Talking with Hugo Chavez - "We Have Proof of the CIA in Venezuela"

[rman]

Counterpunch
Talking with Hugo Chavez
"We Have Proof of the CIA in Venezuela"
By GREGORY WILPERT
September 23, 2003

http://www.counterpunch.org/wilpert09232003.html

In a three-hour lunch meeting with foreign journalists yesterday, Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez roamed over a wide variety of topics, from the cancellation of his trip to the U.S., to the recall referendum, to the WTO meeting in Cancun, and to Venezuela-Colombia relations, among other issues.

One of the first and perhaps more puzzling topics that was broached was the relatively sudden cancellation of the president's trip to the U.S., scheduled for late September. President Chavez was supposed to give a speech at the opening of the UN in New York, to visit Houston, Texas, the city where the state-owned oil company Citgo will have its new headquarters, and to give a speech in Harlem.

While the President said he regretted not being able to give the speech in Harlem and to visit Houston, he said he cancelled the trip for two main reasons. First, he said that the main reason was that there were security concerns, the details of which he could not disclose. Second, he said that he does not like UN summits. "I go there and I don't feel like speaking because practically no one listens. It's a dialogue of the deaf; it's silly. You go there to listen to one discourse after another, one day after the other and for what? What is the purpose? I prefer to denounce, to say that this system is not working. I have a natural rejection of these summits." He then went on to elaborate how fundamentally undemocratic the UN is and that it needs to be democratized.

<snip>

International issues

On the international front, Chavez revealed that his government is in the possession of a video, which his security forces secretly recorded, of a CIA officer giving a class to Venezuelans on surveillance. Joking he said, "The technique could not have been very good, since we did manage to film him." He argues that this is evidence that the CIA is involved in clandestine activity in Venezuela, after the coup attempt, in addition to the evidence he has of U.S. involvement before and during the coup; but his government has so far not issued a formal complaint to the U.S. government. Some day, he said, these pieces of evidence will be released, but he does not know when.

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[KingFlorez]

1. I believe it

[ThomCat]

2. Of course our CIA is there.

They have oil, and they they don't slavishly give it all to US corporations. We would have to be fools not to know that the CIA is in there working their dirty tricks.

[aquart]

3. Not doubting it for a second.

Unless we've messed up the CIA so badly that even those agents have up and quit.

[progressisvirtue]

4. yeah

i would expect the CIA to be in any country that is an interest to the US... thats what the CIA does, theyre spies, everyone does it... I dont see how this is exactly a problem unless they start actually effecting the workings of the government, then it crosses the line, imo

[rman]

21. They're training government opposition

Imagine Venezuela covertly funding and/or training progressive movements in the US.
For all i know it's against the law both in the US and in Venezuela.

That's not to mention the CIA's involvement in the 2002 coup against Chavez, and the Chavez supporters that died in the process.

But you are correct: this kind of practice is wide-spread, in fact it is key to both the history of - and current developments in - US foreign policy.

[progressisvirtue]

22. i am opposed to that kind

of interference in the domestic situation, but i think that it is always good to have people in the country to surveil the situation

the kind of CIA work that is most famous in our foreign policy history is the exact type of thing i hate

[William769]

5. I for one am glad the CIA is there!

[truebrit71]

6. Why?

:wtf:

[William769]

7. Chavez of course!

[rman]

10. Why?

:wtf:

[IChing]

19. Because they need to be there to protect

microsoft and coca-cola

:banghead: :rofl: :rofl:

[William769]

23. Could care less about Coca-cola. But Pepsi thats another story!

:rofl:

[IChing]

24. Once again you don't answer people's questions

[LSK]

11. what about Chavez??

:wtf:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Do you feel the same about Al-queda being here because of Bush?

[truebrit71]

13. What do you mean?

Please explain??

[Jacobin]

18. I thought he was elected their leader

Would you rather the U.S. Supreme Court elect their leader?

Just askin'

[gratuitous]

8. Note the story is from 2003

A little while after the coup attempt against Chavez, a coup attempt seeking to overturn the legitimate outcome of the recent Venezuelan elections, failed to oust Chavez. And considering the amazing speed with which the Bush administration tried to recognize the coup leaders as the new government of Venezuela only to have to back down less than 48 hours later, it's probably little wonder that Chavez regards Mr. Bush as el diablo.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Well, our beloved CIA thugs have a great record of humanitarian work.

Not to mention assasinations, murder, subversion of democratically elected governments, terrorism, and other benevolent acts.

[truebrit71]

14. Yup, just ask the Chileans how that all worked out for them...

:eyes:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Add, Hondurans, Guatamalans, Chileans, Haitians, Angolans,

and just about every other 3rd world country.

[rman]

17. Iran, East Timor...

Cambodia, Bolivia, South Africa...

[nine23]

16. Damn, I'm really starting to dig Hugo. He 'da man!

"...Chavez revealed that his government is in the possession of a video, which his security forces secretly recorded, of a CIA officer giving a class to Venezuelans on surveillance. Joking he said, "The technique could not have been very good, since we did manage to film him."

This stuff is fucking priceless!!! If the (bumbling, according to Hugo) CIA ever manages to successfully pull off a coup in Venezuela, Chavez will seek - and receive - exile on The Daily Show!!!

[MrPrax]

20. He must have been disappointed...

but he did end up visiting Harlem?

Again casting Bush as the devil, Chávez echoes Castro visits to Harlem

Posted 9/21/06

NEW YORK—In a visit reminiscent of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's famous forays into Harlem in 1960 and 1995, Venezuela's controversial president, Hugo Chávez, came to Harlem's Mount Olivet Baptist Church today to announce fuel aid for poor Americans and to, once again, taunt President Bush.

"Sometimes the devil takes the shape of a person," Chávez said, reiterating his depiction of Bush when he spoke yesterday to the U.N. General Assembly. Chávez told the crowded church in this mostly African-American section of New York City that the Bush administration had also prevented some of his entourage—medical and security personnel—from accompanying him into New York.

...

But Rep. Charles Rangel, a Democrat who represents Harlem in Congress, disavowed Chávez's remarks about Bush.

"You don't come into my country, you don't come into my congressional district, and you don't condemn my president," Rangel said. "If there is any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not."

US News and World Report

Rangel doing his best Freeper impression making sure he gets it 'on record' that he doesn't like Castro -- don't want to upset the liberal fundraisers, now.

Black Voices - Fidel Castro at 80: Is He Our Friend or Foe?






Castro at the Hotel Teresa and meeting with Malcolm X, 1960

I assume Rangel has paid his respects to the community by staying a night, no?