Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Chavez calls Condoleezza Rice an "illiterate" following sharp criticism
AFP via Yahoo ^ | January 10, 2004

Posted on 01/11/2004 12:46:17 AM PST by RWR8189

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dismissed US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) as a "true illiterate" for accusing him of not playing a constructive role in Latin America.

Photo
AFP/File Photo

 

Chavez said he asked Cuban leader Fidel Castro (news - web sites) to mail to Rice samples of books that Venezuela is using, with Cuban support, for literacy education, to "see if she learns to respect the dignity of the people and learns a bit about us."

Speaking at an official event in Caracas, Chavez said that Rice "fired her unworthy artillery against our people" by saying that he should not oppose the referendum that seeks to oust him from power.

In Washington on Friday, Rice said that "there are roles that Venezuela has played that have not been very helpful."

Rice cited tensions between Venezuela and neighboring Colombia as well as Chavez's good relations with Castro, who has outlasted successive US presidents for four decades.

"It is beyond me to understand why anybody who believes in democracy or wants people to believe that they believe in democracy would want to have anything in that regard to do with Fidel Castro, because that's the one truly undemocratic regime in the region," Rice said.

She also called on Chavez to abandon efforts to block a vote on cutting short his term.

"The best thing that President Chavez could do at this point is to demonstrate that he believes in a democratic future for Venezuela by carrying out the wishes of his people in this regard," said Rice.

After five years in office, Chavez, a 49-year-old former lieutenant colonel, has faced down general strikes -- one in 2001, and the other between late 2002 and early 2003 -- and survived a 47-hour civilian-military coup in mid-April 2002.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chavez; communism; condoleezzarice; latinamerica; venezuela
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last
What a worthless commie POS.
1 posted on 01/11/2004 12:46:17 AM PST by RWR8189
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All
Rank Location Receipts Donors/Avg Freepers/Avg Monthlies
52 Hawaii 40.00
2
20.00
44
0.91
45.00
3

Thanks for donating to Free Republic!

Move your locale up the leaderboard!

2 posted on 01/11/2004 12:48:07 AM PST by Support Free Republic (Freepers post from sun to sun, but a fundraiser bot's work is never done.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
A shame that the CIA doesn't use hit squads anymore.
3 posted on 01/11/2004 12:55:11 AM PST by kingu (Remember: Politicians and members of the press are going to read what you write today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
The article doesn't mention Chavez calling Rice "illiterate". You'd think if a one word quote is in the headline they'd give the sentence in the article.

Or did the editor just misread the article?
4 posted on 01/11/2004 12:56:05 AM PST by ConsistentLibertarian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ConsistentLibertarian
evidently you didnt read the second line in the article.
5 posted on 01/11/2004 1:06:06 AM PST by fish hawk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ConsistentLibertarian; Carl/NewsMax; ALOHA RONNIE; Pagey; rodeo-mamma
The article doesn't mention Chavez calling Rice "illiterate". You'd think if a one word quote is in the headline they'd give the sentence in the article.

Or did the editor just misread the article?

Good point. It is common to see headlines that slam-dunk Republicans and Conservatives, but then the content of the article says something else.

Even when I read my local conservative paper, I see AP Headlines that do the same thing, misrepresenting the meat of the news.

It all boils down to
soundbites for the Cause.

6 posted on 01/11/2004 1:09:16 AM PST by Joy Angela (GROUND ZERO IS HILLARY's CO-LEGACY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: fish hawk
Can you cut and paste the sentence where Chavez calls Condoleezza Rice an "illiterate"?

I'm having trouble finding it.
7 posted on 01/11/2004 1:11:03 AM PST by ConsistentLibertarian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
This guys sounds like a Democrat.

I wasn't sure from the headline is this might be Linda Chavez, Cesar Chavez or Julio Cesar Chavez. I wasn't thinking far enough south of the border.
8 posted on 01/11/2004 1:12:19 AM PST by Tall_Texan (Happy 2004 - the year we put Republicanism into overdrive.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kingu
Thank the Church Committee.
9 posted on 01/11/2004 1:12:36 AM PST by Tree of Liberty (I can get you a toe by 3 o'clock this afternoon... WITH nail polish)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: fish hawk
That second line isn't a direct quote either.

For something that big, you'd think the article would
give more details. But, instead the readers are led to think they just learned something, when they really didn't.

I'd like to see the direct quote instead of the reporter just putting the word "illiterate" in quotation marks. Sometimes people use quotation marks just to highlight a term, but it doesn't "mean" anything.

10 posted on 01/11/2004 1:13:56 AM PST by Joy Angela (GROUND ZERO IS HILLARY's CO-LEGACY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
I'd like to be Condi Rice "illiterate."
11 posted on 01/11/2004 1:16:57 AM PST by onyx (Your secrets are safe with me and all my friends.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tree of Liberty
I'll have to take them off my Christmas card list.
12 posted on 01/11/2004 1:19:30 AM PST by kingu (Remember: Politicians and members of the press are going to read what you write today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: onyx
"I'd like to be Condi Rice `illiterate.' "

I'm sure you would.
13 posted on 01/11/2004 1:32:49 AM PST by ConsistentLibertarian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
I'm glad to hear something from somebody in the US criticizing Chavez. I'm sure there's a lot of discussion behind the scenes, but so far as I know, Rice's comments are the first in a long time.

