Category Archives: Hugo Chavez

Chavez’s ‘Bolivarian revolution’ appears to be getting results.

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According to STRATFOR:

January 4, 2010

The Venezuelan government could shut down national steel and aluminum manufacturers as part of its electricity conservation plan, Globovision reported Jan. 4, citing Electric Energy Minister Angel Rodriguez. Rodriguez said that the measure could be necessary due to falling reservoir levels at the Guri dam

According to wikipedia:

The Guri Dam is one of the largest in the world. It is located in Bolívar State, Venezuela in the Caroni River. Its official name is Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar (previously named Central Hidroeléctrica Raúl Leoni from 1978 to 2000). It is 1300 meters long and 162 m high. The construction started in 1963 with the first part concluding in 1978 and the second one in 1986.

It has long been the focus of much controversy, as the lake created by the dam forever destroyed thousands of square miles of forest formerly renowned for its biodiversity and rare wildlife, including the only place where the recently-discovered Carrizal Seedeater (a finch-like tanager) was ever found.

There are two machine rooms with ten generators each producing a total of 87 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and saves 300,000 barrels of oil a day. The walls in room number two were decorated by the kinetic Venezuelan artistCarlos Cruz-Díez.

So, in other words, its one of the largest hydro electric plants on earth. Yet Venezuela seems not to have enough electricity to run its various industries despite being a net exporter of oil as well. Can anyone say ‘Central Planning’?

For anyone unfamiliar with Hayek’s most excellent book, ‘The Road to Serfdom’ here it is in classic comics version. Please have a look. It is the blueprint for failure in Venezuela now, and for Europe very soon.

Chavez announces take over of Toyota by Chinese

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If Hugo Chavez can be credited with any contribution whatsoever to mankind, it will be in the numerous entries in the next compendium of psychiatric ailments. Hell at this point he should have his own edition. ‘The DSM V HC’ Multiple sustained delusions.

Below find a segment from Fausta’s blog but please click over and read the whole thing. Fausta is your premiere site for Hugo watchers.

Chávez threatens Toyota, GM

Chavez parrotAnother day, another lunacy:
Venezuela’s President Threatens Toyota, GM

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, beset by a recession that is hurting his popularity, has turned his sights on international car companies, threatening them with nationalization and pledging to ramp up government intervention in their local businesses.The populist leader has threatened to expropriate Toyota Motor Corp.’s local assembly plant if the Japanese car maker doesn’t produce more vehicles designed for rural areas and transfer new technologies and manufacturing methods to its local unit. He said other car companies were also guilty of not transferring enough technology, mentioning Fiat SpA of Italy, which controls Chrysler Group LLC, and General Motors Co.

And who’s going to take over the Toyota plant? The Chinese!

The president ordered his trade minister, Eduardo Saman, to inspect the Toyota plant. He said if the inspection shows Toyota isn’t producing what he thinks it should and isn’t transferring technology, the government may consider taking over its plant and have a Chinese company operate it.“We’ll take it, we’ll expropriate it, we’ll pay them what it is worth and immediately call on the Chinese,” Mr. Chávez said in a televised address late Wednesday.

For the rest please visit Fausta’s blog

No pleasing the lefties. Chavez uses his sulfur quip on Obama

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Thanks to Fausta for the heads up on this one and the translation, Here Hugo cannot resist using his one witticism on Obama now that Bush is too far out of office for it to sell.

Fausta also has this fantastic and perhaps now, nostalgic clip of Chavez waxing ecstatic on Obama. Perhaps I should put these clips together. Could be good for a laugh

Hugo Chavez defines hypocrisy in Denmark.

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First, let’s have a look at what he actually said to an international audience in Copenhagen. H/T for the video to Gates of Vienna, your passport to sanity in the modern world.

Now let us have a brief look at some of the things Hugo has done for, or perhaps better stated, to democracy at home.

