Feature: Cracks are showing in Venezuela

UPI ^ | February 9, 2002 | Owain Johnson

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuelan VP (and former coup partner of Chavez) claims media helped stir protests Soto's whereabouts were unknown. National Guard Capt. Pedro Jose Flores, believed to be involved with Soto, also was missing.

Soto said most of the armed forces resent Chavez's uncompromising style of governing and his verbal attacks on the news media. The government described Soto as a disgruntled colonel passed over for promotion to general.

Vice President Diosdado Cabello assured the nation that no coups were stirring and that this South American nation "is in complete and total calm."

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Interesting perspective, coming from the former co-coup plotter of Hugo Chavez.

[PhilDragoo]

Chavez styles himself a mini-Fidel. This oil-rich, anti-U.S. regime just concluded an arms-and-"friendship" deal with China.

Where's a C.I.A. hit team when you need it?

[flanew]

good post

[waxhaw]

This is an interesting post. Venezuela was going through economic meltdown while I was living there from '93 - '96. And while there was "freedom" of the press the government controlled access to dollars and the newspapers required dollars in order to buy their print paper. Any paper which was critical towards the Caldera government did not receive dollars... so you never read any criticism of the government's handling of the financial crisis. The few television reporters who attempted to criticize the Caldera government found their offices trashed and their journalists beaten. There were some television journalists who had to flee Venezuela because they genuinely feared for their lives - one reporter in fact was sentenced to prison in absentia. Meanwhile over 80 "banqueros" - the bankers who robbed Venezuela's 19 major banks and then fled with the loot, were living luxurious lives in Miami and Switzerland. The Caldera government made no effort to go after them... but journalists were prime targets.

[ken21]

good post.

i saw an article similar to this in the newspaper today.

i hope they get rid of chavez and his castroites.

[hchutch]

Amen to that.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Where's a C.I.A. hit team when you need it?

We're not supposed to see them, are we? =^)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Thank you for that information waxhaw. It's extremely informative.

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I hope they get rid of chavez and his castroites.

Bump!!

[PhilDragoo]

China Reform Monitor No. 250, October 20, 1999

October 10
Visiting Beijing, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez stated, "I have always been very Maoist," the Associated Press reports. Chavez a former army paratrooper and failed coup leader, who after being elected has increased the role of the military in Venezuelan society, repeatedly praised Chinese revolutionary Mao Tse Tung during meetings with Chinese officials.

October 11
Chinese President Jiang Zemin gave a full state welcome to Hugo Chavez and the Beijing government agreed to purchase a special Venezuelan fuel that is a controversial substitute for coal, the AP reports. The tar-based fuel called Orimulsion was blocked for sale to the United States because environmental groups claim it is a pollution threat to air and water. Another agreement signed protects Chinese investments in Venezuela, including the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation's $360 million investment in drilling and exploitation rights in two Venezuelan oil fields.

October 12
Speaking at an economic seminar in Beijing, Hugo Chavez invited China to share in Venezuela's "resurrection after decades of financial crisis," AP reports. Earlier, while paying homage at Mao Tse Tung's tomb, Chavez wrote in the mausoleum's guest book, "To the great strategist, to the great soldier, to the great statesman and to the great revolutionary." Meeting with Chinese officials, Chavez criticized the United States as attempting to be a global policeman.

Meeting with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Chavez called for a multipolar world free of U.S. domination. He said China was a guarantee that the world would not fall into a "uniploar" system dominated by a single superpower. At China's Great Hall of the People, Zhu offered China's full support for "the social revolution" of Chavez. "Although certain conservative forces at home [Venezuela] and abroad are against your cause, the government and people of China are on your side," Zhu stated.

[Travis McGee]

It looks like Fidel has been a good teacher in how to handle the media.

[ken21]

environmentalists will soon be breathing orimulsion here in the states, as it drifts across the pacific from china.

[Chapita]

I got an email from a lady in Maracay, Venezuela today. She is reluctant to discuss politics via email. I know why!

[Travis McGee]

I hope the Colonels are successful and take out Little Fidel pronto.

[Chapita]

I was told that DGI was helping Chavez's intellignce service identify disgruntled military officers. That could lead to trouble!

[Travis McGee]

The Colonels need an express shipment of these:

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Great stuff!

Thank you for posting it PhilDragoo.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It looks like Fidel has been a good teacher in how to handle the media.

Soon Chavez will allow only a CNN news bureau and welcome Dan Rather down for a cigar and a stroll.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Chapita]

I remember when I could have used one of those!