Posted on 04/15/2002 4:01:14 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:07:42 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
And since when do we give any politician a free ride. Remember, he's a politician first.
Haven't you noticed a repetitive pattern in the way politics are run today? At the start of the campaigning, they hit the South Carolinas and the core conservatives. Then they move on to the moderates and others, and by the time Inauguration Day comes along, they're spuing such barf, that it doesn't sound anything like what they said in SC. Then after they take office, it's like, "What's the Constitution".
Venezuela today (Monday) remained in a state of chaos and uncertainty as military chiefs reportedly tried to iron out their differences while the west side of Caracas woke up looking like a disaster area following yesterday’s and overnight looting.
A high military source told VON that the armed forces were split into a group against and another in favor of President Hugo Chávez remaining in power.
“The only point of coincidence is that the presidency must guarantee democratic practices and justice,” the source said.
An early morning tour revealed that shops and businesses along the 3-mile stretch from Miraflores presidential palace to the suburb of Catia and at least six square blocks of Catia had been looted and vandalized, many building showing signs of fire.
The association of supermarkets (ANSA) complained that in the aftermath of Chávez’s return to power great part of the capital was left without police protection and said that preliminary estimates of losses suffered by affiliated supermarkets alone surpassed $600 million.
The streets of West Caracas were strewn with debris, burnt vehicles and tires and municipal authorities said that in Sunday’s marches by Chávez supporters at least another 11 persons were killed bringing the total of persons who lost their lives since Thursday to 34 with over 400 injured or wounded.
Chávez was temporarily ousted by a army chiefs and private sector leader Pedro Carmona installed in his place Friday morning.
But Chávez’ refusal to sign his resignation and Carmona’s immediate dissolution of the National Assembly and other powers did not please pro-Chávez military chiefs who barely agreed to his removal.
In a triumphant return after 18 hours of captivity, Chávez promised to rectify and to launch a conciliatory crusade with opposition forces, but only a few hours later, Sunday afternoon, he went back to his old rhetoric and aggressiveness addressing his old paratrooper regiment in the city of Maracay, 100 kilometers west of Caracas.
Powell has made very pointed remarks about Chavez and his understanding of democracy. The Bush adm. has expressed concern about Chavez's supporters, his communist ties and anti-American comments. Christopher Dodd fought to keep Bush's nominee, Otto Juan Reich, from getting a hearing on his nomination as sec. for Western Hemisphere affairs and Bush finally gave him a recess appointment. Reich has been extremely outspoken about Castro and knows the people and the politics in this area very well. Powell had said Reich, a former ambassador to Venezuela, was the most important among the State Department's unconfirmed nominees. That, as well making inroads with an initiative to help poor nations that respect human rights, root out corruption, open their markets, and have education and health care systems, is where the Bush adm. has been.
I think his check list is just about done.
I certainly hope he won't be there that long. Although he has said, he wants to be "president" for twenty more years.
Firefighters work on looted shops in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, April 15, 2002. Looting erupted throughout Caracas as President Hugo Chavez returned to office on the wings of a popular uprising early Sunday, two days after he was ousted and arrested by Venezuela's military. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
"The march was a clear message from society to Chavez that it didn't like the way he was heading, but I don't know whether he's capable of understanding that," analyst Toro said.
Unidentified snipers shooting from rooftops opened fire on the demonstrators Thursday, killing 17 people and injuring over 100. The officers who deposed Chavez Friday blamed him and his militant supporters for the killings.
In his speech late Sunday in Maracay, Chavez denounced the attempted putsch against him as a "coup by the oligarchy," suggesting that it was promoted by a wealthy political and business elite backed by like-minded military officers.
But political analysts said this interpretation ignored the visible strength of the internal opposition against the outspoken leader, which before the failed coup had been voiced by business and labor chiefs, Catholic Bishops, opposition media barons, as well as dissident military officers.
"He is facing enormous civilian opposition." Teodoro Petkoff, editor of the TalCual daily, said. He urged Chavez to seek a genuine national consensus with his opponents to restore order and confidence in the troubled country.
Chavez had said Sunday there would be no witchhunt and he called for dialogue and reconciliation. But his opponents were deeply skeptical. "I have enormous reservations about this call for dialogue. Let's hope, God willing, it will happen and that calm and tranquillity can be restored," anti-Chavez union boss Carlos Ortega said. [End Excerpt]
I'll be better after I take the rest of your liberties and jail all the nasty opposition. Yeah, right!
Forget being civilized, read "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli.
And next time just shoot him. Sure there will be a world outcry for a bit but they'll get over it. Better that then what you have now.
a.cricket
If no Chavez would mean no or less oil to Castro, then we would be better off without Chavez.
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