First some excerpts from the hopelessly non-partizan, STRATFOR organization:

Aug 24 2008

Summary
On his weekly television show Aug. 3, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez defended his decision to pass 26 new laws by decree — including one that will integrate his militias into the military. The move is an attempt to shore up his control over the country in the face of rising inflation, slackening national income and faltering party unity.

Summary

On his weekly television show Aug. 3, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez defended his decision to pass 26 new laws by decree — including one that will integrate his militias into the military. The move is an attempt to shore up his control over the country in the face of rising inflation, slackening national income and faltering party unity.

Analysis

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez used the last day of his special powers to pass laws by decree to institute 26 new edicts. This move, coupled with highly aggressive rhetoric from Chavez, was designed to strengthen his hold on the country ahead of Nov. 23 state and local elections that threaten his political influence in the country.

March 5 2009

Summary

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced the state’s takeover of two rice production facilities and budget cutbacks for state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela. These are the government’s opening moves in response to the global economic downturn.

Dec 9 2009

The Venezuelan government announced that it nationalized another three banks Dec. 8, bringing the total to seven. The takeover emphasizes the government’s anxiety about general economic unsteadiness, the need for resources and has also served clear political purposes. Continued nationalizations could very well tip off a crisis leading to bank runs and severe economic instability.

Dec 8 2009

December 8, 2009

President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela received thousands of Russian-made missiles and rocket launchers as part of his government’s military preparations for a possible armed conflict with neighboring Colombia, AP reported Dec. 8. During a televised address Chavez said Colombia is planning a war against Venezuela and preparing is the best way to neutralize it. The former paratrooper-turned-president did not specify what type of missiles, but said Venezuela’s growing arsenal includes Russian-made Igla-1S surface-to-air missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. Chavez added that Russian tanks, including T-72s, will arrive to strengthen the armored divisions.

Dec 3 2009

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced the government seizure of assets belonging to Grupo Bolivar, Globovision reported Dec. 3. Chavez listed warehouses, grain transport businesses and food processing factories as assets that could be taken over by the government, saying the move would guarantee the recovery of funds for the liquidation of several banks previously seized by authorities, including Banco Bolivar, a subsidiary of Grupo Bolivar.

Here, Hugo signs deals with some of the more well known democratic nations as he understands democracy:

October 28, 2009

Iran and Venezuela will establish a Spanish-based oil company called Beniroug, Fars News Agency reported Oct. 28, citing an official with the Venezuelan Embassy to Iran. Beniroug will allow investment in other countries such as Cuba, Sudan, China and Bolivia, the official said. Also, he said, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez signed a deal in Tehran that calls for Caracas to invest in Iran’s South Pars oil and gas field.

Examples of Hugo Chavez sheer venomous contempt for democracy, for inclusivness are legion. Well worth a subscription to Stratfor.com if you want the newest on this clown. I’ll post one or two examples of Hugo Chavez and his ‘Bolivarian revolution’ and it’s relationship to the Jewish people in Venezuela as examples of how inclusive he really is. But the straight facts are that his actions at home and in power are in direct opposition to his words at Copenhagen and for that matter in general.

Stratfor Feb 6 2009

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…At the same time, there has been a disturbing rise in anti-Semitism in Venezuela, in part in reaction to Israel’s Operation Cast Lead. Numerous virulent publications by individuals in Chavez’s camp have advocated “confronting” and “outing” Venezuelan Jews. Among other incidents, the student mentioned above was also “outed” as a Jew in national media. On Jan. 31, the main synagogue in Caracas suffered a major break-in. Fifteen armed men reportedly invaded the property, vandalizing it and stealing private information on members of the Jewish congregation. The intruders then seized surveillance videos of the synagogue property. While the reasons for visible uptick in anti-Semitism remain unclear, much can be attributed to rising tensions in the country and the Gaza crisis.

Chavez toying with the ‘False Flag’?

