Venezuela Rejects Negroponte’s “Concerns” Over its Democracy

[Say_What]

<clips>

Caracas, January 31, 2006 (Venezuelanalysis.com)— The Venezuelan government issued a statement yesterday rejecting comments made by a senior U.S. official, John Negroponte, who called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez “a threat to democracy” in Latin America.

Earlier this month U.S. President George W. Bush nominated Negroponte, currently director of National Intelligence under the Bush administration, for the position of deputy Secretary of State, an appointment subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate. At his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing yesterday Negroponte said, "I do not think has been a constructive force in the hemisphere," adding that he thought “ behavior is threatening to democracies in the region," according to AP.

The Venezuelan government’s response, issued through a Ministry of Foreign Relations (MRE) press release, stated that “Mr. Negroponte represents a real threat to peace and democracy,” in Latin America. “It is not credible to anybody in the hemisphere that is considering a new policy for Latin America when it assigns individuals such as Mr. Negroponte,” it added.

In reference to the period (1981-1985) that Negroponte served as U.S. Ambassador to Honduras, the MRE press release said, “Latin America has the worst memories of this individual when he was an instrument of genocidal and imperialist policies in Central America."

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2206

[Say_What]

1. Venezuelan Legislature Allows President to Pass Laws by Decree for 18 Months

<clips>

Caracas, January 31, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com)— Venezuela’s National Assembly passed a so-called “enabling law” today, which will allow President Chavez to pass laws by decree in eleven different areas for a period of 18 months. Chavez had asked for the enabling law earlier this month, saying it is needed to accelerate the process of transforming Venezuela’s state and economy into “21st century socialism.”

This is the third time Chavez has received such authorization during his presidency and Chavez is the fifth Venezuelan president to take advantage of this power, which both the 1961 and the 1999 constitutions permit.

The enabling law, which Chavez has called the “mother law” for the laws that are to help bring about 21st century socialism, was passed in an outdoor meeting of the National Assembly today. In the course of the meeting, to which the public had open access, various representatives of the pro-Chavez coalition explained why they supported the law.

Most legislators talked about how they trusted Chavez to pass laws that would increase democracy in Venezuela and the need to act rapidly because this is what the Venezuelan people are expecting.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2207

[noel adamson]

2. Does the Senate still have a chance to shine light on Negroponte and the trail of death squads...

...he leaves in his broad and wretched wake? While I am not a fan of dictatorial power and note that Hitler's "enabling" act was enacted under the same rational, the fact that Negroponte is still doing what he does rather than in some prison for war crimes in the 80's and under investigation in connection with his recent stint in Iraq when "the Salvadoran option" was exercised just prior to the appearance of hauntingly familiar death squads is an additional crime. His even more recent connection as head of all USA "intelligence" services should give us all the willies.

Our representatives must explore these atrocities and the public should be made more aware of the details. While the memories of the 4 Maryknoll Sisters and Father Romero may linger in some minds and the yearly demonstrations still take place at the School of the Americas (repackaged as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation or WHISC)in Ft. Benning GA the full horror and incompetence of these operations remain largely unknown to Americans. It is also notable that countries in South and Central America have gone further to the left after these right wing death squads reign terror on their towns and villages than they were before. The greed and power blinded neocons hurt capitalism and their own right wing agenda in exchange for the rapid pillage and plunder of these countries at the expense of so many families.

Knowledge of the fact that much of this has been facilitated by fundamentalists "Christians" such as Rios Montt in Guatemala and "Battalion 316", (as in John 3:16), in Honduras, where Negroponte was stationed, might also help people to better understand the evil that the Pat Robertsons and Jerry Falwells of America have done just outside the sight of the electorate and the even greater threat they still pose as hand maidens to the ubermaterialist oligarchy.

Sorry for being so long winded but this really gets me going. That these evil men will try next to bring this escalation of evil home to America now should be considered a given with their success in the coup of 2000 and their entrenchment in the halls of power. the Democrats are our best hope for survival right now in my opinion. That's us.

[mithnanthy]

6. noel adamson,

I agree with everything you said. Hugo Chavez isn't going to put up with Negroponte's "interference." I'm glad Hugo publically exposes those who are determined to remove him from power.

[BushOut06]

3. When is Venezuela going to invade the US?

I'd say that the United States is a far more dangerous threat to Venezuela's government than they are to us or anyone else's. Using the same kind of sick, twisted logic that * prefers, Venezuela would be within their rights to launch a preemptive strike against us.

[Richard Steele]

4. "Venezuela Ignores Advice From the Father of All Death Squads".

I would normally say, "FUCK Negroponte in the heart", but the simple
truth is that his heart is one of SATAN's most favorite
recent acquisitions, and the OriginalLightBearer ain't selling tickets
to even SEE it, let alone fuck it.

[Vidar]

5. Wildly popular socialist who has liberated his country & several others

from crippling eebt vs. duplitous spy & leader of America's death squads.

[JNelson6563]

7. Most excellent summary

:toast:

[David__77]

8. Some "liberals" would rather keep Negroponte's company than that of Chavez. For shame...

Chavez is implementing a New Deal in Venezuela - call it "socialist," "communist," or "Rooseveltian." FDR had to break the oligarchy too and tame capital. Why is it that when Chavez follows in these footsteps, some "liberals" line up with the worst ultra-right warmongers in attacking Venezuela's development choice?

[Say_What]

9. Very well put!!

RW nutcases disguised as *libruls*.

[toopers]

10. Sorry, but FDR still had a balance of power to contend with . . .

Chavez is now a Dictator.