Commandante El Presidente Hugo Does Venezuela His Way!

*edit:*19 Jan 2007 - Thread name changed to reflect the on-going antics of Commandante Chavez

The people of Venezuela are seeing the corruotion and deviation from freedom that Hugo Chavez has brought to their country.
How long will he last?



More photos here: picasaweb.google.com/alek.boyd/R … sVenezuela

Rosales Draws the Largest Crowd in Venezuelan History

Hat Tip to Flopping Aces

Lets add:
Gateway Pundit as a source. Good stuff here.

Days numbered? I doubt it. He remains far too popular.

I’ll be glad to see him go, though. He, oil riches, and Castro have created room for political innovation and greater independence in the region–which is great–and have invested in some very important programs and long neglected constituencies. But riding roughshod over state institutions is hardly praiseworthy.

And then a day after Rosales rally, Chavez drew a similar number of people to his own rally. According to the latest polls (from the BBC website), Chavez is polling 60%, Rosales 30%.

Nice try Cowboy. Buh-bye… and… thanks for playing…

[quote]President Hugo Chavez won re-election by a wide margin Sunday, according to official results, giving him another six years to solidify his self-styled social revolution and further his crusade to counter US influence.

With 78 percent of voting stations reporting, Chavez had 61 percent to 38 percent for challenger Manuel Rosales, said Tibisay Lucena, head of the country’s elections council. Chavez had nearly 6 million votes versus 3.7 million for Rosales, according to the partial tally.

Turnout was 62 percent, according to an official bulletin of results, making the lead insurmountable.

Supporters of Chavez celebrated in the streets Sunday even as polling stations remained open. Chavez backers cruised downtown Caracas in caravans honking horns, shouting “Chavez isn’t going anywhere” and setting off fireworks. [/quote]
Once again we see that people should get their news from me, and not Reverend Moon subscribers… Hear me now, believe me later…

And now, some photos of Chavez’ victory parade…

That’s a stronger (broader and deeper) mandate than most elected leaders receive in honest elections. What happened to eroding support? hmmm

Must have been in a parallel universe, the same where Iraq is a success.

Hey Chavistas…notice the question mark on the title?
Do you two really expect me to post happy happy over this anti-USA dictator thug?
Glad to see you both so proud of your support of a brutal left-wing militaristic dictator…LOL!
Was the television coverage good?
Oh…thats right…Chavez ordered the privately owned TV coverage halted and stations shut-down…
chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4376202.html
cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/ … index.html

Hugo doen’t like beer either:
Hugo Chávez’s New Enemy: Beer Trucks
Venezuelan President Orders Ban On Illegal Beer Vendors In Poor Areas
"“The law says you are not supposed to drink in the street, but everybody does it, especially at the Chavez rallies.”
Rosele Alcala, waitress in Venezuela

I suggest Venezuela be declared back-packer heaven and you guys head down there and teech engrish. Ol’ Hugo will welcome you with open arms.
I’ve been there a few times. Beautiful country, nice beaches, friendly people. Hey…get the back-pack thing goin’ and head out.

From Caracas, a personal view of things from 30 Nov:
[url=http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2006/11/30/20291/501]"The biggest question here today is not who will win the elections but what will happen when the results are announced. This should not be taken lightly. Many people are worried that the opposition will not accept their defeat. Immediately after the recall referendum in 2004, the opposition cried, “fraud,” and said they would present proof within a day. No proof has ever emerged.

On television the other night, a Chávez supporter announced that 40,000 black t-shirts with “FRAUD” written on them had been discovered, ready for a similar campaign after Sunday’s elections. True or false, I don’t know, but it is very much indicative of the worries that abound. The owner of a bakery told me that in his home he has extra cooking oil, cornmeal flour, coffee, water, etc., just in case anything should happen. The U.S. embassy has urged its citizens here to follow a similar procedure.

I said to one friend that I would like to be in the center of Caracas Sunday night to see the celebration. The reply? Stay out of the center of Caracas.

Hopefully the elections will take place peacefully and everyone will accept the results. But even if calm does follow the elections on Sunday, don’t expect a bed of roses for Chávez for the next six years unless a sizeable part of that one-third of the population, that maintains it is the majority, decides to permanently move to Miami.

(Charles Hardy is author of a forthcoming book on Venezuela to be published by Curbstone Press. Other essays by Hardy can be found on his personal blog Cowboyincaracas.com . You may write him at cowboyincaracas@yahoo.com.)[/url]

His blog, cowboyincaracas.com/ , is back up…sort of…it was hacked and closed for a while, others are up & down.
Pure coincidence…I’m certain…oh yeah.
(Good blog on Venezuela)

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Hey Chavistas…notice the question mark on the title?
Do you two really expect me to post happy happy over this anti-USA dictator thug?

Glad to see you both so proud of your support of a brutal left-wing militaristic dictator…LOL![/quote]
You go on and LOL but I don’t see anyone supporting him. Now we hold you up to the same standards you requested in another thread and expect you to quote those statements.

Once again you fall for the same illogicalness that plagues many on the right, you point out some facts about some “bad guy” (in this case Chavez winning the election) and you are immediately accused of being a supporter. :loco:

What’s new?

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Hey Chavistas…notice the question mark on the title?
Do you two really expect me to post happy happy over this anti-USA dictator thug?
Glad to see you both so proud of your support of a brutal left-wing militaristic dictator…LOL![/quote]

[quote]Dictator was the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. In modern usage, it refers to an absolutist or autocratic ruler who assumes sole power over the state.
[…]
Modern dictators have usually come to power in times of emergency. Frequently they have seized power by coup, but some, most notably Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany achieved office as head of government by legal means (election or appointment), and once in office gained additional extraordinary powers. Under Joseph Stalin, the concentration of power in the Communist Party in the Soviet Union developed into a personal dictatorship, but after his death there emerged a system of collective leadership. Latin American and African nations have undergone many dictatorships, usually by military leaders at the head of a junta.[/quote]

Chavez has come to power through democratic means… though he did attempt a coup.
He has exercised an alarming authority over state institutions… he says to impose necessary reforms on institutions designed to serve the interests of a narrow sector of society. It’s possible that he’s a popular dictator…

Certainly there have been a number of dictatorships in modern South and Central America… most of them backed by the US.

What actions has Chavez undertaken that makes you think he deserves to rank up there with Pinochet and Noriega? When has he unleashed the military on his own people, such that he deserves to be termed a ‘brutal left-wing militaristic dictator’ or ‘thug’?

Rascal, well…there you go again.

By the way, I find all of this stuff mildly humorous.
I get some funny emails about this place from some folks - some of whom do not post here but lurk quite often - commenting on the antics they see here.

Now rascal, you throw out the - “Now we hold you up to the same standards you requested in another thread and expect you to quote those statements.”
But you fail to say that my request for proof was not met by the poster on “another thread.” And the reason why is because I never made the statements the poster accused me of. Understand there?
Now on this thread I made the title very specific - It was a question. I showed proof of a large contingent of the Venezuelan populace expressing dissatisfaction for Hugo Chavez. The recent election confirms that the dissatisfaction is real. Yes, it appears he won again…and look what has happened. Press coverage restricted, communications shut-down, television stations closed and beer trucks banned in some areas…no beer, no justice!

Oh, and rascal…look at the avatar of the 4th poster on the thread…that ain’t Bob Hope.
I hope I helped you. It would be a lot easier if I could just put you on ignore. I try to do that…no such luck.

Jaboney -
Put that Maple Leaf on your back-pack and head on down there.
Opportunities Abound! A’dios y bueno suerte’!

(Some of the most beautiful women in the world there…go get 'em)

No, no, thanks. I got a beauty right here, and as much as I love travel, South America’s never drawn me. Don’t know why.

What I would love is an explanation for why you believe Chavez is a dictator–he very well may be a popular dictator, but I’d like you to make the case. I’d also like an explanation for why you believe he’s a thug.

If you’re simply throwing those terms around as pejoratives, fine. But in that case, I’ll have to further discount the weight I give your words.

I’m not even arguing against your characterization of Chavez; I simply want the case to be made. Not through simple links, but through argument and evidence. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

[quote=“Jaboney”]No, no, thanks. I got a beauty right here, and as much as I love travel, South America’s never drawn me. Don’t know why.[/quote]OK [quote=“Jaboney”]What I would love is an explanation for why you believe Chavez is a dictator–he very well may be a popular dictator, but I’d like you to make the case. I’d also like an explanation for why you believe he’s a thug.[/quote]He is. Look at what he’s done in Venezuela. Fits the bill. Closing down of the public media. Taking over private industry. Increased use of the military to control and abuse the civilian population. Looks, walks, talks and smells…its a dictator.
Why do you think he’s not? Because you agree with his tactics? Because you believe that the state should have ultimate control over the populace?

[quote=“Jaboney”]If you’re simply throwing those terms around as pejoratives, fine. But in that case, I’ll have to further discount the weight I give your words.[/quote]I am deeply saddened by this new…/wise-crack

[quote=“Jaboney”]I’m not even arguing against your characterization of Chavez;[/quote]Yes you are…its called ‘deconstruction’…you’re not the only one who has read the book.[quote=“Jaboney”] I simply want the case to be made. Not through simple links, but through argument and evidence. That’s not too much to ask, is it?[/quote]Yeah…it is. Now go declare a ‘victory.’ I’ve made things very clear Jaboney. If you find this insufficient for your needs, then maybe its because you demand too much. Either way, how you interpret what I post is your concern, not mine.

[b]Chavez has won! aha!

Viva La Revolución!!![/b]

[quote]
“Long live the socialist revolution! Destiny has been written,” Chavez shouted to thousands of flag-waving supporters wearing red shirts and braving a pouring rain.

“That new era has begun,” he said, raising a hand in the air. “We have shown that Venezuela is red!.. No one should fear socialism… Socialism is human. Socialism is love,” Chavez said. “Down with imperialism! We need a new world!”[/quote]

[quote]
“We’re here to support our president, who has helped us so much,” said Jose Domingo Izaguirre, a factory worker who waited hours to vote. His family recently moved into new government housing.[/quote]

TC, you’re a riot.

Could you point out where the military or para-military thugs were in those photos you posted of a massive opposition rally? And where’s this book that I should be reading.

Sorry to hear that a logical constructed, evidence-back argument is too much to ask. I’d suspected as much, but thought I’d give you a chance.

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Rascal, well…there you go again.

By the way, I find all of this stuff mildly humorous.
I get some funny emails about this place from some folks - some of whom do not post here but lurk quite often - commenting on the antics they see here.[/quote]
That’s relevant how? I mean I don’t care what emails you receive. But did it ever occur to you that you may play a part in those - though I guess that those sending you those emails would not say that, would they (or that you would admit to the same)? Don’t bother to answer, it’s a rethorical question.

[quote]Now rascal, you throw out the - “Now we hold you up to the same standards you requested in another thread and expect you to quote those statements.”
But you fail to say that my request for proof was not met by the poster on “another thread.” And the reason why is because I never made the statements the poster accused me of. Understand there?[/quote]
My concern is not the other poster but your accusation and your standards. Do you understand that?
Or are you actually saying you are not going to answer because you can’t provide the proof because others never made such statements?

Ball 's in your court.

[url=http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/04/D8LPS7P01.html][color=red]“Long live the socialist revolution! Destiny has been written,” Chavez shouted to thousands of flag-waving supporters wearing red shirts and braving a pouring rain.

“That new era has begun,” he said, raising a hand in the air. “We have shown that Venezuela is red!.. No one should fear socialism… Socialism is human. Socialism is love,” Chavez said. “Down with imperialism! We need a new world!”[/color][/url]
"Chavez says he would convene a commission upon re-election to propose constitutional reforms, likely including an end to presidential term limits. Current law prevents him from running again in 2012.

The president insists he is a democrat and will continue to respect private property _ though he has boosted state control over the oil industry and has said he might nationalize utilities. Venezuela is the world’s fifth largest oil exporter and soaring oil prices have made it the continent’s fastest growing economy.

Chavez has pledged at least $1.1 billion in loans and financial aid to Latin American countries in the past two years, and billions more in bond bailouts for friendly governments as well as generously financed oil deals. But the largesse has proved a weakness at home, with polls suggesting many Venezuelans believe the aid impedes efforts to address the country’s own problems.

Chavez, who says Fidel Castro is like a father to him, has built increasingly close ties with Cuba, sending the island oil while thousands of Cuban doctors treat Venezuela’s poor for free."

I think the Hugo show is just beginning. Look for his exports it in a Latin American country near you!
Now about all those arms he’s buying…well, its just spreading the wealth, eh?

Rascal, tear down that wall!

The Fox News method of spreading memes. :wink:

Does that mean you are not applying your own standards and that you will not provide the proof of your accusation?

Fine, I accept your defeat.

Rascal:

Give us your appraisal of Chavez and his reign in Venezuela. Are you a supporter? Glad to see him win? How do you “feel” about the human rights record since he took over? political freedom?

As to the other cheering fans, anyone have anything to offer regarding the success of communist or socialist policies anywhere in the world, anywhere? no? er? um? what?