Update: Venezuela Leader Hugo Chavez Resigns (Chavez faces charges)

Orlando Sentinel ^ | April 12, 2002, 7:28 AM EDT | JORGE RUEDA,AP

[Polybius]

I hope they don't shoot the bastard. We don't need another Che Guevara for the lefties to idolize.

Sure they would odolize Chavez but Che Guevara hasn't personally caused much mischief ever since they plugged him in Bolivia.

At 47, Chavez still a lot of years left in him to make a comeback. If Fidel Castro had been tried for murder and shot after Castro's attack on the Cuban military garrison at Moncada on July 26, 1953, Cuba would have saved itself much grief from 1959 through 2002 and counting.

I can also think of a funny-looking and apparently harmless kook that the German Weimar Republic should have executed for treason in 1923 after his failed so-called "Beer Hall Putsch".

Better a future dead idol than a future live tyrant.

[RedWhiteBlue]

PRIVATIZE PDVSA!

[Dog Gone]

The importance of this coup can hardly be overstated. Venezuela was a democracy friendly to the US before Chavez took over and systematically started destroying it. He was well on his way to becoming another Castro or Saddam.

It was critical that he be removed, and it finally happened. Hurray!

[aristeides]

I see no reason why they couldn't shoot Chavez after a fair trial that reveals his crimes. I wonder who gave the orders for last night's shootings.

[aristeides]

It was critical that he be removed, and it finally happened. Hurray!

And I bet that it would not have happened if Gore were president.

[jimt]

Excellent news !

[Victoria Delsoul]

Chavez quit just hours after at least 13 people were killed and 110 wounded during a 150,000-strong opposition demonstration in downtown Caracas. Chavez had ordered National Guard troops and civilian gunmen, including rooftop snipers, to stop the marchers from reaching the palace, military officers said.

During Thursday's clashes, National Guard troops fired tear gas at the front ranks of marchers bearing sticks and throwing rocks. Tear gas drifted into the presidential compound. Rooftop snipers and Chavez supporters repeatedly fired upon the protesters and even ambulance crews trying to evacuate the wounded.

I'm so glad that thug is out of office. I congratulate the military for doing the right thing for their country and their people.

[gedeon3]

Now they can finish the job by puting 2 bullets in chavez's head, then ship him to cuba in a very large trash bag.

[gedeon3]

The official cuban 'newspaper' says that anti-chavez people fired up on pro-chavez people and police. lies, lies, lies, lies.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'm so glad that thug is out of office. I congratulate the military for doing the right thing for their country and their people.

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

He was well on his way to becoming another Castro or Saddam.

Bump!

[colorado tanker]

Wonderful news!

[hchutch]

Care to bet you will get "revolutionaries" in Venezuela over this?

[Francohio]

I hope they're rooting out Castro's advisors that have been given free access to sensitive offices in Venezuela. They should kick out Castro's teachers, doctors and "trainers" too. And shut off the free oil spigot to Castro.

I wonder how many Cubans there actually are. I wonder how many Chavez people of all stripes are still around. The new guy is going to have to pull a Pinochet to get this country back on its feet, pronto. If the Venezuelans pull the oil plug on Fidel, I hope that slick Fox bastard won't make up the difference with Mex oil! Great chance for the SOB to prove his self-proclaimed everlasting love for us for us. His foreign minister is a big Fidel buddy, though.

Get ready for all of Allende's pals and the Sandinista Supporters to hit the boob tube again. Dodd, Schumer, et al ... I'm sick already.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[GHCubana]

Castro's free oil supply is dried up. I wonder who's gonna give him free oil now. Thanks for the heads up. ABAJO FIDEL

[Francohio]

Gee, now I wish they'd a done it! I bow to your logic, Aristeides.

[Eva]

How do we find the latest updates on the Venezuela situation? I have tried the topics index and have done searches on Venezuela and Chavez. Nothing comes up except article from last spring.

[TLBSHOW]

Great news! BUMP

[chilepepper]

It is a retread article: look at the date - this is what happened in April.

Why was it reposted? It is painful to revisit lost opportunities... the price for not succeeding back then may be very high indeed.