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Most Trusted Source of Foreign News and Views About the United States
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September 17, 2005
Argentina - Original Article (Spanish)
Hugo Chavez never misses an opportunity to expound his hilarious language and monopolize the microphones of the global press.
The problem is that whenever he does this, most of the Venezuelan population thinks, given the outrageousness of their leader and his declarations, that he makes the country look ridiculous in the eyes of the world.
The past week was one of most enriching
in which to be regaled by the Venezuelan leader, beginning with his judgement
that "the U.N. has outlived its model." Minutes later, he said
he would fight to eliminate the veto rights of the most powerful countries
and for the removal of U.N. headquarters from the
[Editor’s Note: Chavez suggested moving the U.N. to “an international city” created just for this purpose].
It is interesting to emphasize that this
motion only had the votes of
In a passing comment during the speech, Chavez took advantage of the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, lashing out at George Bush and repeatedly mocking his failure to help the victims of the natural disaster. Elevating his voice during an encounter with the world’s journalists later, Chavez said, "Get used to it, petroleum will soon cost US$100 a barrel."
In his naiveté, Chavez omitted the fact that such a comment, equivalent to a verbal celebration of the positive effects that this will have on Venezuela’s treasury, is equally comparable to celebration of the fall into poverty of million more people, who will see inflation destroy the economy of their countries and ruin the finances of their families, trimming their purchasing power and resigning them to a darker future. And all because so many of the world’s nations depend on petroleum from the OPEC countries - an international organization of gangsters - who by all accounts, market their crude oil at more and more ridiculous prices.
Chavez’ statement that "he suffers" with the American people who have fallen "victim to their own government," can be discard with indifference, since the Venezuelan President has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he is on the lookout for military or social disasters to befall fall on the United States, which gives him additional opportunities to comment to the international media.
Today Chavez can boast excellent economic
momentum, but all the statistics continue to emphasize that poverty in
Then, what is Chavez doing with all of
the income from petroleum? The answer is simple: any surplus commercial
resources are destined for the purchase of weapons for his armed forces
and security services, while simultaneously, enormous resources are going
to finance extremist movements in
Already
The aggressive language of Chavez toward Washington, and his influence over Evo Moral and the Bolivian
coca growers, plus his verified involvement in the civil unrest
[Evo Moral is a leader of the Bolivian cocalero movement, a loose federation of coca farmers resisting Bolivian government efforts to eradicate coca].
While Chavez and his followers have begun to repress the press and private economic activity in Venezuela with an iron fist - and in true Stalinist form - the leaders of the region themselves wonder when the bombastic declarations of the Venezuelan president will stop.
"Chavez has already brought Yankee military bases to our back patio. Just think what might happen next.”
At the same time, other groups - mostly believers in conspiracy theories, themselves wonder whether Chavez is the Pentagon’s latest experiment in counterintelligence: the proverbial critic of Washington installed under our noses, that finally justifies the presence of the enemy in our house.
After all, it escapes no one that Chavez
continues to sell petroleum to the Americans, who, it has been said, are Caracas’ best clients for black gold. Who else, perhaps,
could have so opportunely financed