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Me encantas tus articulos, sigue adelante...

I'dont think that the average Chavista is all that alert to Mr Bush anouncements on Iran even if Mr Chavez is bound to comment on them , the fact is that Mr Chavez floods the airwaves with such constant flood of disparate and fanciful 'warnings' that even his followers dont pay that much attention to what he says. May be Mr Bush's sabrerattling is indiscreet but I rather doubt that the same will have much effect on the Venezuelan public.

I think it is a very smart article!!

The article is fine in its assessment but where due to growing factors, a global war in some highly powerful minds, may make perfect sense. I say this as the greatest threat to humanity is the population explosion and where a major global war would solve this problem. Indeed, there is a minority of humans with considerable wealth and power who see the destruction of others as the savoir of themselves (and their vast wealth it has to be said also). The late Glenn Seaborg(Element 106 Seaborgium) our founding President personally appealed and implored President Truman not to drop the 'bomb' on occupied Japanese territory. The President though through his military advisers took no notice even though he discovered Plutonium and was head of the Plutonium plant on the Manhattan Project. But behind the scenes also at the time, there were dark figures who saw that after the fall of Japan, great wealth could also be secured. But basically again today, change-master politicians and governments in particular, are in the pocket of very rich and very powerful individuals/multinational companies, who seemingly do not look for peace but in many ways for wars and their own vested economic interests. Thinking that they can survive because they are on the strongest side and the reason why in many ways US$1.2 trillion per annum and growing, is spent on armaments now.
But getting back to humankind's greatest threat (even greater than that of even the warmongers it has to be said) is that of the ever-growing population problem and where I give a little evidence based facts that people may not be aware of.
The population of the world (in absolute numbers) has only to increase year-on-year by a mere 0.85% for there to be 12 billion people by 2075. The current population growth (in absolute numbers) is 1.27% (most recent UN figures), some 26% above the percentage increase for 12 billion humans to exist in 2075. But looking at the present rate of human growth, there would be 15.6 billion human inhabitants living on planet Earth in 67-years time. But again, as growth rates are, in statistical terms (not the best accurate measure by any means), slightly declining year-on-year, let us assume that the growth rate is the average of the two, which is 1.18%, then we would still have 14.7 billion people to support. In every scenario it is something that the world's resources could not possibly support considering rising standards of living throughout the world and where it is predicted that India alone will have over half-billion middle class citizens by 2025 (McKinsey, May 2007) on its present economic path. And a final point, what is happening with statistics is that they are being manipulated as usual. In this respect people say that population is declining statistically, but where in reality as we have a greater number each year for our base-line, the figures are really growing at the same rate as the year before, or close to that. It is a bit of a con job that governments in particular like to use so not to alarm their electorate.
Therefore overall looking at our bleak future in a world with vastly dwindling resources by the decade, a war may very well be on the cards for humankind in this century, and one where this time there will be no winners.
Dr David Hill
World Innovation Foundation Charity
Bern, Switzerland
www.thewif.org.uk

The real war is in Venezuela, where every day died about 40 persons while the ditatorship is talking and talking about his war and arms dreams and spends a lot of money in it.
Good position, Mr Martínez and is true Bush sings a song that Chávez wants not only hear, but dance.

Greed..is one of the 7 deadly sins....we should pray for our enemies, Ibsen!
Mr.Chavez is a Tyrant, and so is the likes of our President here...he bans abortion and is against it, yet under his administration, he has literally "killed" innocent lives that could have been saved had we not gone to war!! Not including all of the innocent by standards in Iraq as well!

Trust me, we don't like President Bush! He should be impeached for all the mistakes he has made!

Thank-you for sharing this news-column, it is muy triste, pero the truth!!

Aguda visión de la tentación totalitaria en Venezuela.

While people as you exist, I believe Venezuela has voices to tell what going on.
Thanks my friend.
My best wishes

The "asymmetric warrior" thing would have make Picasso laugh like crazy...

What will be the end of this weird Bush-Chávez-Ahmadinejad mélange diplomatique? Raul Castro selling venezuelan oil in Galveston, perhaps?

Some months ago, in a Venezuelan newspaper, Mr. Martínez wrote about Chávez’ propensity to turn everything into an epic event (I am not quoting him, don’t have the article handy). I agreed completely and would add that such tendency is part of Chávez’ pathology.
Although it is impossible for any president to rule (fairly or not) just to avoid another president's temper tantrum, unfortunately GWB and his policies only add fuel to the psycho’s fire. Forget his local minions, GWB is Chávez’ best friend.

Funny, all the Chavez apologists are left-wing gringos who have never set foot in Venezuela.

Chavez is good just because he calls Bush a devil. What a bunch of morons these guys are.

Venezuelan democracy alive!!!!!!!!
We do not need a war
We have our own private revolutionary war!!!!!
Only three examples

These are official government declarations

According the figures from CICPC, since 1º of January to 30 September 2007 in Venezuela:

9.568 homicides in our country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marcos Chavez
CICPC Director
169 homicides in Caracas on a weekend!!!!!!!!!!
07-05-2007

Minister Carreño
147 homicides during the week on national territory
07-23-2007

PD
Everyone knows that the official statistics are minimized for the sake of the revolution
Venezuelan population…27.483.000

Crime is better armed then the police
Where do you think the weapons come?

Stella d'argento:

Love your comments and comparision to the Canadian model of democracy. I fondly remember one of Trudeau's comments: "The United States will NOT be the dog that wags Canada's tail'. How I wish Harper would follow this edict.

Alex, mi concern is how the main stream Venezuelan media that have access to the most prestigious news papers in the United Estate such as the Washington Post using inaccurate words and get away with it. In the Estate, I never heard of journalists writing irresponsibly, not backing up what they say. You are right; the conversation is not about Mr. Martinez and in my case is not about president Chavez either. I am a college graduated and well traveled middle aged woman and as you said “fair-minded” too. I know what I want. It is obvious that we have opposite political point of views when thinking about Chavez and the direction his democratic government will turn in the future. Some people might perceive Chavez as a “Red Gorilla”, a dictator, and others like me consider Mr. Chavez to be a democratically elected humanist.

My comments gravitate around inaccurate use of words, and their repercussions on the W. P. readers, the American people and ultimately on the majority of Venezuelans. I agree with Gary Mendel when he says “Mr. Martinez, like many other Venezuelans, expect too much from external factors to his country”. The fact is that “some” and not “many” of Venezuelans fell that the U.S. need to come and "save" them.
I don’t want well intentioned American citizens to fell guilty for not helping Venezuelans. When the majority of Venezuelans know what we want. Any one can look in a dictionary and find the concept of democracy.

There is a process called “Demonización” (I guess is demonization in English) that I hope not what goes on here. That would scare me the most. 1) The process starts when the language is manipulated using inaccurate words not based on facts. 2) There is a pretension that most of the people from the “demonized” country are suffering. 3) The next step is to ask for help to save those suffering people. 4)The last step tends to be an invasion, supported by the public opinion, but not by facts.
Some Venezuelan minorities wrongly proclaim themselves to be independent thinkers, to represent the majorities- and they happen to publish in prestigious newspapers. Miss- representing most of Venezuelans and probably sending -maybe because they are trully scared- a wrong message to the readers.

