Blood in the streets of Caracas as Jesse Jackson pays Hugo Chavez a cordial visit

As Jesse Jackson visits Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez at the presidential palace to denounce assassination and what he calls the ‘Rumsfeld-Robertson connection’, outside in the streets - violent protests have engulfed Caracas in a sign of Chavez’s tightening grip on power.

El Universal has the story in Spanish here and Globovision has the story in Spanish here. Miguel explains it in English for us here.

UPDATE...

http://www.inatoday.com/prop%20cam%2091305.htm

"NEW, SOPHISTICATED PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN AIMED AT U.S.
...WHERE MARX MEETS FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAM"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A significant part of the groundwork for Chavez's propaganda offensive can be seen in the visit of Rev. Jessie Jackson's three-day visit to Venezuela in late August. At the end of his sojourn, Jackson publicly took issue with U.S. statements that the Chavez government is a source of "instability" in Latin America, and stated that he found "no evidence" to support U.S. concerns, and urged efforts "to reduce…tensions."

With this declaration, one of the most prominent liberal activists in the U.S. sided with a foreign leader against the official policy of the United States. Rev. Jackson's statements would be read and considered by millions in the U.S., and Chavez could now claim that he and his government have support among some of the power elite in the U.S.

Rev. Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition organization are based in Chicago, which is becoming a center of pro-Chavez activity. Shortly following Rev. Jackson's Venezuelan trip, a last minute contribution from the government of Venezuela and the Venezuelan-controlled Citgo petroleum corporation, enabled Chicago's Puerto Rican Labor Day festival to take place. The City of Chicago and the County of Cook, where Chicago is located, has just concluded an agreement to use voting machines and election machine software produced by a firm with reportedly close connections to the Venezuelan government.

Chicago will also be the starting point on October 13, 2005 for the six-city tour of "Venezuela Matters," a group of "business leaders, musical artists, and academics" accompanied by "empowered Venezuelans" touting the wonders of the Marxist Chavez regime."

SEPTEMBER 13, 2005
By Toby Westerman
Copyright 2005 International News Analysis Today
www.inatoday.com

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.