Chavez: "An empire of Latin America and the Caribbean will be greater than the empire of Star Wars"

[jefferson_dem]

Venezuela's Chavez calls for anti-imperialist unity as he woos Caribbean

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (AP) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, seeking inroads in a region where the U.S. has long been the dominant influence, called on Caribbean states to join his fight against imperialism.

During a Caribbean tour that began Friday, the leftist leader is promoting Venezuela's sales of fuel under preferential terms to Caribbean nations and highlighting its public works projects in the region.

On Saturday, Chavez was in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to unveil a plaque marking where a fuel storage facility will be built and to visit a liquid natural gas facility constructed under his Petrocaribe program. Petrocaribe, an agreement between Venezuela and 14 Caribbean countries, offers deferred payment and long-term financing for fuel shipments.

"Today is the time of the people, of unity," Chavez said Friday evening upon arriving at St. Vincent, where he was greeted by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, met onlookers and kissed several youngsters. Chavez said the Caribbean should be a "sea of resistance" to imperialism.

Earlier Friday, Chavez was in the mountainous, forested island of Dominica, where he addressed a crowd at a new fuel storage tank built by Venezuela, one of five the oil-rich nation has pledged to construct there. "An empire of Latin America and the Caribbean will be greater than the empire of Star Wars and cannot be stopped," Chavez said.

<SNIP>

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-02-17-chavez-caribbean_x.htm?csp=34

[ixion]

1. an ironic statement...

he wants to fight imperialism to create an 'empire' greater than the (vicious, albeit ficticious) empire in the movie 'Star Wars'.

Seems like a bit of a contradiction in terms to me. :crazy:

[EFerrari]

2. It is. I'd like to see the transcript and to know the context. n/t

[BayCityProgressive]

4. I would think he is referring to

his desire to see LAtin America unite in a EU type way..however I could be wrong!

[EFerrari]

8. That is the plan. It's just always fun to see how they try to spin

what he says. :)

[Ignacio Upton]

5. Shhh! Chavez isn't a dictator

He's fighting imperialism and is the most democratic ruler ever!:crazy:

[Bucky]

13. Chavez is fighting for the people!

and... um.... that whole "representative body" thing was just getting in his way! Yeh, that's the ticket. Don't you realize Venezuela needs a strong man when they're in the middle of a war? Well, not a war war, but a time of problems! As soon as Venezuela has no more problems, he'll gladly return the government to working, democratic order. So stop saying that!

[tammywammy]

6. Agreed

:crazy:

[BayCityProgressive]

7. I don't really see how this speech makes

him a dictator lol. Try focusing on the article or what he said..not flame bait. He has been elected fairly multiple times. If he steals an election I will be right with you to call him a dictator but for now that position is held by Bush.

[tammywammy]

9. I didn't call him a dictator

I agreed with the previous poster that it's ironic "he wants to fight imperialism to create an 'empire' greater than the (vicious, albeit ficticious) empire in the movie 'Star Wars'."

[BayCityProgressive]

11. I guess I was under the

impression the previous poster is insinuating he is a dictator. I agree if he is trying to create an Empire subserviant to Venezuela that would be just as bad as what we do..but so far we haven't really seen that happen. I am critically supportive of the Venezuelan government. Have you guys ever noticed that when the US doesn't like a foreign government, everything that happens there they say the head of state did it...to push the lie that it's a dictatorship..

**I would never be anything but critically supportive of ANY government...we should always look to people, not a government. The people keep the government honest.

[tammywammy]

12. ...

If Latin America wants to unite like the EU, then I'm all for it.

I just also find it funny when a political leader references Star Wars in a speech. :)

[Igel]

16. I took the "empire of Star Wars" to refer to the US,

oddly enough.

Star Wars weapons systems, not the movie.

Could be wrong; I searched for the original of his speech but didn't find it. (If anybody has a link, it'd be a nice addition to the thread.)

[tammywammy]

18. But it's funnier

if you think it's the movie. I'm going to second the motion for a link to the entire speech. :)

Edited to add:
It was this statement with the word empire that made me think of the movie, not the missle defense system:
"An empire of Latin America and the Caribbean will be greater than the empire of Star Wars and cannot be stopped," Chavez said."

[GreenEyedLefty]

3. Wonder if W will steal that one? n/t

[Ninja Jordan]

10. Greatest comment...ever?

that is easily the most awesome comment ever made by a head of state. Is Chavez going to be Lord Vader?

[NYCGirl]

15. LOL!

Only if he gets to wear one of those really cool black helmets.

[brazos121200]

14. If you are trying to remake society in a meaningful way

like Chavez is doing, you are going to be up against the full force and fury of the Bush CIA. Chavez has aleady been the victim of attempts to overthrow him by illegal means, what is he supposed to do, sit around and let himself be overthrown? I think he is trying to create an EU type trading partnership in the Mediterranean to counter American trade sanctions. The far right has already targeted Chavez for 'special action', witness Pat Robertson's comments last year regarding what should be done with Chavez.

[malaise]

17. He doesn't have to woo us

We'll take cheap oil from whoever offers it.