Hugo Chavez not recognizing election of Mexico's Calderon; will boycott ceremony (Translation)

El Universal ( Caracas ) ^ | November 16, 2006 | El Universal staff article ( translated by self )

[StJacques]

Venezuela's presence in Mexican presidential investiture unconfirmed

Mexico City. - The government of Venezuela still has not confirmed whether it will send a representative to Mexico to the presidential investiture of Felipe Calderon, the 1st of December, according to the official list circulated today by the Mexican presidency.

The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who is seeking reelection in the elections which will be carried out in his country the 3rd of December, up to now has avoided recognizing Calderon's victory, among other reasons since he considers there were "strange things" in the Mexican elections.

According to information released today by the presidential spokesman of Mexico, Ruben Aguilar, as of now ten heads of State or of Government have verified that they will be present in Mexico, whereas others will send special representatives or their Foreign Ministers, as reviewed by the DPA.¹

The preparations for the ceremony of the 1st of December are being carried out in Mexico in a tense evironment, because of the warning of the legislators of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) that they will hinder the ceremony in the Legislative Palace of San Lazaro.

The PRD, party of the losing candidate of the elections, the centro-leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador,² asserts that Calderon's victory was the product of fraud.

The list of confirmed [attendees] so far includes the Presidents of Guatemala, Paraguay, El Salvador, Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Peru, and Argentina; the Prime Ministers of Belize and Tanzania and Prince Felipe of Asturias.³

Great Britain will be represented at the level of Vice Prime Minister, while Japan and the Holy See will be sending special representatives.

Moreover, the Foreign Relations Ministers of Chile, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Germany, China, Finland, Italy, Haiti, the Czech Republic will be attending, among other countries.

Also the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), chilean Jose Miguel Insulza, the Secretary General of the Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development (OCED), Mexican Angel Gurria, and a representative of the European Parliament.

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Translator's Notes:

¹ Acronym for the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, or the German News Agency.

² Remember this is an article from a Venezuelan newspaper. From their perspective the definition of a "leftist" would be Hugo Chavez. By that comparison Lopez Obrador looks to be more to the center.

³ Prince of Spain, son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia.

[StJacques]

This thread is posted as a supplement to the previous threads of the last two days on the impending situation in Mexico surrounding the transition of power to Felipe Calderon, which from all indications received up to now, will definitely take place and Calderon will assume office as President of Mexico on December 1st. But what is not yet certain, and which frankly has become much more alarming over the past couple of days, is just what will happen in Mexico as Calderon comes into office. To be specific, the PRD and the Left in Mexico must make something happen to leave a permanent doubt of Calderon's legitimacy. APPO has now announced actions to be taken in Oaxaca during the presidential transition, and specifically stating that they are uniting with Lopez Obrador; they will beseige the Federal Police in the center of Oaxaca City, set up barricades elsewhere again, and renew their protest. And, with reference to this particular thread, we have looked at the Chavez support for APPO before.

When you look at this thread keep in mind that Chavez's attempts to undermine the duly-elected Mexican national government are at least two-fold. Not only is he supporting APPO's self-announced promotion of the "ingovernability" of Oaxaca as an act of serious meddling in Mexican internal affairs, he is also providing direct support in the international arena for a justifiable pretext for opposing Calderon and upholding Lopez Obrador abroad. This is almost an attack on Mexico.

[StJacques]

A Mexican Left Watch ping for you all.

Anyone wishing to be added to the ping list may contact me via Freepmail or post within this thread.

[EagleUSA]

Chavez has his panties in a bunch -- no communist, I don't play. Chavez just keeps sticking his head up a little too high now and then..and....bingo.

[Dog Gone]

Mexico should consider breaking diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

[StJacques]

A separate Latin American Left Watch going out here.

For everyone who was pinged twice, forgive me. I think I need to compile a "combined" list for situations such as this one.

[AmishDude]

He's learning from the Middle East and pan-Arabism. He wants to create a Latin American communist bloc with himself at the head.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who is seeking reelection in the elections which will be carried out in his country the 3rd of December, up to now has avoided recognizing Calderon's victory, among other reasons since he considers there were "strange things" in the Mexican elections.

Incredible. It's not for Chavez to recognize or not recognize the president of Mexico - the people and electoral process of Mexico already did that. I know Communists would prefer doing away with elections whenever possible, but understanding them is useful when you're the leader of a nation.

[Maeve]

Someone needs to shoot that Venezuelan bastard already.....

[StJacques]

"Mexico should consider breaking diplomatic relations with Venezuela."

Mexico and Venezuela both recalled their respective ambassadors in November, 2005 after Mexico found the Venezuelan ambassador meddling in drugs and Mexican internal politics. They have never been fully restored since. I have more on that in the "Comments" section of a previous thread, which happens to be the last one linked in my introductory comments above.

[dforest]

Sulphur directed northward

[hoosierham]

THey had him once but lost their nerve.I am only shocked that many weren't executed for their part in the coup de faux!

[sgtbono2002]

Hugo Chavez is a would-be tin-pot dictator who's ambition and ego waaay exceed his actual worth. One day he will be stepped on. Hopefully his own people will turn him out at the next election or get fed up with his antics and just kill him. If that doesnt happen he will continue pushing his luck until one of has neighbors stomps him or he forces the US to do it. He has delusions of Grandeur being fed by oil profits and a desire to be the next Saddam Hussein.

[Kenny Bunk]

Someone needs to shoot that Venezuelan bastard already...

I don't think the UN would like it. Let's discuss.

Then we can shoot the bastard. Hopefully, Jimmy Carter will interpose himself at the last possible instant.

[Enterprise]

Mexico doesn't want his sorry CITGO ass around anyway.

[Billthedrill]

Ah, Huey, man, do you have a way of making friends...

[Clara Lou]

This fool is doing a fine job of discrediting himself--on a worldwide basis.

[conservative in nyc]

Thanks. Isn't the Venezuelan election soon? Any chance Chavez will lose?

[unkus]

Did Fidel ever lose?

[GSlob]

Well, to save Chavez the trouble of boycotting, one could cimply forget to send him an invitation.

[GSlob]

cimply=simply. One should not type in the dark.