to clue in Shannon about

anything. Shannon is sufficiently senior in the US State Dept. for a President to talk with and that is all Chavez needed. Shannon is a prop in this case.

Also, there is another clue that something may be afoot. This comes from Eva Golinger in her last update:

"Personally I think the ALBA countries need to step forward here and take some hardcore action to return President Zelaya to the presidency by any means necessary. "
http://www.chavezcode.com/

Eva is no stranger to many people in Venezuela, including the government.

Stay tuned!

[rabs]

9. Strange that the State Dept. guy did not know or professed to not know

that Chavez had called Shannon.

Smokescreen to avoid answering journalists' questions???

Yes indeed, will stay tuned :-)

[magbana]

10. The spokesman is saying he had not heard about it so that

whenever whatever goes down they can deny that anyone at State heard from Chavez.

[flamingdem]

7. Wow. Did I miss something? Anything to do with the trip to the DR? nt

[rabs]

8. Trip to DR is somewhat of a mystery

Considering that DR is not a member of ALBA. Member nations are Ven., Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Dominica.

Gonna go over to DR newspapers to see if they have anything.

[magbana]

12. Here are just a few ideas

Someone opposed by the US should be careful about holing up in the DR. As I said in a previous post, the US "owns" the DR and is crawling with a gazillion military and plainclothes agents. Also, Fernandez is a slippery guy -- he stole his first election against Francisco Pena Gomez often calling him "Haitian" because he is a dark-skinned Dominican.

We know that Fernandez is going to the NAM meeting in Egypt to carry the word about Honduras. It would be very wise for Fernandez to be out of the country if the DR is a launching spot so he can say he knew nothing. Actually, I can't see Fernandez jeopardizing the DR relationship with the US to help out Zelaya.

I thought I heard at Zelaya and Fernandez' press conference that Zelaya said he was going to stay in the DR until he returns to Honduras.

Stay tuned!

[flamingdem]

13. This might be a move by factions in the US

seems far fetched but as a Venezuelan article said there were 2 US entities the day of the coup. A general connected to Gates, and the ambassador had to tow the line with Obama or be busted as a part of the old Bush gang helping the coup.

Now similarly through indirect channels as alluded to by D'Escoto something could be cooking

Micheletti might have to keep denying that because he doesn't want chaos to break out and he could get shot, etc.

He must know his days are numbered.

[Judi Lynn]

21. You remember Monica Lewinsky mentioning Clinton talking to Alfie Fanjul

when she was in his office. The Fanjuls are a Cuban exile sugar magnate family giving HEAVY campaign contributions to both Republicans and Democrats. They LIVE in the Dominican Republic, have a sugar plantation there, a huge resort. It's the place where George H. W. Bush went with Venezuelan media mogul Cuban-Venezuelan Gustavo Cisneros immediately after the failed coup in 2002. They stayed at the Fanjuls' resort for a week, talking together.( Cisneros was one of the coup plotters. He has been thought to be the wealthiest man in Venezuela.)

Here's the Fanjul Wiki:

The Fanjul brothers -- Alfonso "Alfy", José "Pepe", Alexander, and Andres -- are owners of Flo-Sun, Inc., a vast sugar and real estate conglomerate in the United States and Dominican Republic, comprising the subsidiaries Domino Sugar, Florida Crystals, as well as the airport and resorts surrounding La Romana in the Dominican Republic.

The Fanjul brothers' ancestry is Cuban and they are descendants of the Spaniard Andres Gomez-Mena who immigrated to Cuba in the 19th century and built up an empire of sugar mills and property by the time he died in 1910. In 1936 his descendant Lillian Gomez-Mena married Alfonso Fanjul, Sr, the heir of the New York-based sugar companies the Czarnikow Rionda Company and the Cuban Trading Company. The couple's holdings were then combined to create a large business of sugar mills, refineries, distilleries, and significant amounts of real estate. With Fidel Castro's 1959 Marxist Cuban Revolution, the family moved to Florida along with other wealthy, dispossessed Cuban families. In 1960 Alfonso Sr., the father of the current CEO of FLO-SUN Alfonso Jr., bought 400 acres (1.6 km2) of property near Lake Okeechobee along with some sugar mills from Louisiana and started over. Alfonso Sr. and his son Alfy got the firm off its feet and Pepe, Alexander and Andres joined in the late 1960s and 1970s.<1 > As of 2008, the company owned 450,000 acres (1,800 km2) of property.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fanjul_Brothers

Here are images from the N. Y. Social Diary of a dinner they had at their D.R. resort:

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com.nyud.net:8090/socialdiary/2005/01_18_05/images/DR/Saturday-night-dinner.jpg

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com.nyud.net:8090/socialdiary/2005/01_18_05/images/DR/Pepe-Emilia-Fanjul-Alfo.jpg

Pepe Fanjul on the left, Alfi in the blue shirt.
More images of them and their guests around midpage:

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/socialdiary/2005/01_18_05/socialdiary01_18_05.php

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can't imagine, considering George H. W. Bush goes there, and the Cuban "exiles," as well as Venezuelan coup-plotter Cisneros, that the D.R. is a great place for Zelaya!

[flamingdem]

11. Michelleti live on Air America Honduras talking mierda right now

http://www.radioamerica.hn/sitio.cfm?pag=leenoticias&t=Internacionales&id=13680

Click escuchenos en vivo

if you understand espanol it's live news from San Pedro Sula.

They were listing the disappeared earlier.

Micheletti deluded or lying or who knows saying elections in November and he will meet with Arias in a week?

[magbana]

14. One more thing about trying to determine if something is up . . .

Keep an eye on the mass protests regarding where and how they are blocking roads, ports, etc and other tactics. They might be part of the paving the way to help Zelaya return.

[flamingdem]

15. Earlier on Air America they talked about total blockage on the roads in the South

Good call on that one! But why do it today?

[magbana]

16. Maybe to draw the military AWAY from where Zelaya is coming in n/t

[rabs]

18. Looking at the map

It is a bee-line from DR to northeastern coast of Honduras.

So, if Mr. Z were to come in from DR, that would let both Ven. and Cuba off the hook.

Remember last week there were rumblings that two, and maybe up to four, army battalions had rebelled? The golpista press denied it, but as the old cliche goes .. where there is smoke ...

[magbana]

19. I think you are on to something, rabs! n/t

[rabs]

20. Went over to look at what is being said in DR

(Info from Diario Listin)


DR president Fernandez met with Zelaya this morning. Then at noon he boarded a plane to NYC, first stop on his way to Egypt for the Non-Aligned Nations confab. He will be gone for nine days. So if anything goes down, Fernandez can say, "Hey I was on the other side of the world."

Also the Honduran ambassador in Santo Domingo did NOT go to receive Mr. Z. at the airport today. Patricia Rodas indicated that if she is with the golpistas, the ambassador's diplomatic career has come to a halt. The ambassador is a lady.

No word on whether Zelaya will travel anywhere else so far.

(To be continued)

(edit to correct name of newspaper Diario Listin)

[Bacchus39]

17. the comments to the state department guy do not coincide with the rest of what Hugo said

in the article where he was quite critical of the US. but then he tells Shannon how he appreciates how the US is handling Honduras. huh!! we can perhaps attribute that to multiple personality disorder or dementia.

anyway, that's about the top level Hugo can expect to reach I would think given his status.