Alex, I can tell you responsibly and respectfully that most of Venezuelans support Chavez’s democratic revolution. I invite U.S. citizen at risk of being manipulated by deceitful language to think about the consequences to both nations if the U.S. army or the marines come and “help” the opposition minorities in Venezuela. Would it be good?

Yo, por mi parte, comparto la opiniòn de Martinez Creo que una cosa es verlo desde lejos y otra enfrentarse a la arbitrariedad y la obsecuencia todos los dìas. El propòsito de chavez es aniquilar cualquier opinion, pràctica o vision disidente....provenga de donde provenga.
Ines Q.

Prefiero escribir en español. Me aterra lo que explica Ibsen, porque soy venezolana, no me voy a ir jamás de aquí y resulta espeluznante convivir junto a este desatado que tenemos por presidente. La censura a los disidentes llega ya hasta cantantes y actrices.

Mr. Martinez, like many other Venezuelans, expect too much from external factors to his country. U.S. has committed so many serious errors in his foreign policy in Latin America, to expect anything good.

Disculpen un comentario en español. No solo suscribo la opinión de Martínez sobre la Reforma de Chávez sino que, además, quiero destacar los dos párrafos finales del post. La lógica perversa que trata de instaurarse todos los días en Venezuela es esa que Martínez describe con sus dos preguntas finales: quienes escriben o actúan desde la izquierda (de paso, desde "mi izquierda", no otra, sean Bandera Roja, Podemos o el PCV) lo hacen movidos siempre por buenas intenciones y hermosos sentimientos, el resto son serviles ventrílocuos del imperialismo y la oligarquía. Termino presentando dos signos de esta "revolución": los partidarios del gobierno no ganan ni una sola elección estudiantil en liceos y universidades, la mayoría de los creadores, artistas, escritores, artesanos, etc. adversan o son indiferentes ante el gobierno. Gracias

Stella, Well, your definition of democracy is like Chavez's (and any moveon or koz junkie) if its not done to yr liking then it must not be democracy. I am no fan of Pelosi and Pelosi is no fan of Bush, but to think that this automatically derails 200 + years of democratic elections is at best intellectually dishonest. If you ck yr Canadian history, you'd see that Pierre was "prime minister" for all of 15 years, Castro is still dictator for life 55 years and counting. You say when you see Chavez w/Castro , you see another Trudeau ? yr close but you s/b seeing another Castro. Its also really nice of Castro to "regret" not allowing democracy, I'm sure he's soooo torn up inside he's ready to resign..not. Cuba is a basket case in all respects, what Castro has inflicted on this backward island nation is a joke. Of course you'll point out wonderful health and economic statistics on the Cuban people, but I'm sure you'll realize all the statistics come from ...surprise!!..the..Cuban gov! , which must be telling the truth because there is not one Cuban newspaper or TV station that would disagree. See how this works ??.You control the press and airwaves and you can say whatever you want. People like yourself will swallow it hook line and sinker, yr logic is bizarre at best. I cant even believe anyone with a semblance of education would compare our democracy with what is going on in Venezuela. And no, Jimmy Carter sitting next to Castro at a one day funeral didnt change any American Policy towards Cuba when JC was president, short little sweet stories about retired presidents and funerals rarely have anything to do w/reality.I dont even understand yr reference to nationalized Canadian tv, clearly that wasnt a political move. Chavez is shutting down the only opposition TV station left, the other Ven tv stations spew out Chavez propaganda 24/7. How would you like Fox news on every channel ?

A pretty insightful analysis -- the kind Washington's deaf ears, blind eyes, and dumb brains would benefit from paying attention ... but will they ever?

Alex, if true democracies have a vigorous opposition, then the US is definitely NOT a true democracy right now. Look at that wimp Nancy Pelosi, supposedly an opposition leader, bowing down to BushCo at every turn, and then try to tell us with a straight face that you have a "true democracy"! Let's face it--the US stopped being a democracy in 2000. It therefore has no moral standing to lecture other countries on their democratic deficits.

Plus, you say: "Democracies do not make it a habit of nationalizing radio and TV." Oh? Tell it to us Canadians, if you can bear the sound of 31 million people laughing their heads off. We have a national, public radio-TV network--it is the CBC, and it is more vigorous and objective, for all its taxpayer funding, than all the major commercial networks combined! We also don't have term limits for our prime ministers. And we have a War Measures Act, which has seldom been invoked, and which looks a lot like the emergency provision Chavez is currently trying to add to the Venezuelan constitution. We are still, in spite of all that, a democracy. How 'bout them apples...

I hear that President Lula of Brazil recently decreed a national TV channel, too. To counterbalance the far-right commercial station Globo, yet. If you're going to complain about Chavez not renewing a frequently law-breaking channel's licence (hello, RCTV!) and handing its former frequency to a start-up public channel, you might also want to kvetch about Lula, just for the sake of fairness. Oh, and how 'bout that oh-so-democratic Alan Garcia of Peru? He suspended a couple of channels for broadcasting unflattering but true news about himself...and I hear nobody here complaining about him. Funny how some things are only bad when a Hugo Chavez does them! (Surely all that oil he's sitting on has nothing to do with it; Peru and Brazil, though they have some oil, are both pipsqueaks by comparison.)

BTW, for those who think Chavez is a communist dictator (or trying to be one) just for being friends with Fidel Castro: Again, you're all wet. We had a prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, who had a nationalized oil program, and was also friends with Castro. His conservative enemies may have tried to tar him with the commie brush, but nothing stuck. Trudeau remained a democrat--and a Liberal. And a thorn in the side of Richard Nixon, to boot. And at Trudeau's funeral in 2000, Fidel attended...and sat right beside Jimmy Carter, who was also Trudeau's friend. Funny how three so dramatically different men were nevertheless able to get along well together. When I see Chavez befriending Fidel, I just see another Trudeau.

Finally, there is nothing in Chavez's actions to suggest a real move toward dictatorship. As has been pointed out here repeatedly, Chavez is elected, and every law he put to a public vote, won by a landslide. The 1999 constitution was written by an elected assembly and then ratified by popular vote, and the reforms Chavez has just completed will be voted on by all the people--and if they reject 'em, those reforms will not stand. Actually, Fidel recently told Evo Morales (president of Bolivia) to follow Chavez's example--because Chavez went the democratic route. Fidel Castro admitted that he made a mistake in placing limits on democracy in Cuba (there IS some, but it doesn't extend to the presidency).

Again--how 'bout them apples?

I find it difficult to call Chavez a dictator when he was elected democratically. The elections were observed by the UN, EU, USA and others including international journalists. If the constitution is changed, it is done in parliament with a lawfully elected government. The elections in Venezuela were not stolen. Blacks were not turned away from the polls or sent to polls where they were not found on the voters lists. There were not shads, nor pregnant shads. Votes were not found discarded in garbage bags, and finally a conservative republican Supreme Court did not declare Chavez, President of Venezuela.

