Venezuelans Celebrate Hugo Chavez Day, World-Wide Celebrity

ccun.org, February 3, 2009

The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, have become the most recognized political leader among the peoples of the world. He has achieved his celebrity status because of his positions and actions, which are all in support for the poor, for peace, and for justice around the world.

He stood up to George Bush because of his unjustified invasion of Iraq, making fun of him in the United Nations. He even provided the poor in New York city with cheap gas, when gas prices were high all over the US.

His constituents in Venezuela are the vast majority of the poor working class and middle class, who benefited from his policies.

But there's no other place in the world in which Chavez is more popular than in the Middle East. He was the first world leader who severed relations with the Zionist state in protest to the Israeli terrorist war on the Gaza Strip last month. He was followed by another courageous Latin American leader, Evo Morales of Bolivia.

People around the world acknowledge his courage and his standing against the Zionist world order. That is why it's no wonder that he is celebrated in Venezuela and around the world.

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Many happy returns for Hugo Chavez on Hugo Chavez Day

Russia Today, February 2, 2009, 19:47

There is a national holiday in Venezuela on Monday when the Latin American country celebrates the day president Hugo Chavez came to power or, simply, Hugo Chavez Day.

Chavez was sworn in as president of Venezuela ten years ago – on February 2, 1999. He was then reelected head of state in 2000 and 2006.

The date is being celebrated for the first time in Venezuelan history. And it came as a bit of a shock for citizens since the new holiday was announced less than 24 hours before the big day, on February 1.

Hugo Chavez is said to be celebrating the day named after himself with his close friends and allies –Bolivian President Evo Morales and his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, who both share his socialist views.

It is worth mentioning that February 2 is also a holiday in the country Chavez criticizes the most – the U.S. The Americans celebrate Groundhog Day on Monday.

Chavez names ‘Comrade Bush’ a socialist

Russia Today, October 8, 2008, 19:25

George Bush has been the target of fresh jibes by Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez for doing exactly what he was criticising the socialist leader for – overriding market laws to protect the economy.

Critics say the U.S. bailout plan is an example of a double standard by the Bush administration, reports America’s McClatchy newspaper.

"If the Venezuelan government, for example, approves a law to protect consumers, they say, 'Take notice, Chavez is a tyrant!'" said Chavez, speaking in one of his recent weekly television shows.

"Or they say, 'Chavez is regulating prices. He is violating the laws of the marketplace.' How many times have they criticised me for nationalising the phone company? They say, 'The state shouldn't get involved in that.' But now they don't criticize Bush for having to nationalise (the biggest banks in the world.) Comrade Bush, how are you?"

Warming to his theme, he added: "Comrade Bush is heading toward socialism."

Nicaragua Congressman Edwin Castro agreed: "We think the Bush administration should follow the same policies that they and the International Monetary Fund have always told us to follow when we have economic problems — a structural adjustment that requires cutting government spending and reducing the role of government.”

Meanwhile, Bush said the bailout plan, that will see $700 billion of government money used to buy toxic mortgages, was necessary, although he said it stood against his personal philosophy.

Medvedev’s visit to Caracas angers West

Russia Today, November 27, 2008, 22:31

Saluting a friend or warning an adversary? As Russian warships ventured into the Caribbean for the first time in two decades, the cold breeze of Western criticism reached the Venezuelan tropics.
In Caracas, President Dmitry Medvedev has taken his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez on a tour of a Russian destroyer. Four ships from Russia are in the Caribbean for joint manoeuvres with the Venezuelan Navy. Dmitry Medvedev is in the Latin American country on the first ever visit by a Russian leader.

The talks between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez are making headlines around the world with Western commentators alleging Russia was drawing Venezuela into a new Cold War.

Just a few years ago it may have been all about weapons but most of the agreements signed during this visit were for civilian projects.

And apart from military and technical cooperation, the focus was on joint energy projects, trade, the creation of a Russian-Venezuelan bank and an agreement paving the way for the building of Venezuela’s first nuclear power plant. The nuclear deal was signed during Medvedev’s visit and has attracted a considerable amount of media attention in the West.

Heading off criticsm from the West, the chief of Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom Sergey Kirienko, said “there have never been any grounds to doubt the peaceful nature of [Venezuela’s] nuclear industry.”

Meanwhile, the Russian President repeated the Kremlin’s position that Russia-Venezuela cooperation is not aimed at any other governments.

And as for the reproach for the arrival of the Russian nuclear-powered cruiser to the Caribbean, even Hugo Chavez felt the urge to react.

”These exercises are not directed against anyone. In the past we held drills with Brazil, France and the Netherlands. And we are honoured to welcome Russian ships here,” he said.

He also pointed out that there are plenty of differences between Russia and the Soviet Union.

Unlike their predecessors, Russians don’t want to pay for their alliances. In fact, as Kremlin officials like to say, they want alliances that can pay back.

And Venezuela is a prime example. With $US 4 billion worth of contracts, Caracas is Moscow’s leading trade partner in the Western hemisphere.

“We are developing both political and economic cooperation. Only this way it is possible to achieve results. When cooperation is based purely on economy - with no political unity, as a rule, it does not last long. And on the contrary, when leaders forget about economy, about joint projects, such political cooperation leads nowhere, too!” Medvedev said.

But nevertheless, as France24 reported, Moscow-Caracas talks “are likely to irk Washington.”

Citing its diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, the BBC said: “the Russian president's aim is to show Washington, where President-elect Barack Obama is preparing for office, that if the U.S. does things in Europe near Russia's borders which Moscow does not like, then Russia can pursue its own policies in a region long seen by Washington as its backyard.”

Yet despite all the smiles and handshakes, Moscow’s camaraderie with Caracas has limits.

Medvedev’s arrival in Venezuela coincided with a summit of staunch U.S. critics, searching for an alternative to America’s strategy for solving the global financial crisis.

Although not taking part in the third Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) summit, Dmitry Medvedev has met with top officials of its member-states. The Russian president was repeatedly invited to attend but took a rain check.

And while officials from both sides never tire of stressing the strategic nature of their alliance, numbers speak for themselves. Hugo Chavez has visited Russia seven times, while Dmitry Medvedev is the first ever sitting Russian leader to step on Venezuelan soil.

The Kremlin may be eager to show off, but its friendship with Caracas comes with the same reservations as the antagonism toward Washington.

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