Hugo Chaves is not a dictator !

[skadistic]

And if you say he is he will kick you out of his country if you are a foreigner.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,290337,00.html

"CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that foreigners who publicly criticize him or his government while visiting Venezuela will be expelled from the country.

Chavez ordered officials to closely monitor statements made by international figures during their visits to Venezuela — and deport any outspoken critics.

"How long are we going to allow a person — from any country in the world — to come to our own house to say there's a dictatorship here, that the president is a tyrant, and nobody does anything about it?" Chavez asked during his weekly television and radio program.

The Venezuelan leader's statements came after Manuel Espino, the president of Mexico's conservative ruling party, criticized Chavez during a recent pro-democracy forum in Caracas.

Government opponents argue Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro — is becoming increasingly authoritarian and cracking down on dissent as he steers oil-rich Venezuela toward what he calls "21st-century socialism."

Chavez rejects such allegations, countering that democratic freedoms have been extended since he was first elected in 1998. The former paratroop commander says his government has empowered the poor by giving them increased decision-making authority in politics.

Freedom of speech seems to have been taken away and not extended.

"He said Cuba's 80-year-old "Maximum Leader" gave him a copy of former CIA Director George Tenet's recently published memoir and told him: "'Read it, Chavez, because that is the most perfect killing machine ever invented and I'm a survivor ... I survived more than 600 (assassination) attempts.'"

"The CIA is everywhere," said Chavez, who has repeatedly warned that U.S. President George W. Bush could order him killed.

U.S. law has forbidden assassination attempts since the 1970s, and Washington denies the U.S. government has attempted to kill Castro since then.

Nutters !! Both of them are delusional to the max.

 

[Hitti-Litti]

When you think of this, you have to say this:

Chavez has balls. No way other leaders could dare to do this, except Mugabe and Kim Yong-Il.

Though that doesn't make Hugo a good person.

 

[Che Guava]

Easy to have balls when you have a decent size army at your disposal. Oh Hugo, what will become of you....?

 

[Urederra]

When you think of this, you have to say this:

Chavez has balls. No way other leaders could dare to do this, except Mugabe and Kim Yong-Il.

Though that doesn't make Hugo a good person.

Funny that you compare him to Mugabe and Kim Yong-II.

I don't know if you are being sarcastic.

 

[amadeus]

 

[Whomp]

Venezuela will be an interesting economics lesson reasonably soon I'd think.

The country is falling into a classic case of "Dutch Disease". The US economy seems to be headed towards a slow down I doubt they can decouple from the US economy like Brazil and many Asian countries will.

Instead of encouraging investment they're discouraging investment. (btw look at Indonesian and Nigerian economies 30 years ago when they were substantially the same and made major discoveries. Indonesia's economy is ~5x bigger today)

If you look at the sectors that grew the most in the last quarter were commerce, transportation, communications, construction and financial intermediation. In other words, Venezuelans are using all their cash to go shopping, buy more houses, take more bus trips and make more phone calls. They are also spending more on importing stuff: imports grew 46.9% in the last year.

The Balance of Payments is running a deficit of $5.1 billion which seems crazy for a country undergoing an export boom. However, holding large dollar holdings and trading them will put you in jail.

The good news is manufacturing is up, but not by much, and its rate of increase is lower than the average for the economy. In other words, Venezuelans are not using the current boom to import capital, develop technology or become competitive in other sectors. They are using it to buy consumption goods and services and ,where they can, purchase dollars for safekeeping overseas.

I think that current trend is unsustainable and the economy may be in for a hard landing.

 

[sonorakitch]

"How long are we going to allow a person — from any country in the world — to come to our own house to say there's a dictatorship here, that the president is a tyrant, and nobody does anything about it?" Chavez asked

Ironic, isn't it? I believe Hugo caused quite a stir last year with his visit to the United Nations!

~Chris

 

[Hitti-Litti]

Funny that you compare him to Mugabe and Kim Yong-II.

I don't know if you are being sarcastic.

I compared those, because all of those are dictators of nations that bigger powers could easily crush. North Korea could be the only problem, possible nukes are bad. Also Ahmadinejad can be added to that list.

 

[The Yankee]

Too bad we didn't forcibly kick him out to a place of our choosing the moment he stepped outside UN grounds after that famous speech.

"How long are we going to allow a person — from any country in the world — to come to our own house to say there's a dictatorship here, that the president is a tyrant, and nobody does anything about it?" Chavez asked during his weekly television and radio program.

Of course. Now you have to back up their statements by proving you're a dictator. Much better than it was previously.