[Cachelot]

Elsewhere, Chavez embraces Muammar Qaddafi and calls Libya "a model of participatory democracy." Chavez greets Fidel Castro as well and says that Cuba and Venezuela are "swimming together toward the same sea of happiness."

Heh. Fidels all. Something tells me that the area will have a distinctly Islamic flavour to it before long, and then America has another Jihad-loving oil supplier.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (L) talks to a soldier while holding a rocket launcher in Maracara during military exercises November 26, 2001. Chavez said during a speech November 27 that his "peaceful revolution" was armed with rocket launchers and ready for any uprisings against it. He told business leaders that they would face the anger of the people if they are to go ahead with a country wide planned strike on December 10. REUTERS/Ho/Miraflores Palace

(November 28, 2001)-- Chávez defies protests of his economic policies-"I dare them to have that strike…" [Excerpt] CARACAS -- President Hugo Chávez dared Venezuela's largest business federation Tuesday to proceed with a one-day strike to protest his economic policies, saying his government's popularity would win the day.

``I dare them to have that strike. We will see who has more strength, [business] or the sovereign people,'' Chávez said while inaugurating a transportation law. ``I'm the head of state. You're not going to put me against the wall; you're not going to blackmail me.'' [End Excerpt]

[syncrolecyne]

Well really the average person (not these self styled generalissimos like Chavez and Castro) in Latin America is deeply Christian and the area is unlikely to ever convert to Islam. Chavez's embrace of Khatami, Khadaffy, Hussein (who all hate each others guts BTW) is no different from radical chic liberals who embraced the PLO in the 70's, without any idea of what Islamic fundamentalism really represents.