U.S.: Chavez Should Respect Process

(AP)

[Dallas]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration, which expressed no regret when the Venezuelan military ousted the country's elected president last week, advised Hugo Chavez on Sunday to make good use of a second chance to govern.

"We do hope that Chavez recognizes that the whole world is watching and that he takes advantage of this opportunity to right his own ship, which has been moving, frankly, in the wrong direction for quite a long time," said Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), President Bush (news - web sites)'s national security adviser.

She said Chavez "needs to respect constitutional processes" during this tumultuous period in Venezuela, the No. 3 supplier of oil to the United States and the world's fourth biggest exporter.

Chavez returned Sunday to the presidential palace in Caracas, the capital, after he was freed by his military captors. Two days earlier, army commanders had forced him from office.

"I hope that Hugo Chavez takes the message that his people sent him, that his own policies are not working for the Venezuela people, that he's dealt with him in a high-handed fashion," Rice said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Rice said she hopes Chavez "understands this is a time for national reflection, that he recognizes it's time for him to reflect on how Venezuela got to where it is."

At the time Chavez was ousted, the White House put the blame on Chavez because of attempts to violently put down a demonstration. Bush's spokesman said the Venezuelan government "suppressed what was a peaceful demonstration of the people. ... It led very quickly to a combustible situation in which Chavez resigned."

But Chavez's family, supporters and former government officials insisted he never resigned as president, as the interim president, Pedro Carmona, and Venezuela's high command claimed.

Chavez had befriended Cuban President Fidel Castro (news - web sites) and turned up in Iraq and Libya — all countries on the State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism. In February, Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said it was "strange" that Chavez would see fit to visit such countries.

Chavez also angered Washington with his strong opposition to the U.S. war in Afghanistan (news - web sites).

"This is no time for a witch hunt," Rice said. "This is a time for national reconciliation in Venezuela."

[MonroeDNA]

This will come back to haunt the Venezualans sooner rather than later. They laid all the cards on the table, and Chavez is still in the game. This egomaniac is going to say all the right things for a few weeks, then the crackdown in earnest will begin.

Rule #1 when deposing commie dictators: Shoot them while you have the chance.

[Dutchy]

I agree with rule #1!!! How will Chavez now take vengeance on the military?? If you conduct a coup, the CONDUCT A COUP!! No flip-flopping!! Chavez will have his revenge..

[RamsNo1]

I love it when we hand out advice but we don't stick to our own principles.

[snopercod]

Without the rule of law, dictatorship is inevitable.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

Thanks for the comment on the other thread. It's a relief to know that someone has heard from an actual Venezuelan.

But you'll understand my waspishness when you read a line like this from Condoleza The Pius:

"...Chavez 'needs to respect constitutional processes'..."

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[Dallas]

It may be time to regroup, and get our own hemisphere in order.

[bourbon]

"This is no time for a witch hunt," Rice said. "This is a time for national reconciliation in Venezuela."

interesting. Chavez actually used the term 'witch hunt' in his speech. He said he wasn't planning on having one. Interesting that she would reiterate his words thusly. Always, nice to know that folks like Condi are actually paying attention.

Of course, the term witch hunt sounds much cooler in Spanish (caza de brujas) than it does in English.

[cicero's_son]

We'll have to wait to see what happens. Surely you're familiar with the old Leninist tactic of staging a "counter-revolution" in order to lure the enemies of the State out into the open. As a fringe benefit, one gets to play the romantic hero, courageously manning the barricades against the foes of "progress."

Is that what happened down there? I don't know. I hope not.

I'm a big believer in the Mussolini solution for dictators. History tends to be unkind to tyrants who suffer street justice at the hands of their own people. If Clinton had only been removed as he should have been, for instance, we wouldn't have the incessant public neurosis over the meaning of his "legacy."

So my sincere hope is that the poor people of Venezuela (and Cuba) rise up against their own dictators and administer a little street justice. If the military is the only means to achieve this, then so be it.

[Robert_Paulson2]

Is that what happened down there? I don't know. I hope not.

hope all you want, but it is EXACTLY what happened. It is also intended to isolate the usa from south america and specifically columbia, peru and venezuela, panama and south america. This was a BIG boost in the arm for FARC... and now there will be a bloody purge.

Of course, we probably knew this was coming... and we too, have a few tricks up the sleeves.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It may be time to regroup, and get our own hemisphere in order.

Yes. There is a lot to deal with in the Western Hemisphere.

Hugo Chavez- Venezuela

Fidel Castro - Cuba

[ConsistentLibertarian]

This was a test: America said it wanted democracies in latin america. America said it wanted the rule of law in latin america. But Bush didn't like Chavez. Test: Do you support democracy and the rule of law only when you like the policies of the elected government? Bush gets a D. Rice gets an F because I hold her to higher standards.