Posted on 10/31/2005 8:51:47 AM PST by kingattax
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez urged Venezuelan parents not to dress their children in costumes for Halloween, calling it a U.S. custom that has no place in the South American country's cultural traditions.
Speaking during his weekly radio and television show Sunday, Chavez called Halloween a "gringa," or North American, custom.
"Families go and begin to disguise their children as witches," Chavez said. "That is contrary to our ways."
Chavez said he was urging Venezuelans to reflect on the subject. In recent years it has become common to see Venezuelan parents holding parties for children dressed as ghouls, animals and witches.
In one odd incident a week ago, authorities found more than a dozen jack-o'-lanterns left in spots around Caracas bearing anti-government messages and what appeared to be bomb-like fuses. Police and firefighters removed the pumpkins with caution, though the jack-o'-lanterns reportedly bore messages saying they were not explosives.
Paper skeletons bearing anti-Chavez messages also have appeared in spots across Caracas recently, and government officials have blamed sectors of the opposition with aiming to create chaos.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says Halloween runs afoul of traditional values in his country
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
In Mexico, they celebrate the dead and dress up like skeletons across the country. I suppose the Mexicans also probably are trying to secretly kill him and take his oil too.
"Speaking during his weekly radio and television show Sunday, Chavez called Halloween a "gringa," or North American, custom."
So he didnt just call it an American custom - he called it a feminine American custom.
BWAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA...this guy is a laugh riot...we should have let Europe have Venezuala after it couldnt pay it's debts in 1903.
Teddy should have never defended this petty banana republic.
Ah, so Chavez is a rascist too?
The neighbor kids came over to play with our 4-year-old today. They said they had the day off (public school) because it was Halloween.
Culpeper County, VA.
Our kids go trick-or-treating and we roast pumpkin seeds and carve pumpkins.
But it's turning into a national day-off holiday. Kind of annoying in a way, that we're giving it so much credit here.
Just ranting a bit.
Sounds like an epithet to me.
I think his cheese has slid off his cracker.
Did they get Columbus Day or "Presidents" Day off?
lol
I suppose the Mexicans also probably are trying to secretly kill him and take his oil too.
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Funny. This nutjob communist should make up a team with Castro and ole "Kim Sick Ill" and show up as Larry, Moe and Curly Joe (yuk, yuk, yuk!!)
Someone pass Chavez a clue card. El Dia Del Muerte is a celebrated holiday in Latin America.
Uhhh, isn't there a similar hoiday in Mexico where they sell kids skulls made of sugar?
These holidays are tied into Pagan festivals of the autumnal equinox and to the Christian Holiday of All Souls' or All Saints' Day (I foget which) on Novemebr 1st.
Chavez sounds like a first class nutjob.
On the other hand, he is stoking and feeding into the growing anti-American sentiment over the world.
If we can't make them love us, we should at least make them fear us.
The kids should all dress up like Pat Robertson and chase Chavez around with knives.
Did Hugo's Mothership just fly over ?
Dia del muerte (day of the Dead).
Also know as, "grandkids cleanup the graves of creepy relatives you only remember as creepy relatives" day.
But that's just my limited personal perspective.
This is man whom is mental
This gringa says happy "Dia de Los Muertos", muchacho.
Relax and enjoy a "sugar skull" treat or some bone candy.
Idiot.
Is he being fed LSD in small doses?
You should probably make it plain that you're talking to Chavez. not Kingattax :0)
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