America has its own problems which it brought on itself. It should take its nose out of sovereign states and pick at it own navel.

Rosa,

I'm really not commenting on Mr Martinez, what I am commenting on are the events in Venezuela and yr contention that the gov is a "democracy". Democracies do not make it a habit of nationalizing radio and TV. The countries that do this are usually communist totalitarian or fascist i.e Cuba ,China , Russia. You can clearly see in the US how democracy works. Bush nor the US gov own the TV stations or the newspapers. Many newspapers and TV commentators dislike Bush and are free to comment at will against him. How often can that happen in Venezuela ? I'm sure its much fewer then it used to be. You I think are a fair minded person who is looking for a fair leader, but what I dont think you see is the danger in the road the Mr Chavez is travelling. Each day that goes by, he consolidates his power, it is a familiar pattern . We have seen it with mao, Fidel, Stalin, Franco, Hitler etc. He is a dangerous man when it comes to democracy, but I think your a bit lost in all his wild promises of equality and ruling for the people by the people.If you check the history books, Mr Chavez's actions and character mimic the precursor to the the dangerous communists/socialists of the past decades. In the end the people pay dearly, sadly , they never see the danger until its too late. I read about Chavez's peoples militia. You know this people's militis could never stand up to any real invasion, so what is its purpose?, to cow and intimidate those who oppose Chavez in Venezuela.
Every totalitarian reginme has a "people's militia". Cant you see what the man is doing ? it is sad that after communism's fall, many still will run to its deadly embrace. I think the former Eastern European countries can tell much to the people of Venezuela. Democracy is fading fast for Venezuelans

Go Chavez! USA could learn a thing or two about democracy from Venezuela.

Couldn't have said it better. Completely agree, scary!

Alex says: “A true democracy has a vigorous opposition” I wonder Alex if you don’t think Mr. Martinez represent a strong opposition. Although, he portraits himself as independent he is not, and I bet he knows it. When Mr. Martinez says that he doesn’t longer write for “Tal Cual” –witch was one of the most emblematic opposition newspapers- he is attempting to present himself to his English readers as the true independent thinker he is not. I lived in the USA, I worked there and I learned to admire the rigor of the US press.
Alex: Have you lived and worked in Venezuela? Have you experience both “media cultures”: US and Venezuelan? It amazes me how freely the media here in Venezuela, can miss inform well intentioned people, how inaccurate they are and how they get away with it.
I have seen opposition leaders inviting TV viewers to kill a democratically elected president. I never saw that in the Estates.
How do you know what you are reading from the Venezuelan main stream media is true? I invite you just to challenge what Mr. Martinez is saying. The fact that Mr. Martinez distant himself from President Bush administration and that he distant himself from “Tal Cual”, doesn’t tell me he is objective. It tells me he is trying to look objective to the Washington Post readers.

Mr. Martinez: THANK YOU!

Le debo un agradecimiento público, desde hace ya bastante tiempo, a la oposición intelectual del chavismo. Muchos de sus escritores, la mayoría, creo, han ejercido y ejercen, una enorme influencia en mi pensamiento y accionar político.
A intelectuales que van desde el famoso Mario Vargas Llosa, hasta oscuros columnistas de periódicos de provincia que asumen roles de sesudos analistas para atacar con ferocidad al gobierno bolivariano de Venezuela, debo en gran parte, la fuerza de las convicciones raigales y el aquilatamiento y claridad de mis propias ideas.
A la pléyade de estos pensadores de la derecha internacional, nacional o local, a quienes debo agradecer su contribución a ello, debo agregar ahora, en sitio de honor, al dramaturgo de origen venezolano, Ibsen Martínez, columnista del “Washington Post”, muy en especial por su artículo Risk of Worl War III? Music to Mr. Chavez`Ears, en el que “critica” al actual presidente estadounidense por considerar que su discurso planteando la posibilidad de una III Guerra Mundial es “música para los oídos de Chávez”.
El dramaturgo de origen sudamericano, como ya apuntamos, no asume como pudiera pensarse de un hombre de los círculos de la cultura y el humanismo, una posición pacifista y en contra del horror inimaginable de lo que pudiera ser una guerra en el tercer milenio. No, Ibsen Martínez, reprocha el discurso belicista del presidente Bush, porque en este momento, tal discurso le es conveniente internacionalmente al gobierno de su país de origen. Los términos del “desacuerdo” de Ibsen con el mandatario estadounidense son por no intervenir de manera más ejemplarizante (¡!) en contra de Chávez , es decir, por no invadir militarmente a Venezuela, y pasan por explicar que ello, desde tal punto de vista, es una papaya, facilito pues, ya que el ejercito de reservistas, por ejemplo, no pasa de ser una cuerda de cerveceros viejos, amamantados por el gobierno, que arrastran sus pies en sus cómicas y risibles prácticas de guerra.
Bombardeado mediaticamente como casi todos, no puedo decir que soy inmune a las técnicas de desinformación y manipulación. No obstante he conseguido mantener mis convencimientos bolivarianos, gracias, muchas veces, paradójicamente, al desmedido entreguismo y cobardía de gran parte de la intelectualidad opositora venezolana.

27/10/2007

Great article Mr. Martinez.

Hugo Chavez is doing his best for what he sees will serve his people best. It might be wrong in some ways.

In contrast to...

George Bush is attempting to do what is best of the corporate heads of the United States of America. It might be the wrong way of handling things.

Hopefully, people throughout the world understand that the media, more and more, do not represent how the American people feel. As the days pass, much of the American media is more like that of a fascist state.

CNN reported, today, that FEMA staged a fake news conference. The people calling into the suddenly announced press conference were not actually journalists. Rather, they were FEMA employees.

Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security called a press conference to condemn the ruse... said he was upset and will sort it out. The apology press conference organizers contacted ONLY the AP. No other press outlet had been contacted.

Attention to Hugo... Bush is a thing of the past. The media has appointed Hillary Clinton the next President. If Mr. Chavez is going to stay ahead of the curve, he best contact Mrs. Bill Clinton and get the negotiations rolling.

I agree. Great article!

Mr. Martinez, excellent article.....and 10 points for your response

as always very realistic

Mr Martinez:

Dimik's comment just goes to show the intellectual stupidity of left-wing Americ these days. Whatever happened to our good old left????!!

E.A.

Rosa writes:The fact is that most Venezuelans voted for Hugo Chavez for president and keep on voting and the opposition has failed to prove that Venezuelans is not a true democracy.

Well Rosa, a true democracy has a vigorous opposition. If you look at the United States, the media has virtually free reign, the gov does not silence opponents nor operates a secret police that takes people away and does not take over TV stations. Venezuela no doubt started as a democracy but surely you can see what it is slowly turning into? Do you think that the forthcoming elections in Cuba are a joke, many in the civilized world do, is Cuba a democracy ? Unfortunately Venezuela is slowly but surly turning into a Cuba.
I'm surprised that you live in this country, which is a true democracy, yet think Venezuela is the same. You need to be honest about what a real democracy is and then compare it to Chavez's actions. Chavez will prove you wrong, he will be in power for a very very very long time.

