It is time for a fan favorite: anything about Hugo...
The latest episode in the disaster that is Bolivarian Socialism is that with just a few more days left in his "rule-by-decree" allowance, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela has decreed a package of 26 new laws. Now this would usually be greeted, even inside Venezuela, with a collective sigh and little else. It is not like he is threatening to invade Guyana again, or to go to war with Colombia (openly), or to attack the running-dog-capitalist-gringo-menace at any opportunity. That *usually* makes page 13 of a couple newspapers.
No, amazingly this time The AP actually got the story out, and in some detail:
From The AP via the NYT
Now just in case you aren't willing to take the chance that a wire-service will actually bother to cover a story about Venezuela, here is the *best* insider's view of what is going on in country there. I have selected his particular posting about this same event:
Venezuela News and Views
Key Points:
While it seemed that popular opposition to Chavez had quieted a bit (mostly from fatigue) recently, several of these new laws are just so aggregious that it looks like things are going to heat up again. A small protest came this week; Look for more and bigger on Saturday when a major protest is to be attempted.
Open Ground:
Besides the usual "how bad is it to have a guy like this running a country that the U.S.A. is supposed to be able to depend on?", lets go ahead and open it up to the two risky issues: At what point does the Chavez regime become another Cuba? and, Were things to turn that way and he become (like Castro's regime, in the 70's in particular) a threat to neighboring states, what if anything can and should be done? Clarification: I am well aware that there is a strong argument that the Chavez-Correa-Morales connection is looking a whole lot like a threat to everyone around them right now. I simply consider that it could get even worse.
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Karl Reisman said...
We botched it a few years ago. Someone should have put a bullet into the head of that pudgy troll long ago. My contempt for Jimmy Carter and his reining in of our inteligence organs just really knows no bounds. I don't know now what would be a good time to invade, because Hugo's base of support are the poor and illiterate, the same sort of folks that will melt into the woods and snipe at anyone opposed to Chavez, wearing an alphabet soup of acronyms. Didn't Venezuela used to be a hot vacation destination? Didn't like some of the hot "Miss Universe" competition winners come from Venezuela? What happened is a shame and getting worse what with Chavez purchasing Sukhoi fighters.. We botched the Bay of Pigs invasion as well and look where that left us? I don't have a solution other than a bullet in his brain.
August 7, 2008 10:24 AM
Here I come---
National Home > News > Latin America
Latest decrees by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Aug 6, 2008 7:12 PM (19 hrs ago) By The Associated Press, AP
» 19 hrs ago: Latest decrees by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez «
The decrees declared by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez:
- Establish civilian militias critics fear will evolve into Cuban-style community groups used to monitor and prevent "counterrevolutionary" activities.
- Give Chavez the power to expropriate goods from private business owners without approval from the National Assembly.
- Increase state control over food production and commerce, punishing business owners who fail to comply with price controls and other regulations with fines, indefinite closure or up to 10 years in prison.
Chavez to nationalize Spanish-owned bank - Give Chavez the ability to designate regional political authorities who could undermine the power of elected mayors and governors.
- Put Chavez in charge of a social investment fund for "excess resources" from state-run enterprises - including recently nationalized telecommunications, electricity, steel and cement companies.
- Support efforts by the Chavez government to create a socialist-style economy at the community level, providing for bartering of goods and the communal operation of "social property" businesses.
- Change the name of Venezuela's military, now decreed to be "Bolivarian," a reference to independence hero Simon Bolivar, whom Chavez considers to be the inspiration of his socialist movement.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Does this not mirror Cuba?
That SOB snuck these 26 laws in without discussing this publicly- He wants to control how much food can be given in certain regions by establishing these committees.
This package of decrees is "bolstering gov't power."
In your second link-- tomorrow-- the Interamerican Court for Human Rights has their hearing tomorrow- I read the link the article provided which was in Spanish-- Luisiana Rios and others against Venezuela for its harrassment against the workers of RCTV-- and the suppression of the freedom of expression.
Of course, Chavez's side denies all these allegations- no violations against human rights!
His cancelled trip to Bolivia-- he is blaming the US for the violence there- Election day is Sunday in Bolivia-- I sure hope it is bye bye to Morales!
too much coca paste is being chewed there!!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry this came in so late-- I have been reading--
@Karl--
I love your--pudgy troll- description! LOL
I also read we are getting more oil from Nigeria than from that porky pig!
@Susan
"...getting more oil from Nigeria than from..."
It fluctuates a lot. Those two are fairly close, though.
DoE on Oil Imports
I wish it would fluctuate more from Nigeria's end--
@Susan
"I wish it would fluctuate more from Nigeria's end--"
You sure about wanting more dependence on Nigeria...?
AlertNet Chronology of Nigerian Attacks 2008
forget that-- I stand corrected!
back to the argument-- off shore drilling!
did a quick check on Hugo-- an interesting opinion here but I am sure not all accurate-(Sir Ronald Sanders)
The bizarre remarks and actions of the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez continue to concern anyone who is interested in the peace and security of the Caribbean region.
Chavez has recently purchased $4 billion worth of military equipment from Russia. These include: 24 Sukhoi combat aircraft with missiles, Main battle tanks, transport aircraft, air defence systems and Kalashnikov AK automatic assault rifles. This latest purchase follows a 2005-2006 agreement with Russia to buy over 50 combat helicopters, 12 Tor-M1state-of-the-art defence anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile systems and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles.
Having purchased all this heavy-duty weaponry, Chavez boasted that his air force could sink the US Fourth Fleet which was recently deployed in the Caribbean reportedly on drug-interdiction duty. He added that the Sukhoi aircraft has a considerably longer range than the US Lockheed MartinF-16 Fighting Falcons. And he went on: “Any gringo ship that sails into brown waters (Venezuelan waters) will itself turn brown and go to the bottom, because they’ll not get through”.
What all this hype from Chavez is all about is best known to him. But, it does not make for logical analysis. Normally, a government pursues a foreign policy that is linked to advancing its domestic concerns. However, sabre-rattling at the US is hardly likely to advance Chavez’s popularity with Venezuelan people who have had a long tradition of close relations with the US, nor will it help the Venezuelan economy despite its earnings from high oil prices...
and more....
http://story.venezuelastar.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/262fd6adf564928c/id/16755811/
@LDG--
the weapons being purchased by Hugo-- are these all accurate?
Until you give the ok on an article for 100% accuracy, I don't know how much to believe!
have a good rest-- off now!
xxxx
@Susan
Yes, that is a pretty accurate telling of his shopping list, minus some ordinance (bombs, missiles) to go with some of those things.
Not all have been delivered, but the Sukhoi fighter aircraft are all in country now, as is a substantial part of the assualt rifles buy.
The misleading part is the repetition of Chavez's claims that any of that gives his forces more than 30 seconds survival time in contact with American Naval or Air Forces. The writer does concede it is all hype on Hugo's part, though.
doing more reading on Chavez--
Supreme Court there seems to favor Chavez-- ratifying the candidates disqualifications as constitutional-- old news but I did not see this as of today-
my understanding is that most of these were Hugo's opponents
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