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A Venezuelan take on VP Rangel, who interestingly looks like a Hollywood central casting actor who specializes in playing distinguished but corrupt establishment types bankers, judges, senators.

London 26.05.05 | I have always thought that one of the masterstrokes of Hugo Chavez was to request the two fiercest critics of Venezuelan politicos to join his cabinet as soon as he gained the presidency. Thus Alfredo Peña and Jose Vicente Rangel were, for the first time ever, given the opportunity to put their money where their mouths were. The blue lagoon period with Peña came to an abrupt end, however Jose Vicente Rangel (JVR) has quickly moved through the ranks to his present day job as Venezuela's Vice President. Both characters are deeply despised by very many people, however there is an animosity consensus towards Vice President Rangel, without doubts, the least popular person of the Chavez seudo administration. Vice President JVR has no apparent duties other than to threaten politicians with critical information, that he has gathered over the years, which would expose them to public contempt. Gossip has it that former OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria was 'reminded' by JVR of some information pertaining to the former sexual preferences, that would have been made public, had Gaviria spoken about the electoral rigging that took place in the recall referendum.

But the article above gives plenty of ammunition to be used against JVR, so much so that is worth translating in its entirety, to be contrasted with the chronic and unscrupulous lies that have become trademark of the Vice President, that must be emphasized, revels in the present climate of violence, abuse and harassment that Hugo Chavez inflicts on his political opponents.