Dimik72: Your apologies mean a lot to me since I am always suspicious of the motivations of any media. Readers should be suspicious of both media and commentators too, and that's Ok with me. As to comparisons, come to think of it, they seldom shed light on anything and should be used sparingly. If brought into any argument, the writer should clearly qualify what he means and I didn't. I forgot this rule-of-thumb. My apologies.

OK liberals! All together now:

Bush bad, Bush bad, Bush bad

Feel better now?

I will apologize for misrepresenting the author's opinions on the coup of 2002. I would in fact aplaud such courage. I am not sure I see the point in the comparison of Le monde with the papers mantioned in his bio. Le Monde has no supported Pinochet and comparing democratically elected leaders or others rising through toppling of long standing dictatorships with Pinochet is certainly not an accurate depiction of reality.

Yet, let me restate the apology.

I hope that the writer is as suspicious of the motivations of the Post and other US free media in highlighting whatever is going on in Venezuela. I would, as anyone welcome critique and light on Chavez's actions. I am, however, skeptical of the medium (that being the post) and as a result I am possibly unduly harsh of the message.

The same way as Mr. Ibsen Martinez finds “untimely and distressing” President Bush’s remarks on Iran’s war. I find I.M.’s words both: “untimely and distressing” but most of all inaccurate.
I.M.’s words are obviously pretending to represent the majority of Venezuelans. When he says “Every one down here” “there is a widespread conviction among most Venezuelans” he proofs my point.
The fact is I.M.’s words represent a minority of Venezuelans: an heterogeneous group that opposes Chavez and is called the opposition. Mr. Martinez is a well known intellectual and this is why his words concern me enough to white back. I won’t extend myself listing how many times the majority of Chavez supporters have won elections in Venezuela. The fact is that most Venezuelans voted for Hugo Chavez for president and keep on voting and the opposition has failed to prove that Venezuelan’s is not a true democracy. I also believed that Mr. Martinez, being a journalist, and a well known intellectual there, knows those facts but chooses to ignore them. There is when his words become one more thing: Misleading.
As a Venezuelan woman, who lived and worked as a teacher in Nashville TN I learned to admire the rigor I saw in the media when it came to prove the facts: You pretty much can say anything but you have to back it up. That is precisely what Mr. Martinez is not doing with the Washington Post readers. His words being inaccurate can be misleading for the American people. I wish Martinez words were responsible and represented not only the oppositionist intellectuals that have access to the most prestigious newspapers, but the majority that supports a democratically elected president.

Hello World! and especially to the Developing Nations!

The real terrible facts found on this present world to all to view and think as:

Fact-1: China and Russia are two most terrible and most treacherous and harmful nations sitting in UNSC, exploiting this organization inhumanly and dangerously to flare up, initiate and promote devastations to several nations, and to influence, convince, condone and support the world criminals and tyrants, especially those naive and mindless nations (i.e., Syria, Iran, Sudan, Venezuela, Burma, N. Korea, etc.,) to practice violence of all sorts, domestically and globally, and all acting like their Russia and China terrorizing communist masters such as: Iran, Syria, N. Korea, Burma, Venezuela, Central Asian nations, etc., to follow their brutal violences, lawless and uncivilized ways to run their terrorizing businesses at home and to other nations!

Fact-2: Iran, the land of fanatic terrors and terrorists that relentlessly loves to apply the murderous deeds and efforts to devastate other nations and including its own unfortunate brainwashed citizens, who suddenly turn themselves naively from harmless innocents previously into the present very blood-thirsty crazy murderers and terrorists! as proven worldwide!

These Fact-1 and Fact-2 are the main ingredients to boil up this world and all unfortunate nations and their citizens have directly and indirectly become infested by these world diseases caused by the both offending, very bloodly communist Russia, China and the mindless and shallow-minded followers as shown to the world that the unfortunate and foolish tyrants have volunteerly become slaves for their China and/or Russia or both masters in order to be able to exploit all resources and lives in their own nations!

The problem partly is due to this world is full with naive and mindless and have-no-value tyrants who are very easily to be corrupted by their masters, that these naive tyrants have forcibly gained controls their own nations and have deadly opportunities be able to enslave and devastate their own innocent citizens like animals and no-more-and-no-less than the millions of suffered animals in this world today!. And sadly, these very little valuable UN and UNSC can do nothing to help them while the both harmful and treacherous China and Russia that only want them to die in suffering, in torturing of all sorts in their own lands as the entire world have seen for years!
In essence, the entire mindless nations ruled by their own bloody, iron-fisted tyrants these devastating folks are nothing more than the volunteered victims for both China and Russia!, and unfortunately, only China and Russia can harvest all benefits greedily for themselves at the cost of millions of innocents suffering mentally and physically and endlessly as seen by all mankind!
And these are the very sad things of human misery that all mankind have to see in the days in and days out in several unfortunate nations where people here should deserve the better lives instead of valueless life of the slaves or born to be automatically become slaves as seen!

Thanks and have a good weekend to all!

Kevin Schmidt writes:"Instead you parrot the propaganda of a fascist, imperialist war profiteering and criminal administration."

-Reminds me of the communist rhetoric of the 60's "imperialist running dog" etc. You'd think that after the massive failure of communist and socialist countries + the deaths of tens of millions under socialist communist regimes that leftist dinosaurs like Kevin would be extinct, but no, they still exist. I can only smile and laugh at the language being used, its sad how even with the incredible evidence of how socialist and communist regimes end up , they still have supporters, its just amazing. Very sad for the Venezuelans, they are a hard working industrious people with great wealth, now this communist idiot takes over, very sad indeed. Venezuelans not only have to fight Hugo, but the Kevins of the world.

Martinez whines, "Still, I wonder why should an independent columnist be deemed guilty of being just a pawn of the owners of the paper that runs his opinions?"

Because you are a stenographer lapdog.

That's not an ad hominem, that's just an accurate observation. The Freudian slip was "the owners of the paper that runs his opinions." If you ran your own opinion in WaPoo, then you would be considered to be an independent columnist. Instead you parrot the propaganda of a fascist, imperialist war profiteering and criminal administration.

The Williams: Do not forget Vietnam...How many US soilders actually died there?....50.000? And now we do business with them.

How many US soldiers died in Cuba?. (Not counting the turn of the century "Iraq" ...the Spanish-American war)...A few, none?

