Chavez Says He Will Jail U.S. Spies

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/27/06 | Christopher Toothaker - ap

[NormsRevenge]

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called the U.S. government an "immoral empire" and repeated accusations of spying Friday, threatening to arrest any American officials caught gathering intelligence on his military.

Chavez's warning came hours after his vice president, Jose Vicente Rangel, accused officials at the U.S. Embassy of involvement in a spying case involving several Venezuelan naval officers who allegedly passed sensitive information to the Pentagon.

Chavez focused his speech to thousands of activists on summoning a global "battle" to resist what he termed U.S. imperialism.

The frequent and vocal critic of U.S. global policy used especially harsh terms to describe the U.S. government, calling it a "perverse, murderous, genocidal, immoral empire."

He addressed the spying accusations for the first time since the allegations came to light earlier this week.

"We've just discovered a case, one more espionage case," Chavez told the audience of activists who are attending the World Social Forum in Caracas this week.

"I warn the U.S. government: the next time we detect a soldier or civilian official — but above all American soldiers — trying to obtain information about our armed forces, we're going to put them in prison."

Chavez has repeatedly accused the U.S. government of spying and plotting to oust him, while U.S. officials have firmly denied the allegations.

The latest accusations have brought new tension to an already rocky relationship between Washington and Chavez's government.

The U.S. Embassy declined comment on Rangel's remarks Friday. The U.S. State Department has called the allegations an internal matter for the Venezuelan government.

In his speech at a Caracas coliseum, Chavez called for activists to form "a great international anti-imperialist front to do battle in the entire world."

"The battle must be waged in the entire world. We have to link all of our causes — unity," Chavez said.

Activists chanted Chavez's name when he entered the arena. They held a banners reading "No to imperialism" and another with an image of Cuban revolution leader Che Guevara.

Chavez waved to the throng and blew kisses to the assembly, timed to coincide with the annual market-friendly World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Washington has raised concern about the health of democracy under Chavez and has accused him of destabilizing the region. Chavez has shrugged off the claims, saying his government is democratic and it is the U.S. that is a destabilizing force.

[Buffettfan]

That's a classic! hahahaha

[Pedro Gonzalez]

And to anybody else coming to Margarita Island...

I am a local, opposer of the Chavistas in power, and have been living in Margarita Island since 2002. First will tell you some practical things and in the middle, some of the political ongoing background.

- Coming to Margarita in Cruise Ships -

1) Cruise ships dock at El Guamache Port, a complete isolated point controlled by a private corporation and guarded by unintrusive National Guard officials.
2) There you will find an extense market attended by some artists, artisans and merchants, all representing fairly the island population.Even some fellow Americans that live and work here could be found there.
3) Those working at the artisans market, already paid a fee to work here, not matter if you get of the ship or not, if you buy or not.Few will be glad speaking about politics, they are tired of it unless some of the pro-government fanatics that surely have their quota there.
4) The whole island is considered a sort of oasis over actual political struggle in mainland, and typical Margaritenos still don't care much of it. This is even one of the two states who's elected governor is from the opposition, not a big deal for either side.
4) This is still not a typical dictatorship, so that fantastic image of guards with machine guns hidden to control the dissidents is far away from what you will see around.
5) Typical touch of ships is just a 5 to 12 hours stay, but there are some large and private tours organized to visit some selected spots of Margarita. There you can find more common people willing to talk a bit more about their everyday, but probably would like to give you a good impression of the isle as a touristic place.
6) Almost everybody in this island live for tourism, and national government lives (economically) still mostly from oil production, so anybody contributes more with them when filling a gas tank, of any brand, than purchasing handmade art or artisany from locals.

Regards.