It certainly does appear that Hugo Chavez’s visits to Fidel Castro’s beside have involved more than changing bed pans and wheeling the old guy out for some sun. Clearly there has also been some Master-Grasshopper tutelage going on, perhaps while swabbing the bed sores. Why, in just the last few weeks we’ve seen Hugo clamp down on political opposition, start issuing laws by decree, appoint himself Grocer in Chief, nationalize the red shirt manufacturing industry, etc., etc. We’ve also witnessed him use the time-honored commie rationalization of declaring that his thuggery is for the “people” and/or the “revolution.”
Well yesterday he further showed off his dictatorial chops with some old-school paranoid ranting. From the AP:
Hugo Chavez Accuses U.S. of Plan to Wreck Venezuelan Economy
CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez warned that the U.S. government, allegedly frustrated by failed assassination plots against him, was now planning to sabotage the oil-producing country's economy.Chavez, speaking Thursday on his newly scheduled prime-time TV talk show, predicted that "one of the fiercest battle fronts" was coming ahead as Washington readied to destroy Venezuela economically.
He said that recent comments by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accusing Chavez of "destroying" his country's economy meant that "the imperialist plan of the moment" had turned to economic sabotage."
(That's) one of the plans. The other is assassination," he said, reiterating past claims that the U.S. government is plotting to kill him. "We've neutralized various attempts, and I have faith we will continue neutralizing them. But they won't rest."
Chavez said that recent urgings by President Bush for his country to reduce its oil dependency on unfriendly nations, including Venezuela, meant that Venezuela was already on "the drawing table" and Washington was laying its plans.
Great stuff, huh? To summarize…By offering the opinion that Hugo is ruining Venezuela’s economy, Secretary Rice was really stating that the US will do the wrecking with its “imperialist plan of the moment” because so many assassination attempts have failed. And this sabotage plan is laid bare through President Bush’s goal of reducing oil purchases from countries which hate the US. Or more concisely, Hugo is in effect saying, “You can’t buy oil elsewhere! I need your money to keep calling you the Devil and fly first class to Tehran!! Imperialist jackals!! Buy Venezuelan!!” Or something to that effect.
Fidel must be so proud of his little grasshopper.