Mr. Martinez
Great article! However, I think your assumption that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez would shut off oil supplies to the United States, although it has a ring of truth, is not a given. The U.S. is a vital market for Venezuelan oil. Cutting America off from Venezuelan oil would definitely hurt the American and world markets in ways that are easy to imagine. The effects to Venezuela, however, would be disastrous as well. President Chavez, despite his braggadocio and church-like banter of revolution, knows that U.S. cash (not to mention U.S. technical know-how)　flowing into Venezuela’s (dare I say Chavez’s!) coffers allow Chavez to project his ideas and influence globally. I’m not 100% sure about this, but without the power of the petrol-dollar Chavez would lose his influence globally and (more importantly) domestically. (What shape would Venezuela’s economy be in if not for its vast amounts of oil?) At most, Chavez would cut off oil supplies to the U.S. for a week or two (maybe a month) for his own enjoyment but would not take the risk of hurting his own position domestically and globally. Such an act of opposition against the U.S. would definitely be praised in many corners of the world, thus bringing President Chavez the international attention and controversy he seems to enjoy and thrive on. Yet, there are limits to Chavez’s antics.

I like Hugo Chavez

While Bush's warmongering may embolden Chavez, the ongoing U.S. embargo of Cuba is the pinnacle of hypocrisy. Every day Americans conduct millions of dollars in trade with Communist China. Meanwhile a weak island nation 90 miles away from Florida remains closed. A stupid ploy simply to deliver a few votes to the current politicians in power. Many economists credit detente and subsequent wide-open trade with China as a major force behind ongoing reforms of that once very hungry communist nation.

Nelson Parke writes ..."If we want world peace we must be willing to work for it - and it is hard work. The poor people of Latin America have always been subjugated by the elite - who look the other way at the poverty, and the lack of human/civil rights, education."

That is what has made America great. The no nonsense endeavor to allow all American citizens who are able to live and thrive. If we lose that what will we have ... another miserable country...

Nelson Parke writes ..."If we want world peace we must be willing to work for it - and it is hard work. The poor people of Latin America have always been subjugated by the elite - who look the other way at the poverty, and the lack of human/civil rights, education."

That is what has made America great. The no nonsense endeavor to make all able to live and thrive. If we lose that what will we have ... another miserable country...

Another anti-American article at "PostGlobal".

How about shocking us with just one article that doesn't paint America as the bad guy?

Chavez is to the Left what Bush is to the right: Ignorant blowhard populists with way too much testosterone and a bag full of empty tricks and horrible morals.

They should meet, duke it out. Hopefully they would K.O each other for good.

Oh, I don't know, the last time I heard news about what was aiding Mr. Chavez, was when the Democrats were chastising our closest friend and ally Columbia for cracking down on leftist guerrilas. As I recall, the Democrats were going to reject a Free Trade Agreement with them... on those grounds. Oh they were also going to reject free trade agreements with 2 or three other stable South American democracies thats thinking!

Hugo Chavez brings to the surface not only the excesses of the left, but also those of the right, and the rich who have inhabited Venezuela for decades.

Like Batista and his cohorts, they left the country bereft of wealth as they moved to millions to tax shelter mansions in Miami and other towns in Jeb Bush's tax shelter for rich Latinos.

I live in Mexico now because I gave up on America's ability to protect its middle class. At least I can say that Chavez is trying to help the poor and the middle class by taking some of the oils spoils back from the landed class. Mexico nationalized its oil many years ago, much to the chagrin of Washington. Had it not done so, it would be a sycophant nation rather than a growing one which is seeing more and more of its citizens return south from the land of racists and bigots.

They come in all stripes, and some of the worst arrive from foreign lands with big bank accounts and a political agenda they hope to turn into military Bay of Pigs style actions.

Maybe Chavez will succeed and maybe he won't. But Bush has set the US towards war, not peace, and that is exactly what it will get if it keeps up the volume. Too bad for all us regular people, but that is how it is..."asi es, no mas, no menos"...

it is a sad day when most citizens like a dictator like Chavez out of respect more than they do the President of the United States because he, himself, is a terrorist.

I have never supported George Bush but there is one thing I'm certain about: he will be gone from power in 2009 because I live in a democracy. Could the same ever have been said about Castro or can it be said about Chavez? It's amazing to me how some of you idealoques can't see the forest for the trees. If Chavez succeeds, I'll applaud and seriously listen but I don't think ensuring your permanency and shutting up the opposition is the ticket to success for a leader. Furthermore, blaming the U.S. for every ill in the world is absurd. I have to laugh when I hear anti-American views that Bush is so bad that he has no influence and then in the same breath say that what he said is the cause of the world's ills. Anti-Americanism may get votes or support for parochial politicians and make some of you feel good about yourselves on blogs but it won't guarantee a country's economy, freedom of expression, and most importantly the well-being of the people. It's easy to overthrow a ruling class where inequalities are great but it's so much harder to govern fairly and for the good of the people. The oversight that is guaranteed in a democracy I believe is essential for good government. Leaders who change their consitutions a la Chavez to perpetuate their power are not thinking about the good of the people so much as their own well-being.

Stupid WaPoo stenographers. Everytime they throw a propaganda smearing mudball it boomerangs back around and hits them in the head!

After reading the comments posted here, it is easy to see that most of the readers are no longer fooled by stupid WaPoo lapdogs. No wonder their circulation is going down the drain, where it belongs.

Last I heard, this so called totalitarian dictator was elected by a large majority of the population and is wildly popular with most Venezuelans.

Of course he must be demonized because he gives land back to poor people and gives poor U.S. citizens heating oil at discounted prices.

Oh, that's right, Venezuela also sits on trillions of dollars of oil reserves.

Chavez is a dictator? Historical memory is so short -- unlike Bush, President Chavez was democratically elected by the people in a fair and free election and people took to the streets to see him reinstated after the U.S.-backed coup. In fact, Venezuelans confirmed their support for Mr. Chavez more recently by voting yes to the constitutional changes in a national plebiscite.

i note with a certain irony the following comment:
"to restrain the Venezuelan people's most elementary human rights - notably the right to be informed, during exceptional circumstances such as a military coup." isn' this precisely what george bush has done in the states, and even misinformed. as for chavez's love of the bush threat of war, is'nt this the very strategy George Bush has used to centralize all power in the administration and to make it impossible for the Congress to contain his madness...they stand open to the charge of being unpatriotic, not supporting the troops. unfortunately we live in a lawless national and international environment at the present time when it comes to key countries on the world stage, a fact which is driving all democratic states to organize themselves into police states, and all authoritarian states, to channel all monies into weapons, and to "legitimately" suppress all rights of citizenship, whereas before they had to at least live with shame.

