Mr Chavez said he wanted to conclude "a unity pact" in Minsk Posted on 07/24/2006 5:41:06 AM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu
Mr Chavez said he wanted to conclude "a unity pact" in Minsk
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has praised Belarus "as a model social state" like the one he and his government are building.
During a visit to Belarus, he called for joint efforts to counter what he described as "hegemonic" capitalism.
Mr Chavez later met Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko, accused in the West of crushing fundamental rights.
Mr Chavez is on a world tour, partly to win support for a Venezuelan seat on the UN Security Council.
From Belarus, he will travel to Russia, Qatar, Iran, Vietnam and Mali.
He is hoping to sign an arms deal in Moscow worth around $1bn (£542m), correspondents say.
The US has voiced concerns about the proposed sale, having banned such deals with Caracas for US manufacturers.
Both Mr Lukashenko and Mr Chavez are fierce critics of US policy.
'New friend'
"We see here a model social state like the one we are beginning to create," Mr Chavez said in Belarus' capital Minsk, before his talks with Mr Lukashenko.
"Here, I've got a new friend and together we'll form a team, a go-ahead team," Mr Chavez said.
"We do not want to be deceived or exploited by anyone. We must defend the interests of the individual and not the hegemonic interests of the capitalists, wherever they may be, in Europe or Latin America," he said.
Mr Lukashenko returned the praise, saying that the two countries had "many directions for co-operation".
Mr Lukashenko's spokesman earlier said Belarus and Venezuela were "strategic partners".
Both the US and the EU have accused Mr Lukashenko of rigging the Belarus presidential election in March and of closing down independent media. They have imposed travel bans and financial sanctions on Mr Lukashenko and his top aides.
Most people would probably figure that even Hugo Chavez would know not to state that he is trying to turn his country closer to a model such as Belarus'. That country is so backwards compared to some of its neighbors. it more absurd than him acknowledging that he is trying to emulate Cuba. At least Cuba is more developed than some of the countries in the region (obviously not the United States, though).
Yep a little too much frank honesty in Hugo's statements this time. He needs to go back to communist training school before opening his mouth again.
Personally I think Hugo should start the Anti-Capitalistic Games to rotate between Belarus, Ven, Cuba, Vietnam and North Korea. To be held every 5 years rather than every 4, to fit the SU's nostalgic 5 Year Plans of Old.
Russia's KGB Putin supports Lukashenko and has helped him return Belarus to a Soviet-style dictatorship complete with re-education camps for political dissidents. Putin is also arming crazy Hugo Chavez and Lukashenko too to try to make sure these communists aren't overthrown. Russia still supports communist tyranny all over the world.
Venezuela and Belarus are two peas in a pod.
Now add Russia and Putin to the mix and you have aserious threat.
Russia/Soviet/Coldwar2 PING!!!
To be added or removed from the list, Freepmail me.
Also ping to Proud Yank for his Venezuela list.
Russia is disgusting.
Throughout the decades there have been many model social states Hughie, most of them are dead.
Not a welcome development, for sure.
It looks like Chavez is trying to form the perfect trifecta of insane despots: Chavez, Jong Il and Lukashenko. But Chavez is in the minor leagues compared to the other two crazies, so he has some work to do.
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