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From STRATFOR:

Venezuela: Attackers Target Copei Popular Party Headquarters
December 11, 2009
Unknown attackers threw a Molotov cocktail at Venezuela’s Copei Popular Party headquarters in Merida on Dec.11, Globovision reported. Merida State Gov. Marco Diaz blamed Mayor Lester Rodriguez and the Colombian consul for the incident, saying it is part of a destabilization plan of urban guerrilla attacks planned by Colombia. Diaz claimed the attacks left four policemen injured and damaged several businesses.

Stratfor SITREP: Chavez buys missiles, plans war

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Hugo cannot help himself can he? He simply must follow the age old pattern for leftist tyrants.

1. Acquire power

2. Destroy your nations economy

3. Forcibly take control of all the nations industries claiming that will fix it.

4. Blame it on an uninvolved neighbour and declare war on them

Venezuela: Thousands Of Missiles Acquired – Chavez

December 8, 2009
President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela received thousands of Russian-made missiles and rocket launchers as part of his government’s military preparations for a possible armed conflict with neighboring Colombia, AP reported Dec. 8. During a televised address Chavez said Colombia is planning a war against Venezuela and preparing is the best way to neutralize it. The former paratrooper-turned-president did not specify what type of missiles, but said Venezuela’s growing arsenal includes Russian-made Igla-1S surface-to-air missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. Chavez added that Russian tanks, including T-72s, will arrive to strengthen the armored divisions.

Hugs and kisses; Chavez and Ahmadinejad locked in love. Yeah baby.

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From The Jerusalem Post

Nov 26, 2009 6:01

Ahmadinejad to Chavez: ‘We’re going to be together until the end’


Gay Moody and Chavey

” We feel at home here among our brothers…..we’re going to be together until the end” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez during a visit to Latin America on Wednesday.

Both leaders roundly denounced US “imperialism,” and Chavez also called Israel “a murderous arm of the Yankee empire.”

Chavez said he had just returned from an unannounced visit to Cuba, where he met with his mentor Fidel Castro as well as President Raul Castro. “They asked me to give you a hug for them,” he told Ahmadinejad.

Also during Ahmadinejad’s visit, the two leaders agreed on the inception of a direct flight route between Teheran and Caracas, according to a report by AFP.

Anti-Semite Hugo Chavez Praises Muslim Terrorist Convert Carlos the Jackal as a Hero

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To bad these ‘soul mates’
aren’t cell mates

“Ilich” Ramírez Sánchez was and still is an unrepentant murderer and terrorist, who is personally responsible for the killing of six people and wounding scores more. The man has been sitting in a French jail ever since his conviction in 1997 and is presently serving a life sentence. This is a man that Venezuelan fascist dictator, Hugo Chavez, (you see fascists and communists find it very easy to switch back and forth) deems a hero.

It wouldn’t surprise the Tundra Tabloids to find out that Hugo Chavez has converted to Shiia Islam, it would just be a natural evolutionary step for the revolutionary tyrant of Venezuela. A staunch communist, now a staunch fascist, becoming a staunch Muslim would be a hat trick for the man who seeks to turn S.America into a swamp of socialism with strong ties to the Muslim Middle East. KGS

Heil Hussein!

CARACAS, Venezuela (al-AP) – Hugo Chavez is defending alleged terrorist mastermind Carlos the Jackal, saying the Venezuelan imprisoned in France was a “revolutionary fighter” rather than a terrorist.

The Venezuelan president praised Carlos—whose real name is Ilich Sanchez Ramirez—during a speech Friday night saying: “I defend him. It doesn’t matter to me what they say tomorrow in Europe.”

Ramirez gained international notoriety during the 1970s and 80s as the alleged mastermind of deadly bombings, killings and hostage dramas. He is serving a life sentence in France for the 1975 murders of two French secret agents and an alleged informant.

“They accuse him of being a terrorist, but Carlos really was a revolutionary fighter,” Chavez said during a televised speech to socialist politicians from various countries, who applauded.