I believe it's too soon to predict what the final harvest will be from what is now Chavez's Venezuela but in spite of what many of his supporters have written here, Fidel Castro did virtually nothing for Cuba beyond establishing himself life-time employment in his many years of carefully manipulated police control of Cuba. Even with massive Soviet aid prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba is a model for nothing that I know of unless a failed state where absolutely nobody wants to migrate to. Venezuela has oil, of course, so let's see what Chavez does with it? From what I've read of the situation in Venezuela, the country has simply replaced some crooks for new crooks with huge mansions and unexplainable life-styles and this time the crooks are busy creating a Castro-like permanency to ensure eternal popularity with the people. Yes, U.S. policy toward South America could be more enlightened for sure but why should the U.S. open up trade and tourism to a country where the leader executed or deported his opposition, established a one-party government, and for more than 30 years spent his time in long-winded harangues about the evils of the U.S.? Yes, I'm sure that Chavez will use the Bush-Cheney rhetoric for his own designs but in all honesty I don't believe that this is the source of his success. He is an opportunistic dictator and Venezuela will reap what he sows.

in the name of allah-the beneficent-the merciful:say:he,allah is one.allah is he on whom all depend.he begets not,nor is he ebgoten.and none is like him.[qur'an:112]- ' the white man is screaming because he sees revolution in latin america." [malcolm x].u.s.imperialism is being exemplified by the fascist george w.bush moreso than any of his npredecessors.amerika was conceived in illegal european immigrants committing genocide against indigenous people and people of african descent.people are waking up daily and with technology at their expense are able to see the united states supersede adolph hitler in their quest to oppress the world.to resist u.s.imperialsim and zionism is to be called a terrorist.who is and has committed more acts of terorism on a daily basis than amerika and israel ? taif'tul'islam-p.o.box 338-compton,ca.90223

why do we worry about a men comments or why do we want to go to war whit others country that are nothing but just barking poppys and waste billions of dollars and then when economic is bad people say it is the inmigrants foult lets kick them out but no one has ever ask why IRS never gives a report on the millions of TIN tax identification numbers that immigrants get so they can pay taxes and canot get back what about that i think going to war will destroy this great nation and we will colapse like a tree when a lightning hits it we need to return to our old ways when honesty and humbleness was the shield of this great nation and was protected by it now it is a shame how te first settlers fight for a better nation and now it is a place where everything is a lawsuit for this for that and decrimination is raising like a soap bubble it is hard that volunteers like we work hard to bring the community close whit the police and now that gap is even wider because the people is no longer free to walk whit out been woory about been put to jail just because they are inmigrants now can some one talk about that and we need more ways to save our teens and help them to be a better citizens

Well, we were the ones, god only knows it had nothing to do with oil, helping and attempt to do in Mr. Chavez. I mean, that would make me jumpy.

The most striking thing about these posts is that the supporters of Chavez and his ilk seem to have a very difficult time with spelling, grammar and the construction of logical thought. And yet, these same fools refer to the current US administration and diplomatic corps as imbeciles, dim-wits and "Puddin-heads". How laughable.

The few intelligent comments on this article, rightly point out that the US policy towards Iran should not hinge upon some tin-pot dictator's misrepresentation of US policy to strengthen his position over the gullible populace of Venezuala.

But the most amazing thing of all is that signficant numbers of people around this world ignore the abject failure of communism and socialism. These state run, totalitarian systems are the antithesis of the freedom you all cry for, and bring nothing but hardship and suffering for all.

The political left has gone completely brain dead.

I cannot help but notice the similarities between bush and chavez:

1. both have "bent" their constitutions.

2. Both have deprived their citizens of rights guaranteed under their constitutions.

3: Both have either succeeded or attempted to destabilize and overthrow democratically elected overnments,
Chavez in Venezuela and bush in both Iran and among the Palestinians. We won't even discuss the 2000 coup in Florida.

Regards,

Jim W.

Leaders of these countries are bold in their claims. I hope the people of Venezuela stop being manipulated by Chávez. What’s sad is they probably don’t have a choice. I recently came across a website about Estonia’s Singing Revolution (http://singingrevolution.com) and it was inspiration to see a story about thousands of people coming together to fight for their freedom from Russia.

One day soon, Bush will be gone. Then hugo's circus tent will collapse and even the tin-foil hat crowd will see that the emperor has no clothes.

The author claims that Hugo Chavez is a totalitarian figure. However, Chavez has won three democratic elections with overwhelming support from the impoverished majority in Venezuela. Chavez has also survived an attempted coup, sponsored by the CIA, and carried out by the "democratic opposition" in Venezuela. For the truth about Chavez and his revolution, every American should watch the documentary titled "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." This article is mere propaganda. Chavez is intolerable to the West because his country is providing an example to the world, of a successful economic model that is not the usual neo-liberal economic programs, which have devastated Latin American countries. The proponents of these neo-liberal programs have always feared an alternative economic model, which provides more social support for the people of the region and consequently is much more popular than having the privatized, slash and burn IMF policies, which have only been successful in creating profit for multi-national corporations, while leaving the people with higher living expenses, lower wages and environmental devastation.

This really is no time to stab Chavez in the back. The biggest problem humanity is facing is a country armed with nuclear weapons, has invaded and destroyed two countries, and is preparing for the invasion and destruction of a third one. The nazis can be considered enlightened humanists compared to the current US political elite, both Democrat or Republican. So even if Chavez is so bad, it is not a crucial problem at the moment (actually, I do not think he is that bad, he had made life much better for the poor in Venezuela).

>>Mr. Bush's reckless talk of war on Iran is just one of the thousand ways Washington is forcefully helping Mr. Chávez's unapologetic totalitarian schemes come true.

Talk about Bush/America being reckless?!? Some gall...

These Iranian and Venezualan dictators have no desire to provide even one basic human right of true democratic freedom to any of their people.

These dictators, smooth talkers, Holocaust-deniers are the reckless ones, bar none.

Go Chavez! We in US are all with you!

Dear Mr. Martinez: So, should the U.S. just appease the neo-Nazi leader of Iran and let him continue to go about developing nuclear weapons, just in order to avoid riling Hugo Chavez? What's your solution to what apparently is the inevitable conversion of Venezuela to the totalitarian People's Republic of Chavezuela? Is the "solution" to the Chavez problem the avoidance of any criticism of totalitarian dictators, by any U.S. President? How does that help anything?

American foreign policy is the despair of her many friends worldwide as well as the critics of Chavez within Venezuela. Her leaders and policy wonks overlook or forget that America herself is a divided nation held together around a neutral capital, deliberately set up to absolve the objections of the Scots Irish Nonconformists in the American Revolution who would not tolerate a theocratic capital. Washington DC has been copied in many other former colonies and present dominions of the "Old Europe" powers - result peace - think Switzerland, think Canada, think Australia, Nigeria, and many working variations of the same idea. The neutral-site capitals work because they keep internal peace.
Try proposing this old but forgotten idea as a solution to the tri-part divisions now clearly more apparent in Irak, then have a look, with the same idea, at Cyprus, Kashmir, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and all the other flashpoints. and for the long term beyond the house of cards erected in Northern Ireland, all of Ireland into the bargain.
Think of it also as a means of wiping out the war on terror, which thrives on unresolved religious/ethnic conflicts.