Chavez is probably the most dangerous man in Latin America, and is well on his way to setting up a terrorist state.
14 posted on 01/11/2004 2:06:55 AM PST by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dismissed US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice as a "true illiterate".... - Silly boy!
15 posted on 01/11/2004 2:20:54 AM PST by Free_at_last_-2001 (is clinton in jail yet?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
Bump!
16 posted on 01/11/2004 2:29:55 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWR8189
Chavez gets HIS advice from the family of Carlos, the Jackal.
17 posted on 01/11/2004 2:52:18 AM PST by Diogenesis (If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: onyx; dubyaismypresident
Lord, i did think from the headline that maybe it was Linda Chavez and couldn't imagine what sort of catfight that would entail!!
18 posted on 01/11/2004 5:50:02 AM PST by xsmommy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Joy Angela
Last Update: Sunday, January 11, 2004. 11:46am (AEDT)

Venezuela's Chavez hits at US before summit

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has told the United States to stop "sticking its nose" in his country's affairs in a scathing rebuttal of US criticism, days before a regional summit.

In one of his most hard-hitting outbursts against US President George W Bush's administration, the left-wing leader rejected recent statements by US officials attacking his ties with communist Cuba and urging him to submit to a referendum.

"The United States has no business sticking its nose into Venezuela. Let it look after its own problems," Mr Chavez said in a speech in Caracas.

He and Bush will be among more than 30 leaders from the hemisphere attending the two-day Summit of the Americas starting on Monday in Monterrey, Mexico.

Relations between populist Mr Chavez and the United States, the biggest buyer of Venezuelan oil, have been strained by his criticism of the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mr Chavez has also repeatedly rebuffed Washington's criticism of his self-styled "revolution" in Venezuela, which some US officials say is threatening democracy in the world's five largest oil exporter.

In his tirade against US critics, he singled out US national security adviser Dr Condoleezza Rice, calling her "a real illiterate".

Dr Rice on Friday condemned Mr Chavez's political alliance with Cuban President Fidel Castro and urged the Venezuelan leader not to block an opposition bid to hold a constitutional referendum this year on whether he should remain in office.

"What the devil do you have to do with a referendum in Venezuela?" Mr Chavez said, responding to Dr Rice.

"What happens here in Venezuela is the business of Venezuelans and nobody else on the planet," the former paratrooper said, who was democratically elected in 1998 and again in 2000.

-- Reuters

(* Of course, leave it to Reuters to emphasize he was 'democratically elected' without also mentioning that Chavez tried to conduct a very undemocratic coup prior to that.)

19 posted on 01/11/2004 5:59:02 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
We will not remain silent”
Chavez and Venezuelan Officials React to US Remarks on Referendum and Relations with Cuba

Sunday, Jan 11, 2004 Print format
Send by email


By: Venezuelanalysis.com


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez adrreses the crowd during the swear-in ceremony of personnel for a government program of low-prices food markets know as Mercal.
Photo: Venpres

Caracas, Venezuela. Jan 11, 2004 (Venezuelanalysis.com).- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez responded angrily this Saturday at US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice concerns about a possible recall referendum on his mnandate this year. On Wednesday, Rice urged President Chavez to "demonstrate that he believes in democratic processes" by allowing the referendum.

Chavez and Venezuelan government officials have repeatedly said that it is only up to Venezuela’s National Electoral Council to decide if the requirements for the recall referendum were fulfilled by the opposition in order for the recall to take place.

In early December, opponents of the President collected signatures to request a recall referendum on his mandate. Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE), part the Electoral Branch of government whose main members are independent officials, will begin the process of verifying the validity of the signatures next week. If enough valid signatures were collected, a recall referendum could take place as early as May. However dozens of claims of fraud have been made, which if proven true, could result in insufficient signatures to trigger the recall.

“We will not remain silent”

“The government of the United States is attacking the Venezuelan government again. We will not remain silent because we are not cowards, because there is courage and dignity here,” said Chavez.

“The United States should worry about its own problems such as racial discrimination, poverty, hunger and corruption. Deal with your own problems and let us rebuilt our country,” Chavez added.

A chain of attacks

The Venezuelan President’s statements came after a series of comments by US officials, signaling the end of a break from “microphone diplomacy” which lasted several months, in which both US officials avoided making public statements about Venezuelan affairs, and Chavez softened his anti-neoliberal and anti-imperialist rhetoric.

Last week, US State Department spokesman, Adam Ereli, and Roger Noriega, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said that the US government is concerned about alleged reports that claim that Venezuela and Cuba are creating and funding an effort to cultivate anti-American sentiment in Latin America. Noriega also called on Chavez to observe the rule of law in the run-up to a possible recall referendum.

