Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took his verbal battle with the United States to the floor of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, calling President Bush "the devil." The impassioned speech by the leftist leader came a day after Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparred over Tehran's disputed nuclear program but managed to avoid a personal encounter. "The devil came here yesterday," Chavez said, referring to Bush's address on Tuesday and making the sign of the cross. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world." The leftist leader, who has joined Iran and Cuba in opposing U.S. influence, accused Washington of "domination, exploitation and pillage of peoples of the world." "We appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our head," he said. The main U.S. seat in the assembly hall was empty as Chavez spoke. But there was a "junior note taker" there, as is customary "when governments like that speak," the U.S. ambassador to the U.N said. Ambassador John Bolton told The Associated Press that Chavez had the right to express his opinion, adding it was "too bad the people of Venezuela don't have free speech." "I'm just not going to comment on this because his remarks just don't warrant a response," Bolton said. "Serious people can listen to what he had to say and if they do they will reject it." Chavez drew tentative giggles at times from the audience, but also some applause when he called Bush the devil. LOL
Chavez is an idiot. This plays exactly into Bush's and Karl Rove's hands. Idiot. Sinking to Bush's level of US or Them...full on polarity, the politics of polarity, which is how Bush wins in this country at this particular time in history... Dems should denounce Chavez, but they won't... Idiots too.
Zing! More proof that the UN should move its headquarters elsewhere so we don't have to suffer the insult of assholes like Chavez and Ahmadinejad standing on the very soil they would like to see destroyed.
While I certainly don't approve of Chavez's rhetoric or methods, I respect and admire his zeal and integrity. Half of Venezuela lives in abject poverty. 80% of the nation's economy is commodity driven. For too many years the people were pillaged by corruption at home and absentee international interests who exploited Venezuela's vast resources. Chavez despite his numerous faults is trying to lift the hearts of the hopeless. If I were Prez I'd be trying to support the populist leaders of SA who straddle the line between market economies and a more equal distribution of services like health care and education. By isolating Chavez and Morales we are only ensuring that SA dig for answers rooted in Marxism.
Never happen, as the Dems hatred of Bush exceeds that of their feelings about Chavez. The enemy of my enemy is my friend....
chavez is still a little miffed from the last assasination attempt. anytime an oil country tries to nationalize its oil fields the cia gets right on it... wink wink. maybe he knew about John Perkin's previous work. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WjPoeQRewiE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WjPoeQRewiE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> chaquita banana anyone?
The U.S has many enemies, Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are just the tip of the iceberg. Bashar Assad, president of Syria, Kim Dong Kyu, president of North Korea, and the Russians all highly dislike the United States.