American foreign policy is the despair of her many friends worldwide as well as the critics of Chavez within Venezuela. Her leaders and policy wonks overlook or forget that America herself is a divided nation held together around a neutral capital, deliberately set up to absolve the objections of the Scots Irish Nonconformists in the American Revolution who would not tolerate a theocratic capital. Washington DC has been copied in many other former colonies and present dominions of the "Old Europe" powers - result peace - think Switzerland, think Canada, think Australia, Nigeria, and many working variations of the same idea. The neutral-site capitals work because they keep internal peace.
Try proposing this old but forgotten idea as a solution to the tri-part divisions now clearly more apparent in Irak, then have a look, with the same idea, at Cyprus, Kashmir, Lebanon, Sri Lanka and all the other flashpoints. and for the long term beyond the house of cards erected in Northern Ireland, all of Ireland into the bargain.
Think of it also as a means of wiping out the war on terror, which thrives on unresolved religious/ethnic conflicts.

Time to squish the little midget.

Not Chavez' admirer... but common now, "El Nacional" is just as biased as FOX News.

It seems Mr IBSEN (award-winning playwright) has been sponsored by the “The National Endowment for Democracy” aka “anti-Chavez & US Congress funded Organization”

I have FAR more respect for President Chavez than I do for President Puddin'head.

The American full court corporate media war on democracy in Venezuela is an embarrassment. Most of us would welcome any populist help against the globalist fascists who run America as a private preserve for parasitic insiders. Chavez is the future and they are the past.

This guy is so slanted in his writing is has caused me to totally rethink my desire to read this blog. He slings these accusations and provides NOTHING to support his statements. Absolute waste of anyone's time to read this crap!

Furthermore, I like many people, have seen interviews with Chavez, and it is damn obvious that the guy is a million times ahead of most American diplomats in terms of his understanding of "free trade" and social movements. The US will NOT succeed in South America. They know that, and that is why Chavez will forever be in danger of being offed like so many leaders before him. Viva Chavez! And hopefully he can keep a trustworthy alliance of fighters by his side at all times, because he will certainly need it if he plans to continue his fight against the US economic hegemony in the region.

The premise of this article is all but nonsensical. If, as the author describes, "there is widespread conviction among most Venezuelans" that Chavez's rhetoric about U.S. intervention is just a totalitarian ruse, then how would Bush's statement about Iran increase Chavez's popularity or power?

Not to mention how counterproductive it is to shift the blame to the U.S. administration, when the fault lies with Chavez's regime and his supporters.

Chavez will do whatever it takes to stay in power indefinitely, like Robert Mugabe or Ferdinand Marcos or his idol, Fidel Castro (who, of course, will die in office without ever really having to stand for election). Even officials of the leftist Worker´s Party in Brazil are fed up with him. Chavez needs Bush and his rhetoric to maintain his power base. It also helps that Chavez´s predecessors did too littleto help the poor, so many in Venezuela see little reason to turn away from the bombastic Chavez.

Get your facts straight. France threatened Iran with bombing and acts of agression. Show me the quote from Bush saying he will bomb or invade Iran. Where is it? This is more of an Op Ed rather than solid factual information.

Just don't buy Citgo for a while and see what happens.

Mr. Chavez is seen as a Clown and a let down by most Latinos that I have spoken to here in Florida. He should be ashamed of what he is doing to his country. Having thrown away a chance to be a Real Leader, Statesman, and an example for other Latinos to follow. The best he can do is get in a tinkling contest with President Bush. If the people in his country do not want him in office then it's their job to get rid of him one way or the other. You can't reach that goal by moving to South Florida and talking bad about Chavez. From what I have read thats what many Venezuelans with money are doing. I guess those with means are going to make their last stand in the Doral Section of North Miami,Florida. Want a Free Venezuela? Then take action. Don't forget what happened in 1959 when Castro took over Cuba, many fled to Miami, and to this day almost 50 years later, they sit on Calle Ocho, playing dominos, still taking bad about Castro and dreaming of the day they return to Cuba. But don't say anything good about Castro or they want to fight; yet when that had a chance to fight they did not.

Yes Sirree, The Fascists of America are the best friends that dictators have. Bush's asinine verbosity radicalizes the people to support their leaders even though they dislike them. The Fascists radicalize friend and foe alike. They really do not know the difference and they really do not care.

Dave,

In the 60's the Castro regime allowed the Russian's to install nuclear missle facilities in Cuba. They were so close to the U.S. mainland that strategic deterrence was significantly compromised. That standoff and the fact that the Castro regime is a dictatorship, is really be beginning and the end of the explanation for the U.S. posture towards Cuba under Castro. Very few in the U.S. have particularly negative feelings towards Cubans or Cuba as a country, and I'd guess that a majority would love a normalization of relations in a post-Castro era.

But it is less about ideology than the potency of a threat once made. Some think that the U.S. could ignore the Iranian ideological differences as well, but when it comes down to it, Iran under Ayatollahs will always be shunned becuase of the hostages they took.

Significant actions against America will have significant consequences. The ideology may fuel the fire and justify some aspects of policy, but in large measure the "pariah" status of nations for America is a result of their own actions. (One could include N. Korean in that, though the historical justification for that status is a bit weaker in my opinion).

Dave:

The American public are not afraid of Cubans, Cuba, or Castro. We have had almost no contact with Cubans for two generations. What is there to be afraid of?

The president's comments have to do with internal Republican politics, Florida demographics (the Cuban-American vote), and how both might be affected by the anticipated change of government in Cuba if Castro dies, as is possible, before the next presidential election.

And if the president's comments are opaque to you down-under, they aren't much more transparent to Americans in the forty-nine states who don't have a Cuban-Cuba-Castro complex.

The greatest weakness in the American federal system is that it is not a parliamentary system. Had it been one, we would have been spared six years of Clinton titillation and two years of Bush irrelevancy (fourteen months of which remain...excruciatingly...before us).

Castro understands the American system, and he is not worried about Cuba when he's gone.

This post goes in answer to Dimik's "ad hominen" commment:
An even shortest foray into the net would let you know that I was among the few Venezuelan journalists, if not the only one, who denounced the privately-owned news black out during the 2002 coup against Mr. Chávez. Those privately-owned media included the daily you allude and for which I no longer write. [ I promise to update my resumé: I now write for the daily "Tal Cual". I also intend to post a more becoming photograph of myself.]
The constitutional reform recently advanced by Mr. Chávez includes bending more than 30 articles in such a way as to enable his "revolutionary and democratic government" to restrain the Venezuelan people's most elementary human rights, notably the right to be informed, during excepcional circumstances such as a military coup. Pinochet did not have it so easy.
I,of course , cannot but denounce such intentions, just as I did during the 2002 coup against a legitimately elected president I did not vote for.
Still, I wonder why should an independent columnist be held guilty of being just a pawn of the owners of the paper that runs his opinions?
Does that logic apply to the contributors of say, Le Monde Diplomatique? Are they all, as you seem to imply, just well-paid propagandists of "progressive" governments like those of Castro, Morales, Ortega and Chávez?

Check Le Monde International for a bit of background on the source of El Nacional, the Venezuelan newspaper from which this piece of propaganda emanated. El Nacional was directly involved in the failed coup attempt against Chavez in 2000. The Washington Post, at the very least, ought to at least fairly ID this sort of info so readers can understand where the Post is coming from.