U.S. officials reportedly told the Associated Press that Chavez may have provided resources that may have helped in the ouster of Bolivia's pro-American president, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada last October. Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel immediately demanded the United States provide proof of Venezuela’s alleged help in the ouster of Losada. "The US does not want to acknowledge that the true cause of the fall of governments such as Losada's, has to do with the poverty and misery generated by neoliberal policies imposed by imperialist economic models. That’s the real cause of instability in this continent," said Chavez.

Three weeks ago, US Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America, Otto Reich -a Cuban born anti Castro official- said that the United States “is exceedingly concerned at the constant reports of the presence of Cuban agents in Venezuela.”

Chavez praised the way the Argentine government responded to US criticisms of their relationship with Cuba. US Undersecretary of State for Hemispheric Affairs Roger Noriega said that Argentina’s relationship with Cuba worries and mortifies the US government, and criticized Argentine officials for not meeting with Cuban dissidents during a recent trip to Havana. Argentine President Nestor Kirchner responded by saying that there will no longer be "automatic alignment" by Argentina with U.S. policies, and that Argentina was an independent nation and no longer a "carpet to trample on it".

“They attack other governments without discretion and without any concerns for our countries’ sovereignty, and without any respect for legitimate presidents,” said Chavez. "The US government should accept that the time of cowardly governments on this continent, subordinated to the dictates of Washington is coming to an end," he said.

Rice “illiterate”

Chavez called Rice “illiterate” and invited her to “learn the language of people’s dignity”. Chavez criticized the US support for the April 2002 coup d’etat against his government, and remained people that Condoleezza Rice had cheered on the coup. When rebel military generals removed Chavez from power, the US State Department declared that Chavez had provoked his own removal and praised the Venezuelan military for its role. After the coup, the US Ambassador to Venezuela met with the new dictator, who had dissolved Venezuela's Congress and the Supreme Court, fired all elected state governors, the Attorney General and other officials. Shortly after Chavez’s return to power, Condoleezza Rice said that Chavez needed to "respect the constitutional processes”, and that “just because Chavez was elected doesn't mean he exhibited democratic values”.

"It is beyond me to understand why anybody who believes in democracy or wants people to believe that they believe in democracy would want to have anything in that regard to do with Fidel Castro," said Rice at a press conference ahead of next week's Summit of the Americas in Moterrey, Mexico.

Chavez asked why Rice has not expressed any concerns about the elections in which George W. Bush resulted president of the US, “which will go on to history as a doubtful election.”

“I have the video tape of this advisor lady [Ms. Rice] -who praises herself of being a defender of democracy- applauding the fascist coup d’etat here,” said Chavez. The President said it would be a good idea to play that video on a big screen at the Monterrey meeting so people can see Ms. Rice making statements in supporting the coup.

Foreign Relations Minister also reacts

Venezuela’s Foreign Relations Minister Roy Chaderton also reacted to Condoleezza Rice’s statements. Chaderton said to be surprised that Ms. Rice apparently ignores that the call for recall referenda corresponds to an independent branch of the Venezuelan government. "I suggest that Ms. Rice read the statements made by Mr. Secretary of State Colin Powell." Powell said recently that they must wait for Venezuela's Electoral Council to verify the validity of the signatures collected by the opposition in order for the referendum to take place. Powell's comments were welcomed by Venezuelan officials as proof of his knowledge of Venezuelan law.

Chaderton refuted Rice’s suggestions that Venezuela has allowed its territory to be used by guerrilla fighters from neighboring Colombia as a base for their activities. "If Dr. Rice harbors the naive intention of provoking a fight between Venezuelans and Colombians, we can assure her that there is no power capable of achieving that goal," said Chaderton.

"Ms. Rice paid visits to several rulers, authorities and personalities linked to regimes that are authoritarian, dictatorial, and violators of human rights," added Chaderton.

Vice President criticizes Cold War strategy

Venezuela's Vice President criticized the US "cold war strategy" towards Latin America in the twenty first century. "Putting the US relations with Latin America to spin around Cuban affairs, within the framework of a vision tied to a cold war era, is a deplorable act of simplification."

Rangel suggested that Cuban American anti-Castro groups may be behind the latest US negative comments against Latin American countries. Rangel said that the US runs the risk of becoming isolated in the region by making statements without knowing the realities of Latin America.

Rangel said that “fortunately a different vision prevails in some intellectual, cultural, union, political, and opinion sectors in the US, who insist on an overhaul of US policies towards Latin America after the failure of the Washington Consensus”. The Washington Consensus is a set of neoliberal policies that have been imposed on Latin American countries by the Washington-based international financial institutions since 1989.

“See you in Monterrey”

The latest impasse on US Venezuela relations comes just before Chavez and Bush will participate at the two-day Summit of the Americas which starts on Monday in Monterrey, Mexico. More than 30 leaders from the hemisphere will participate in the summit.

“¿Do they want the Summit to be a failure?” asked Chavez on the US officials' latest interference in the internal affairs of some Latin America countries. “We will see each other there in Monterrey, and we will say several things that must be said,” declared the President.

Curiously, as Chavez faces a possible recall on his mandate, a recent poll by US-based Zogby conducted in Latin America, deemed Bush the hemisphere's most unpopular president.




20 posted on 01/11/2004 6:09:57 AM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson