Venezuela opposition denounces Chavez as dictator

[Scurrilous]

Source: Reuters

<snip>

"Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez moved on Tuesday to bypass parliament and govern by decree for one year in the oil-producing state, prompting opposition charges he was acting like a dictator.

Having used such powers three times before during his 11-year rule, the socialist leader says he needs them again to respond to a national emergency caused by floods that have killed about 40 people and left more than 130,000 homeless."

<snip>

"A freshly united opposition coalition won about half the popular vote in a September parliamentary election to take 40 percent of seats in a new National Assembly that will convene on Jan. 5, when they hoped to put a check on Chavez's power.

But in a move to outflank them -- and with an eye on the next presidential vote in 2012 -- Chavez on Tuesday requested the outgoing Assembly, dominated by his ruling Socialist Party, grant him fast-track decree powers for 12 months. Chavez had said on Monday the powers could extend for up to 18 months."

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN1427133020101214

[Joanne98]

1. zzzzzzzzzz Spoiled brats are boring!

:boring:

[dipsydoodle]

2. Well they would

wouldn't they.

[fascisthunter]

3. the rich brats... wu-ahhhhh...

pathetic. All they give a shit about is their own personal wealth, all while their country suffers for years under right leaning dick heads.

[Arctic Dave]

4. They shout dictator as he uses parliamentary procedure?

Let me guess, they shout their anger out on all the Chavez owned media stations? LOL

[Billy Burnett]

5. Some of them post here.

Based on the number of "Chavez is a dick tater" posts.

:shrug:

[BulletproofLandshark]

44. Their BS is polluting much of this thread already.

[denem]

6. Dictator vs The End Justifies the Means

Attempted Coup. Wealthy Overlords, USA is worse, Enabling Act is legal. etc etc

Next.

[devilgrrl]

7. Dictator? Hugo Chavez is the DEVIL!!!!!!!!

[Ruperto31]

14. No, but he can smell the devil's fumes.

http://articles.cnn.com/2006-09-20/world/chavez.un_1_venezuelan-president-hugo-chavez-nuclear-technology-veto-power?_s=PM:WORLD

[COLGATE4]

8. Fearless Leader can't cope with the recent;ly elected Congress,

so he moves to using extraordinary powers to neuter it. A shining example for all of Latin America.

[Arctic Dave]

9. Maybe if the opposition was less like their US repug counterparts

he could do more to help the displaced. If was such a bad thing they maybe they shouldn't have put the ability in their constitution.

[COLGATE4]

11. Don't attempt to generalize until you actually know what you're talking

about. The Venezuelan opposition is no more like the US Republicans than are a majority of posters on DU. It is not unreasonable for many people, particularly those among the emerging Venezuelan Middle Class who have lived and prospered under a capitalist system to prefer it to a Cuban-style dictatorship. As for helping the displaced, the core problem is the lack of adequate housing, particularly in Caracas. It might have behooved Fearless Leader to spend a small part of the more than $5 Billion dollars he recently blew on acquiring obsolete Russian armament - including tanks, planes, and 100,000 Kalishnikov AK-47's (with which to arm the charmingly named 'Committees for the Defense of the Bolivarian Revolution') in creating that housing, but he didn't. Now the poor are, as always, paying for it. And, if you believe that decreeing that hotels are obligated shelter the people who are without housing for some indeterminate time without payment is good government, I've got a bridge I'd to to sell you. And, as for it being in the Constitution, that is the bane of essentially every Latin American constitution which permits constitutional abrogation in 'special circumstances', and the people of Latin America have paid dearly over many years for this clause. The people who are protesting now are not the ones who put it in there.

[Arctic Dave]

15. That quite a cabbage stew you make.

First of all yes they are. They a re bunch of whiney self interested asshats, just like the repugs. Second, when your country suffers from assholes who wish to overthrow the leader of the government so foreign corporations can plunder your resources, it is a good idea to arm yourself. And yes decreeing hotels for housing is a good idea just like giving tents and food and clothing is a good idea when natural disasters strike just like we do in this country. As for the bridge you want to sell, too late late they dismantled it and its on display in Lake Havasu. As for the clause in the constitution being there, funny how it is only used in conjunction with an actual need, if he really was a "dictator", why bother with it at all?

[COLGATE4]

25. And your professional assessment is based exactly on what???

What can you cite to to prove that the politcal opposition to Chavez is composed of a "bunch of whiney self interested asshats"?? Why do you assume that the legitimate political opposition are "assholes who wish to overthrow the leader of the government so foreign corporations can plunder your resources", aside from your own preconceived ideas which seem to be based on little (or no) experience with Latin America? In addition, if you believe that here we decree private property owners to provide services on an unlimited basis without compensation, you are obviously quite mistaken about the nature of our legal system. Finally, what can you point to to support your statement that ruling by decree is "only used in conjunction with an actual need"?

[Arctic Dave]

27. Simple, use google to find out who was elected and then do a search of them

You can find out that the who they are really work for, guess what, it isn't the Venezuelans. When you call for the secession of certain oil rich parts from the country that pretty much sums up who you work for. Not exactly magic.

Also, the government is only housing them in unoccupied rooms. Sounds like a good solution to a crises, unless you think unnecessary suffering and disease is OK?

[COLGATE4]

41. Well, they couldn't put them in occupied rooms now, could they?

You still haven't pointed me to a single thing that supports your allegations - telling me to 'Google' something isn't responsive. I repeat - please show me where your great expertise on Venezuela and its politics comes from.

[COLGATE4]

40. Crickets...

[Judi Lynn]

45. It's hard trying to get someone to focus and do his own research. The Venezuelan oligarchs

have a HIDEOUS relationship to the massive poor population, far worse than anythng we have here currently.

How recently in OUR past was there anything resembling "El Caracazo" massacre, like the one created in February, 1989 by Venezuelan President, *later impeached for massive corruption) Carlos Andres Perez? He's STILL a huge celebrity to the Venezuelan racist, fascist oligarchy, publicly calling for Hugo Chavez to be "shot down in the street like a dog."

It's a subject with which he's familiar, considering he ordered first his police to shoot protesting citizens, furious that he had suddenly increased all their heating prices, food prices, and transportation costs beyond their ability to pay, killing what HIS government claimed was only "300," but according to reality, in the range of 3,000, some of them pushed into a mass grave with a bulldozer.

http://img511.imageshack.us.nyud.net:8090/img511/6033/jessechacontg6.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_0F6YqUcqueU/SaYeRJySrMI/AAAAAAAAAFs/qOvu6W6uo4w/s400/Caracazo-2.gif http://www.venezuelatuya.com.nyud.net:8090/historia/8democracia/caracazo.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_0F6YqUcqueU/SaYiahm9-uI/AAAAAAAAAF8/IICrjeKIG4k/s400/caracazo-4.gif http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_0F6YqUcqueU/SaYeRHILwTI/AAAAAAAAAF0/AbschaXjhwY/s400/caracazo+1.jpg

http://encontrarte.aporrea.org.nyud.net:8090/imagenes/galerias/muralvenezuela/61MDetalle.jpg
(El Caracazo detail from long street side mural in Caracas)

http://encontrarte.aporrea.org.nyud.net:8090/imagenes/galerias/muralvenezuela/MM2.jpg
It's been a long time since any Republican President would have believed he could demand a massacre of this proportion against the US poor with impunity!

Any one can see the difference between these clowns and the right-wing wastes of skin we've got here from miles away. The absolute filthy power they STILL wield is abhorrant, and unnatural to civilized people.

[harmonicon]

17. oh, yeah...

And since the first week of November, Obama should have stopped working with our own congress, right? I mean, it would be completely silly to expect elected representatives to actually work with the executive branch. How dare they. Grrr.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[COLGATE4]

21. Truth hurts a little, does it???

[bitchkitty]

28. Truth doesn't hurt me,

but it bothers the shit out of you and your friends, evidently. You have to resort to the snide little insults and Fox News-fed one-liners because in reality, you have NOTHING to go on. No truth to reveal. Only corporate propaganda and the same tired old lies that you repeat over and over.

But carry on, please. You and the rest of your anti-democracy pals have inspired very informative replies from the likes of Judi Lynn, EFerrari and Peace Patriot, and I never get tired of reading their posts. For this, I thank you.

[fascisthunter]

57. well done

:thumbsup:

[LanternWaste]

46. Not as much as...

Not as much as self-validation and vanity I would imagine.

[bemildred]

10. Envy and jealousy are so unbecoming. nt

[iandhr]

12. When Chavez..

...was in the army did he not try to overthrow the President in 1992.

[iandhr]

13. When Chavez..

...was in the army did he not try to overthrow the President in 1992.

[Odin2005]

16. The Fascists always call left-wing reformers "dicators".

[robcon]

19. Governing by decree... what's new with Hugo?

Trampling on the Venezuelan constitution daily. His ego reminds me of Mussolini.

[Creative]

26. One thing dictators seem to have in common is their fondness for military garb.

[ProudDad]

20. Oligarchs don't like democrat

Film at 11pm

:boring:

[COLGATE4]

23. Yeah, take a look on TV at protests by the Venezuelan opposition'. They

sure look like a bunch of "Oligarchs".

[ProudDad]

35. The ones who are paying their employees to be out there

"marching" are Oligarchs...

The poor and working class folk in Venezuela vote for Chavez...

Too bad they have a democracy, eh?

[ChangoLoa]

42. Yes. Half the Venezuelan population is composed of oligarchs and their employees, a well known fact

Such a strange country...

[boppers]

31. Chavez is not a a generic democrat.

He's also a Socialist, with a capital S (as in PSUV).

[ProudDad]

36. He's a Socialist

That's why most Venezuelan people keep voting for him...

Being a Socialist, like Bernie Sanders, is a GOOD thing...

[CJvR]

22. Sounds like...

...a correct analysis.

Rule by decree so you can use the public funds to buy/bribe your way to an election win.
Chavez have had luck with the weather this time.

[COLGATE4]

24. Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner!

[EFerrari]

32. LOL. Venezuela's elections are monitored and cleaner than yours.

[CJvR]

38. It hardly matters....

...how clean the elections are when the voting districts are redrawn so that an essential draw almost result in a 2/3 majority for one side.

[Judi Lynn]

55. How horrible! Texan Republicans' hearts would pump pure #### for you.

http://www.fraudfactor.com.nyud.net:8090/images/ffgerrymander.gif

Very, very old U.S. American effort, in Massachusetts.

http://tinagibsongop.com.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/map1.jpg

Very recent redistricting effort in Texas,
with just the right Karl Rovian touch.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_NEHP8QxQcX4/TOPB1LSKBJI/AAAAAAAAS6U/hv3RfHGxS9E/s320/12th%2BDistrict.gif

North Carolina

http://pajamasmedia.com.nyud.net:8090/zombie/files/2010/11/il04.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/United_States_House_of_Representatives%2C_New_York_District_28_map.png

ETC., ETC., ETC.

[CJvR]

58. Your point?

Other than proving mine?

[Doctor_J]

29. The DUers who like having the world run by corporations always

show up at these threads, appearing to believe everything that Big Media spouts. Here's a clue - repukes always whine that Obama acts like a dictator too, even though they're allowed to wave assault rifles at his rallies.

[COLGATE4]

34. Why is it so necessary to proclaim that because a large number of

people in Venezuela prefer another type of government than the uber-socialist state Chavez intends to force on them that they then must be 'shills of the great corporations'? It's a rather facile argument that doesn't address the reality of the situation instead of contributing to the legitimate debate over the wisdom of letting Chavez have unlimited power for an entire year, based solely on the pretext of 'helping the flood victims'. What would your reaction be if by some quirk of law Obama was given the same unlimited powers for a year here?

[ProudDad]

37. Gee, why does he keep getting re-elected with 60-70 percent of the vote?

I guess they hate his "uber-socialist state", eh?

Get a brain, morans...

[COLGATE4]

39. Gee, why does he fear dealing with a freely elected Congress?

Couldn't be because the new Congress has more opposition members than his present, rubber stamp body? Nah - Fearless Leader would never stoop to something like that...

[harun]

52. +1

[killbotfactory]

30. Never heard that one before...

Oh wait, it has been continuous drumbeat of dictator since he first won an election. My mistake.

[Overseas]

33. Not exactly Latest Breaking News! More like Every Month or So News. //nt

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Judi Lynn]

47. How is it you've avoided knowing he's had this extended power many OTHER times?

So have so many other Latin America elected Presidents in the last 10 years, for crissakes.

Don't you understand if you spend all your time throwing dirty labels at progressives, it's taking up the time you need to invest in learning, knowing what the hell it is you're attempting to discuss in the first place? It puts you in an odd position when you are arguing from a state of ignorance. No one can really discuss anything with you if you don't even know about the subject yourself.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EFerrari]

51. He had to go through the process to get those powers.

What you're claiming doesn't even make sense.

[Dreamer Tatum]

53. So...they needed the freest and fairest elections ever so he could seize absolute power.

Still a wannabe dictator.

Why don't you move there, by the way?

[EFerrari]

54. He can't "seize" absolute power. These emergency powers

have a term and a purpose. That's the law.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

48. Every polynomial equation of degree N has exactly N roots.

[hughee99]

50. I don't see the issue here, he went through the legislature.

In 2006, if * had gone to a lame duck repuke congress and asked to rule by decree for 12-18 months, we would have all been cool with it, right? :sarcasm:

[Bacchus39]

56. exactly, its only for a year and he's only done it 3 or 4 times before

haha