Chavez has previously called Ramirez a friend, and a controversy erupted in 1999 after the leftist leader confirmed he had written a letter to him in prison, in response to a note from Ramirez.

Chavez’s remarks on Friday were his most strident yet in support of Ramirez. He said he believes Ramirez was unfairly convicted, and called him “one of the great fighters of the Palestine Liberation Organization” at the time.

Ramirez was captured in Sudan in 1994, and whisked in a sack to Paris by French agents. He was convicted three years later.

He is also accused of having a role in two 1982 bombings—on a Paris-Toulouse train and outside the Paris office of an Arab-language newspaper—and is suspected in two other train bombings on Dec. 31, 1983.
See

Chavez appears determined to start a war of distraction with Colombia

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From STRATFOR:

Nov 19 2009

Uniformed men destroyed with dynamite two bridges near Ragonvalia, Colombia, Reuters reported Nov. 19, citing Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva, who said the men were “apparently Venezuelan soldiers.” Ragonvalia Mayor Elmer Gamboa Tulante had previously said that approximately 40 Venezuelan soldiers had attacked three bridges, placing explosive charges on two suspension bridges and a small vehicle bridge near the Venezuelan border, according to Terra.

Venezuela to ration water in Caracas

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Here is the Stratfor SITREP:

Venezuela: Water In Caracas To Be Rationed
October 29, 2009
Venezuela said Oct. 29 that a water conservation program for Caracas will begin Nov. 2 and will last six months, El Nacional reported. The program may include rotating water shutoffs of up to 48 hours at a time. Government officials have stated that the current water shortage was due to a lack of rainfall caused by El Nino and wasteful use by Caracas residents

The real reason, is almost certainly groteque financial mismanagement and its lack of attendance to infrastructure. I personally have been to Venezuela many times. It is or rather was, a nation of plenty. Chavez may hold the record on how fast command and control impoverishes a state as well as actually destroys the very landscape itself.  I hope Obama is watching closely and not just saying “We can do C&C correctly.”

Communism, in its simplest form. Chavez steals a family farm

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From Fausta’s blog. Maybe if I ask nicely, she will translate this video so I can subtitle it for the anglosphere. It would be a good thing for sure. Watch and be afraid. Obama hugged this guy. This guy being Hugo ‘Cha’ of course.

VIDEO: Venezuelan farm stolen by Chavez

A group of red shirt-wearing Chavista thugs show up at a farm and seize the farm in the name of the government, under the pretext that the 103 hectare farm is “idle land” and that the law allows them to take it over for “food production.”

The farmer protests politely, explaining that he’s been raising cattle on his farm for 23 years. He is rebuffed by another guy, who says, “this is not going to be a debate; this is a public act approved by the Venezuelan people. I’m governor and I’m here to ensure public order. There won’t be a debate, I ask you to listen to the document, after which the public will take charge of the land.”

When the farmer’s wife protests, he tells her to discuss it in court.

Chavez controls the judiciary.

The farmer is told to sign the form, and then to gather the animals so they can be accounted for.

When another one of the people who lived at the farm tries to ask a question, the man who identified himself as the governor insists that “this is not a debate, this is not a meeting, and if there’s any disruption, the public force is here,” pointing to the crowd in red shirts.

Shane emailed this link to Gateway Pundit’s post – you can watch the whole shameful procedure (in Spanish) here:

EDITORIAL: Chavez goes for nukes

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Below please find an editorial from The Washington Times about Chavez and his new Nuclear ambitions for Venezuela. What disturbs me at the personal level, is how quickly a question I have been asking of all my social and political circle has been answered.

‘What was Chavez really doing in Iran?’ No way this was about gasoline.

Eeyore. (Image not from the WT so much as it is TT and VTB)

Gay Moody and Chavey

The song remains the same. We heard it from North Korea; we heard it from Iran. Now another dictatorship with no love for the United States embarks on a path that leads to nuclear-armed missiles. Venezuelan autocrat Hugo Chavez has announced that he has agreed to purchase some “little rockets” from Russia and also will begin work on a nuclear program, which he insists is for peaceful purposes. Yeah, right.

“We’re not going to make an atomic bomb,” Mr. Chavez declared in his folksy way, “so don’t bother us like with Iran.” We would be surprised if Mr. Chavez announced his intention to build a nuclear weapon. Few countries ever have. But recent precedents have not inspired confidence. North Korea reportedly is planning a third nuclear test, and the world waits for Iran soon to conduct its first. If Venezuela can cope with the threat of a few strongly worded letters from an unconvincing State Department, it can have a nuclear weapon too. Continue Reading →

Venezuela recognizes Georgian separatist regions

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H/T Dig

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Associated PressRussian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, shake hands with Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez at the Barvikha presidential residence, outside Moscow, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009. Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez says his country has recognized the independence of the Georgian separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Enlarge Associated Press

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Associated PressRussian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, welcomes Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez at the Barvikha presidential residence, outside Moscow on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009. Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez says his country has recognized the independence of the Georgian separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. His announcement Thursday at the start of a meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev could be a significant boost for Moscow, which recognized the regions as independent after last year’s war with Georgia.

Enlarge Associated Press

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Associated PressRussian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, welcomes Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez at the Barvikha presidential residence, outside Moscow on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009. Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez says his country has recognized the independence of the Georgian separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

BARVIKHA, Russia September 10, 2009, 09:05 am ET

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday said his country has recognized the independence of Georgian separatist regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia in a boost to Russia, which had been almost alone in recognizing them.

Russia recognized the two regions as independent shortly after driving Georgian forces out of them in last year’s war. But only Nicaragua had followed suit, a tacit slap by the international community and an embarrassment to Moscow’s contentions that it was bringing stability to the regions rather than occupying them. Continue Reading →

Hugo Chavez sees fit to attack Israel during Syria visit

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The only explanation I can think of for this odd behavior from Chavez must be that Hugo and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are lovers.

(Image courtesy of Tundra tabloid)

Gay Moody and Chavey

From Google News:

Venezuelan president bashes Israel in Syria trip

By ALBERT AJI (AP) – 6 hours ago

DAMASCUS, Syria — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez attacked Israel Thursday during his visit to Syria, calling it an imperialist nation that annihilates other people.

Chavez comments came during a news conference with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad after a one-hour meeting at the hilltop presidential palace.

“Israel has become a country that annihilates people and is hostile to peace,” he said, according to the Arabic translation of his remarks to reporters.

In comments carried by Venezuelan state television, he also accused Israel of being part of imperialist efforts to divide the Middle East.

“The entire world knows it. Why was the state of Israel created? … To divide. To impede the unity of the Arab world. To assure the presence of the North American empire in all these lands,” he said.

Chavez is on an 11-day trip to Libya, Algeria, Syria, Iran, Belarus and Russia in his bid to build a multi-polar world and decrease U.S. influence in the region.

“I believe it is a fateful battle. It’s either now or never in order to liberate the world from imperialism and change the world from a unipolar into a multi-polar world,” Chavez told reporters in Damascus.

On Tuesday he attended Libya’s celebration of the 40th anniversary of the coup that brought Moammar Gadhafi to power before heading to Algeria.

The firebrand Latin American leader has built close ties with Iran, Syria, Cuba and other countries while his relations have grown tense with Israel.

Chavez strongly criticized Israel’s war against Gaza in December and January and said the Jewish state should return to Syria the strategic Golan Heights that it captured in 1967 Mideast war.

For his part, Assad said that he does not think Israel is ready to make peace, while Damascus is serious about the matter.

Last year, Turkey mediated several rounds of indirect peace negotiations between Israel and Syria. But Syria suspended them in December over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

Assad said in a newspaper interview in March that the Turkish-mediated talks failed because Israel would not make a clear commitment to return all of the Golan up to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Associated Press Writer Christopher Toothaker in Caracas contributed to this report.