As an Australian, what I'd like to understand is what does America fear about communism in Cuba and Castro? Sure he has a chequered history and has done a lot of damage but so has the US especially in their bilateral relations. He has managed to construct an enviable medical system that exports doctors around the world. Surely he deserves the chance to bring that sort of management to education and social welfare.

I don't purport to be an expert but I spent a week in Havana and stayed with a local family. I quizzed people I met and sure they were unhappy with their travel restrictions but most wouldn't give up Castro for the world. What Cuba really need is for the world's biggest market to open it's doors and allow money to flow in that can rebuild infrastructure and improve social conditions. There are enough ways around the rules for people to enjoy their lives, it is not as restricted as you are made to believe.

The only justification I have read about is effectively that america is losing face by having a different ideology on its doorstep. But how does that really hurt anyone? And isn't the easiest way to reduce the impact on the Cuban people to engage with the leadership so it feels secure enough to not need to quash desent?

Please help me understand.

Bush's action in threatening WWIII not only drives people toward Chavez, they drive every sane person away from the US government.

Bush has no right to threaten WWIII; Bush has no right to have General Petreus be his Foreign Minister Against Iran.

This is madness on the part of the US government.

We are headed for another war just sure as you can say George W. Bush

Why oh why do we allow this?

I'm for the draft to mobilize finally to think about what we are doing to the world. But then again shouldn't your President threatening WWIII without a draft mobilize people to say NO, NO MORE OF YOUR MADNESS!

Just because you keep saying that Chavez is a dictator doesn't make it so. I was an observer of the last election in Venezuela, and the support and participation of the Venezuelan people would be the envy of any democratic country in the world. It's unfortunate that the U.S. mainstream media repeats this kind of rhetoric without providing comment or context.

Castro is a failure and Chavez is part of our payback for years of illegal interventions in Latin America and consistently siding with corrupt oligarchs. What's needed now from us is quiet patience and understanding, along with genuine friendship toward our southern neighbors.

Sadly, we're stuck, temporarily, I hope, with this gang of agressive and ignorant bufoons who think democracy can be mandated at gunpoint.

That's right blame everything on the good ol' US. Despite Bush's posturing, Cubans will determine the future of post Castro Cuba and Venenezuelans will solve or not solve the Chavez problem. You all got rid of PJ on your own and if you all want rid of Chavez the same will happen. We in the US do not blame anyone for Bush. In the short term, I suspect Chavez will continue on his self empowerment path, even after Madame President comes to power.

Like said the great Fidel Castro: You ruled for who is mentally ill, is a compulsive liar, and a war criminal...

Like said the great Fidel Castro: You ruled for who is mentally ill, is a compulsive liar, and a war criminal...

The problem is not with Hugo Chavez. the problem is that the United States of America has annointed itself as the guardian of all things capitalistic and anti-domocratic (yes, even here in the USA). If we want world peace we must be willing to work for it - and it is hard work. The poor people of Latin America have always been subjugated by the elite - who look the other way at the poverty, and the lack of human/civil rights, education. If Venezuelans and Latin Americans want to change - they need to start with kicking the church out of their governments and creating a more just society.

¡Viva Chavez!

its like Whoa!

"undisciplined squads of beer-paunch milicianos who drag their feet through utterly laughable war games while dreaming only of their paychecks would be no match for any U.S. airborne battalion" yes? are you sure? say that to the iraqi insurgents...you cant defeat them...and i said "you" because you are a pro US interest employee...

Great article!! I would just add some thoughts about oil prices.

I'm not sure if Bush intended to push oil prices even higher when he spoke about WW3, but he did.

As a result, American motorists, who had long financed Hugo Chavez's dictatorship, are now posed to send even larger amounts of cash directly to crazy Hugo's pockets.

This money is used for many purposes:

- to buy Russian weapons,
- to keep Cuba's dictatorship in place,
- to finance electoral campaigns of leftist politicians across Latin America,
- to train and arm militias aimed at silencing any opposition in countries where Chavez's friends have gained power (Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador)
- to support terrorist groups operating in countries where Chavez has not been able to install some pals in government (Colombia's FARC, Peru, Paraguay, Mexico and most of Central America)
- to pay for a continuous public-relations campaign against the U.S., including hundreds of community radio stations across Latin America that keep hammering people's ears with anti-american propaganda
- to expand Venezuela's influence in the region by financing and building oilpipes and refineries.

Mr Ibsen is absolutely right: threats of WW3 is music to Chavez's ears.

Ruse? Ever hear of the Bay of Pigs? Remember the invasion of Panama? Grenada? Iraq? Agree with Bush's policies or disagree, but don't apologize or try to convince folks that these things do not happen. If I was Chavez, sitting on all that oil, I'd ensure my defenses were not lacking. I'm glad I'm not Chavez. And not Bush.

No surprise here. No individual with the minimum amount of brains could possibly accuse the Alcoholic Psyco of being intelligent. This country of ours has never seen such a stupid and retarded head of state.

I don't particularly support Chavez' politics in Venezuela. But I do know what went on in that country for the last 50 years. Politicians, business leaders and military cadres running the economy to the ground while they lined up their pockets of petro-dollares.

This never bothered Washington. But it did make millions of people poorer.

Chavez tapped on this necessity for change. Now, it appears that the poor are on top. And business leaders, politicians and corrupt military out of favour.

P.

Que Viva Hugo!!!

This is some info on the newspaper for which your contributor is writing. Simple two minute foray into the world of the net.

Recently, under the leadership of Manuel Sucre, who joined the company in the year 2000 after serving as CFO for the food-conglomerate Mavesa, El Nacional, along with other daily newspapers of the region, El Tiempo of Colombia, El Mercurio of Chile and La Nación of Argentina, created the of the Daily Group of America (GDA).

Note the inclusion of the neoliberal, pro-Pinochet El Mercurio among the papers owned by the conglomerate for which his bosses work. Somehow despite my concerns for aspects of Chavez's populism and political activity, I am not convinced by arguments coming from such sources. I would expect the post to at least run a more careful check of their contributors a background.

Ibsen's commentary is reasonable. Chavez is a dictator. He could have been a good populist leader but he has decided to go the way of the thug.

It is unfortunate for Latin America and the people of VZ. Following the path of Castro is like going backwords to a failed State.

The U.S. has made grave mistakes in foreign policy over the past 110 years as it relates to our neighbors to the south. From Gunboat Diplomacy to the Cold War policies of the 1950's to through the early nineties. We should acknowledge those mistakes, repent for them and move forward.

Unfortunately, Chavez direct confrontational sytel is going to start the entire civil war cycle all over again. In October of 2006, Sec. of State Rice signed a directive ordering that the School of the America's which, trains military officers from Latin America, be reopened. So we start the whole death cycle once again. And so it goes...

Mark

Why blame Washington?

Chavez will be a totalitarian and a hero to leftists who hate the US regardless of what US says.

"The threat of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela is nothing but a Chavez ruse".....did the Bush gang not try to violently overthrow Chavez once before with a coup?