[livius]

I just hope the boys from Langley get it right when they oust this guy again.

LOL! I hope so, too. That said, I really don't think we were particularly involved in last April's ouster attempt. I read an interview with one of the Venezuelan military officers who is now leading this one, and he said the thing he regretted most was taking Chavez' pistol away just when he was about to shoot himself after he had been driven out of Miraflores in April.

Now THAT's a mistake that won't be made again!

[shanec]

That was General de Brigada, Néstor González González, of the Venezuelian Army who left Chavez October 22nd to join his fellow dissenting officers protesting what was being done to their country by Chavez and vowing to stand together fighting him and his regime till they were gone.

He told me that story, about a week ago in my room overlooking the Altamira Plaza, of how he'd wrestled the gun from Chavez's mouth while pleading with him not to kill himself. Genuinely wishes today he'd not of restrained him so, is an understatement. Could only slowly shake his head as he recounted the ironic story, like something out of a gothic tale of palace intrigue, now that his own head was surely at risk of being on the block for having since deserted Chavez.

I have a lot of admiration for these career military officers truly risking it all (remember, they are publicly standing their ground here, not hiding or running off to Miami) because they are appalled at what's come of their country and very fearful of the Cubanization plans Chavez has embraced. See more of these brave officers taking a stand on principles here...http://www.militaresdemocraticos.com/sp/oficiales.html

-Shane