Chavez strengthens his grasp on power

Miami Herald ^ | April 16, 2002 | FRANCES ROBLES frobles@herald.com with Special correspondent Christina Hoag

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Cuba closely follows the events in Venezuela ***Cuba's Cuban Workers Union congratulated Chávez supporters Monday for the ''triumph of right and justice'' with Chávez's restoration of power. ''We reiterate to our Venezuelan brothers that they can always count on the sure and unconditional support of the millions of Cuban workers who feel as if the cause of the Bolivarian Revolution is ours,'' read the letter, published in the weekly newspaper Trabajadores.***

Fidel Castro - Cuba

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

Hugo Chavez, left, is embraced by Fidel Castro in this Dec. 14, 1994 , file photo at the University of Havana, Cuba, during Chavez's visit to Cuba at Castro's invitation. Chavez, whose self-proclaimed mission was to fulfill the dreams of 19th century independence fighter Simon Bolivar of a free and unified South America, was Friday ousted at age 47. (AP Photo/CP, Jose Goitia, File)

[BlueLancer]

Never strike at the King unless you intend to kill him.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I don't think they were prepared for events to escalate as they did. Next time they'll do better.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!!

[toddst]

I don't think they were prepared for events to escalate as they did. Next time they'll do better.

Indeed they will. However, Chavez will overplay his hand AGAIN and give his opponents every excuse to pitch him. He'll likely catch a bullet next time in some sort of firefight IMHO.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Chavez is going to anything and everything to get more power. He's weakened his opposition and will use this time to push for even more control.

[bourbon]

gosh...the news out of Venezuela just keeps getting worse and worse.

Carmona et al are going to regret not exiling or killing Chavez as they languish in prison awaiting and uncertain fate.

More evidence that appeasement of the wicked just doesn't work. (EU please take note!)

[rohry]

both civilians and military officers who tried to oust Chávez will face criminal charges before military tribunals.

Let's hear the outcry from the Left about these military tribunals...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

President Hugo Chavez thanks God during a news conference at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela on Monday, April 15, 2002. Chavez was ousted and arrested early Friday by his military high command after gunmen opened fire on at least 150,000 people marching on the palace to demand his resignation. He was returned to power just two days later after loyalist military officers peacefully rebelled and tens of thousands of Venezuelans converged on the presidential palace to demand Chavez's return. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)

Want to hear this guy spin a yarn? Captive Chavez prayed under stars for Venezuela (don't cry for him)

[TLBSHOW]

They should of shot him that night. Sad story that Castro can spin and spin.

[toddst]

They should of shot him that night. Sad story that Castro can spin and spin.

Yep. However, I suspect there are some with sniper skills who aren't under Chavez' control. This isn't over IMHO.

[KC Burke]

...next time they will do better... I doubt there will be a next time. The iron fist of what Hayek calls "Totalitarian Democracy" is about to desend. Their words:

''They were tricked,'' Chávez insisted. ``I have no feelings of revenge or hate. No. I will review each one on a case by case basis and respect everyone's human rights.''

That sounds like the formula for the diseased animal of Rationalism to raise its head. It sounds like the rhetoric of idiocy from Robespierre, thru Lenin and Ross Perot. The enlightenment rationalist view of nebulus rights, in this case "human", as interpreted by ""feelings" of the Annointed having more weight than justice.

We are watching that fist form and it will strike down those that can give them true Liberty.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I agree.

[Diamond]

Now that everything in Venezuela is all glory and light again, can someone please tell me what in the world happened to the 150,000 people who marched on the palace to demand Chavez's resignation? It's like they suddenly dropped off the face of the earth.

Cordially,

[Gritty]

These people have forgotten how to stage a military coup.

After the dictator is deposed, you have a short trial and shoot him, within 6 hours. Then you put his dead corpse on tv so everybody knows he's dead and it strikes fear into the hearts of any supporters. Concurrently, you go after his underlings until they are either dead or fled from the country. Until then, everything is under 24 hour curfew and martial law. Then you start slowly loosening up and rebuilding, starting with pro-government demonstrations.

The coup plotters will rue the day they let Chavez live. They got caught up in being fair and not wanting blood on their hands. This mistake will cost them their lives. This business about Chavez not wanting martyrs is pure posturing. Once he has a firm grip he will do to the plotters what they should have done to him first; shoot them. They are dead men.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It was more like 500,000 and they didn't expect Chavez's armed Chavistas to shoot down on them from rooftops.
I expect they're considering their options and if any more dissent will be crushed in the same manner.

FARC: A Terrorist Regime waiting in the Wings-- Hugo Chavez's involvement.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

This business about Chavez not wanting martyrs is pure posturing. Once he has a firm grip he will do to the plotters what they should have done to him first; shoot them. They are dead men.

I'll give you no argument. I do believe no one expected the events to unfold the way they did. That Chavez's armed Bolivarian Circle Chavistas would ambush a peaceful march and that his senior military would then ask him to resign, just wasn't on the day's agenda. I think they just tried to do the best with the cards that were dealt and weren't prepared. The senior military men who asked Chavez to resign didn't command any troops so they only had a small window to act before the situation would be reversed. Personally, I don't know what more they could have done with out a more appropriate candidate to put into the presidency. There is much division between political parties, however they do agree, Chavez is nothing but trouble.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It certainly isn't over. Not by a long shot.