Meddle With Mr. Chavez

Washington Post ^ | March 1, 2003 | staff

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Without more meddling, and soon, Venezuela will likely see the collapse of what was once one of Latin America's richest economies and strongest democracies. Mr. Chavez appears to have tired of his half-baked populism; now he seems prepared to destroy what remains of civil society and the private sector. He placed strict controls on foreign currency and has vowed to take away the licenses of private television stations that supported the opposition. He fired 16,000 employees of Venezuela's state oil company -- the country's economic lifeline -- and moved to bring an institution long known for its professionalism under his personal control. Independent economists are forecasting a catastrophic drop in Venezuela's economic output this year; some foresee the virtual disappearance of the private sector. That would bring Venezuela far closer to Cuba, which maybe shouldn't be a surprise: Mr. Castro, who is Mr. Chavez's closest ally, reportedly has dispatched thousands of officials to Venezuela.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

Fidel Castro - Cuba

[nickcarraway]

When will U.S. sentors of both parties and other luminaries start visiting Hugo, and telling us what a swell chum he is, like they do with Fidel?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

As soon as he slams the door shut on freedom and throws away the key.

[MEG33]

I've been trying to look away from this.Communism again.

[ARepublicanForAllReasons]

Mr. Castro, who is Mr. Chavez's closest ally, reportedly has dispatched thousands of officials to Venezuela.

The Cubans have been put in charge of the educational system and the secret police, as I recall from some of your many previous posts on the subject. Scary.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The Cubans have been put in charge of the educational system and the secret police....

You are correct.

Clinton saw no reason to engage a communist resurgence. He just wanted to be president. Now Hillary, she embraces the communist ideology.

[I Am Not A Mod]

Free Republic Highlights 3/2/03

[friendly]

Castro, who is Mr. Chavez's closest ally, reportedly has dispatched thousands of officials to Venezuela.

"Officials"?

Is that what the Washington Post Orwellian Newspeak is calling secret police, murderers, bombers, and political assassins?

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[jokar]

Is that what the Washington Post Orwellian Newspeak is calling secret police, murderers, bombers, and political assassins?

In a word Yes .

Are you surprised ?

[friendly]

Chavez and his Cuban secret police Praetorian Guard must cease breathing oxygen in Venezuela.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuelan anti-bomb squadron officers inspect the debris of a house after a suspect car bomb exploded in Maracaibo, western Venezuela March 2, 2003. The car bomb exploded in a residential neighborhood damaging several houses. There were no reports of casualties. REUTERS/Argenis Mavarez

I wonder if it was FARC and the bomb went off accidently before it crossed the border into Colombia?

[friendly]

Maracaibo is a center of pro-democracy forces. The bomb is a Chavez/Cuban terrorist attack on a residential neughborhood designed to cow the population.

[MAKnight]

Kevin Costner, Steven Speilberg, Chevy Chase, Barbara Walters, Jimmy Carter, Jane Fonda, etc. must be going crazy with wanting to get on their kneepads in front of this guy. He is Castro writ young ...

[friendly]

BTT

[MAKnight]

Kevin Costner, Steven Speilberg, Chevy Chase, Barbara Walters, Jimmy Carter, Jane Fonda, etc. must be going crazy with wanting to get on their kneepads in front of this guy. He is Castro writ young ...

[friendly]

Venezuela is slipping under a murdering, bombing, secret police supported, political assassinating street thug, Hugo Chavez.

I can only assume he will be exiled with a few hundred million or billion in stolen oil revenues, if he isn't made to assume room temperature by a long suffering populace.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Nine hurt in car bomb blast*** A CAR bomb has exploded just blocks away from a Chevron office in a Venezuelan oil field, officials said. Local firefighter chief Ali Gil said nine people, among them a local strike leader, were injured in the blast at the Maracaibo field. The car, which was said to be "full of explosives", was parked outside the home of Antonio Melian. He participated in the crippling oil workers' strike designed to oust President Hugo Chavez, and police described him as "a very controversial figure" in the area.***

[RICK77]

WHEN ARE WE INVADING. I'm been serious, we have allowed these leftist Idiotic Leaders in Lat-Am to reign too freely, they are very ANTI-AMERICAN, and a VERY LIKELY threath to our National Security, Chavistas Venezuelan Military will Collapse after a few days of Bombing.

Boys & Girls the SOUTHERN THREATH is VEry Very Real, we have 3 Major Commie B*stards in Lat-Am (Brazil/Venuezvela & Cuba)... Whats taking Congress and Pres. Bush So LONG.. AMERICA WAKE UP !!! In some ways the Southern Threat is Much Worse (Longer Term) than the Occasional Suicide Bomber.