Posted on 01/21/2007 6:36:08 PM PST by Kaslin
CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez told U.S. officials to "Go to hell!" on his weekly radio and TV show Sunday for what he called unacceptable meddling after Washington raised concerns about a measure to grant Venezuela's fiery leftist leader broad lawmaking powers.
The National Assembly, which is controlled by the president's political allies, is expected to give final approval this week to what it calls the "enabling law," which would give Chavez the authority to pass a series of laws by decree during an 18-month period.
On Friday, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Chavez's plans under the law "have caused us some concern."
Chavez rejected Casey's statement in his broadcast, saying: "Go to hell, gringos! Go home!"
Chavez, who was re-elected by a wide margin last month, has said he will enact sweeping reforms to remake Venezuela into a socialist state. Among his plans are nationalizing the main telecommunications company and the electricity and natural gas sectors.
The president's opponents accuse him of using his political strength to expand his powers.
Relations between Caracas and Washington have been tense since Chavez was briefly ousted in a 2002 coup that he claimed the U.S. played a role in. The Bush administration has repeatedly denied being involved, although it recognized an interim government established by coup leaders.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
It's horrible to see this happening. It's like watching someone drown.
Poor Venezuelans.
I'll be amazed if Chavez lives through 2008.
So shut off the oil sluggo. Show us what ya got.
Chavez' long slide into mental illness.
Chavez is a big fish in a little pond, who thinks that he matters in the whole scope of things.
I know of many educated Venezuelans getting the hell out of there.
...
Isn't Hugo Chavez the owner of the American CITGO corporation?
el jefe has spoken
easy there lil guy
There is a good reason that Weston, FL is now known as Caracas's northernmost suburb. ;-)
Senior Chavez, I have no intention of "going to Hell"; I have no plans to visit Venezuela.
He can't quit selling oil. That is his one egg in the basket. That is his only income. He's hurting right now because the price of crude oil has dropped almost $20 dollars per barrel in 5 months.
Are you kidding? Go check out DU. They love the guy and can rationalize everything he does. Those people are scary.
By the way, what Chavez is doing is much like Hitler, etal. He's creating an enemy for him to rail against to consolidate power. What better target than the US, who is far to busy with other concerns around the world to bother with them.
I was pointing out that their silence reveals the hypocrisy of the Left. They claim democracy as important, but the desires of their heart are really a fascist superstate that squashes all dissenting thought. Easy examples are their behavior when speakers they disagree with show up to schools...they do their best to shout them down and disrupt any dissenting views. Or their desires to bring back methods to silence radio shows that are conservative. The Left does NOT believe in freedom of speech, nor do they believe if democracy, and their slavish appreciation of Chavez is simply further proof of that.
Chavez.......you first, hermano.
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