Chávez demands U.S. action on `plotters'

Miami Herald ^ | September 25, 2003 | JAMES ANDERSON, AP

[Cincinatus' Wife]

CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez demanded Wednesday that the United States crack down on Cuban and Venezuelan ''terrorists'' allegedly training in Florida to kill him.

In a combative speech sure to enflame strained U.S. ties, Chávez also lambasted President Bush for invading Iraq and dismissed Bush's plea at the United Nations for help in Iraqi reconstruction.

''Who gave the United States government the right to bomb cities, invade countries, overthrow governments?'' Chávez demanded.

``No one gave this right to the United States government. And here, we will keep saying that.''

Chávez was supposed to attend the U.N. summit on terrorism earlier this week in New York but said he canceled because of an alleged plot to kill him.

Chávez said he recently gave U.S. Ambassador Charles S. Shapiro a newspaper article from an unidentified Florida newspaper, reporting that Cuban exile militias were training with Venezuelan armed forces exiles to kill Chávez.

The U.S. Embassy said it could not immediately comment.

''I'm not going to accuse anybody because I don't have hard proof,'' Chávez said. But he added: ``Why are Venezuelan coup plotters and Venezuelan terrorists living in the United States? In the United States, they are preparing terrorists.''

Among Chávez's enemies living in the United States is former President Carlos Andrés Pérez, whom Chávez tried to topple in a failed 1992 coup.

Chávez was elected president in 1998 and reelected in 2000.

He once angered Washington by visiting Saddam Hussein and asserts that the United States was involved in a brief 2002 coup in Venezuela -- but has yet to offer public proof.

Chávez also has accused Washington of supporting Venezuela's opposition in a campaign for a recall vote on his presidency.

The United States, Spain and other nations say that such a vote could be the best way to defuse Venezuela's volatile political crisis.

But as the recall campaign heats up, Chávez has stepped up his denunciations of alleged coup plots against his ''revolutionary'' government. He repeatedly accuses Washington of interfering in Venezuelan affairs. Adding to tensions, a bomb exploded last week in the presidential compound. Chávez blamed coup plotters.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuela's Chavez Warns U.S. to Back Off***CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned the United States Sunday to back off after its envoy in Caracas met with electoral officials who must decide whether to allow a referendum on the leftist leader's rule.

Populist Chavez, whose anti-capitalist rhetoric often targets the U.S., cautioned Washington against meddling after ambassador Charles Shapiro held talks with the National Electoral Council that is considering an opposition petition for the referendum. "This is a sovereign nation, ambassador, and you must respect this country and your government must respect this country," Chavez said during his regular Sunday television program.

"What prerogative does Ambassador Shapiro have to visit them, and what's worse, to visit them before the national authorities, before representatives of the National Assembly?" Shapiro, who the government has rebuked several times before, drew criticism from two ministers after holding a news conference at the council's headquarters Wednesday and offering U.S. technical assistance for the poll if requested. ***

Venezuelan President Cancels Trip to U.S. *** CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who faces a referendum challenge from political opponents, has canceled a planned visit to the United States next week that included an address to the U.N. General Assembly, government sources said on Tuesday.

Besides the United Nations in New York, the left-wing Venezuelan leader had been planning to visit the Organization of American States in Washington and the oil industry city of Houston in a Sept 25-29 trip.

"He's not going to either Washington or the U.N ... he prefers to concentrate on affairs at home," one government source, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.

The sources offered no further explanation for the trip cancellation by the populist president, who has traveled widely and enjoys lecturing foreign audiences about his "Bolivarian Revolution" in the world's No. 5 oil exporter. ***

Venezuela Cuts Oil Shipments to Dominican Republic***CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela said on Friday it had suspended oil shipments to the Dominican Republic because traders handling them were involved in an alleged conspiracy to overthrow President Hugo Chavez. "Conspiracy plans have been detected against the (Venezuelan) government, which use the Dominican Republic as a base to attack the democratic system of our country," Energy and Mines Minister Rafael Ramirez told a news conference in Caracas. He said the plot involved private traders and companies that had been shipping more than 100,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil to the Dominican Republic under a regional supply agreement.

"In defense of our country's democracy and sovereignty, the government has decided to end this relationship," Ramirez said. He declined to identify the oil traders in the alleged conspiracy. The Dominican Republic was getting about half of its oil from Venezuela. Now it will have to seek it elsewhere on less preferential terms.***

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

[RichInOC]

Hugo...¿las drogas son malo, mmkay?

[PhilDragoo]

Since we're such bad assassins, I suggest a two-fer.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They both are.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

[Slings and Arrows]

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez celebrates National Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day.

[Drammach]

Sounds like Chavez is starting to lose it.

May he commit suicide sooner, rather than later.

[piasa]

''Who gave the United States government the right to bomb cities, invade countries, overthrow governments?'' Chávez demanded.

That's rich coming from a guy whose warplanes have been aking incursions into Columbia in support of terrorists there.

[RichInOC]

Must be going for the Michael Jackson look. Michael has Bubbles, Hugo has the bird.

[RichInOC]

"I've always loved you...."

[piasa]

Adding to tensions, a bomb exploded last week in the presidential compound. Chávez blamed coup plotters.

No, Mister Chavez, that was probably one of your friends in Hezbolla.

[piasa]

work accident

[Rubber Duck]

``Why are Venezuelan coup plotters and Venezuelan terrorists living in the United States? In the United States, they are preparing terrorists.''

By that statement, we are also supporting Muslim terrorists by allowing Wahabbist radicals to continue to live amongst us.

[RippleFire]

Boo Hoo Bump

[TastyManatees]

Right. Actually, this Marxist is using a tried and true technique. He is setting up the bogeyman for the uneducated peasants (who support him for the most part). Then, after a few abortive attacks go off, he will claim that outside enemies are lending aid and support to his opposition at home, and that certain freedoms must be restricted (e.g., the next election should be indefinitely "postponed"). Basically, he will be actually doing what the left in the United States tried to claim President Bush wanted to do in the War on Terror. I wouldn't hold your breath for the New York Times to call him on it.

Tasty Manatees

[BOBTHENAILER]

I suggest a two-fer.

That would do the world a favor.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I wouldn't hold your breath for the New York Times to call him on it.

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Chavez Believes He's a Terrorist Target***On Wednesday, he accused the United States and Spain, which supported the Iraq invasion, of engaging in a permanent campaign against his leftist government - and took a dig at Bush, saying Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore with "strong evidence of fraud."

"But that's not our problem," Chavez said. "The government of the United States should worry about its problems. It has plenty. And we Venezuelans will solve our own problems."

Venezuela is a top oil supplier to the United States. Chavez's government has said it will guarantee those supplies despite political differences. ***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuela's Chavez Rages at U.S. Over 'Terrorists'***Chavez, elected in 1998, has repeatedly accused Bush administration officials of poking their noses in Venezuelan affairs. "What happens in Venezuela has nothing to do with Mr. Bush's government," he said. He repeated strong criticism of the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, saying Washington had no right to "bomb cities, invade countries and overthrow governments."

Chavez also took aim at Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. He was apparently responding to a Colombian magazine article published this week in which Aznar urged Chavez not to follow the example of communist Cuba. "Does he think we're still a colony? ... The Spanish empire was thrown out of here almost 200 years ago, Aznar," Chavez shouted.

Even the United Nations, which the Venezuelan leader has addressed several times, did not escape a tongue-lashing. "It's not worth speaking at the U.N., speech after speech, and you see people falling asleep. ... It's a dialogue of the deaf," said Chavez.

[witnesstothefall]

This guy's enough to change an isolationist into an adventurist.