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Originally posted by HowlrunnerIV
I wouldn't say he's a dictator, and given his own coup attempt he's hardly a democrat.
But he is an A1 Prime hypocrite. It's okay for him to stage a coup against the elected government, but when it's done against him it's an anti-democratic, Bush-backed, CIA plot?
It's fine for him to call world-leaders "fascist" and "the devil", but when others have unkind words for him they are outdated "neo-colonialists"?
He's allowed to continually interrupt the prime minister of Spain, but when King Juan Carlos tells him to shut up it is the monarch who is rude?
The only one trying to have it both ways is Chavez. Just like all cheap demagogues.
rhetorical
/ritorrik’l/
• adjective 1 relating to or concerned with rhetoric. 2 expressed in terms intended to persuade or impress. 3 (of a question) asked for effect or to make a statement rather than to obtain an answer.
Originally posted by TheOracle
I am scratching my head out of confusion.
If he had won the vote, people would have cried dictatorship and vote rigging.
He has lost the vote and for the same people he is dictator anyways? I mean..hello? If he really wanted to rig the result he could have done it without a sweat.
I think no matter what happens with Chavez, people will find something to say and call him a dictator, because CNN or the bush admn. said so or maybe because he takes a stand against the current US govt.
Anyways I think he is a good man, he is doing the right thing going through a democratic way to stay in power. There is nothing wrong for a leader to stay in power if the people are behind him.
Also I am actually happy he lost the vote, it proved the world that he is a genuine and wants the approval of the Venezuelans.
[edit on 3-12-2007 by TheOracle]
Originally posted by HowlrunnerIV
Yes, Il Duce, he was elcted. AFTER he staged a coup attempt.
The fact that his coup attempt failed is merely icing on the cake, as the attempt against hinm also failed. At least tehre's one country where coups are not a sign of "business as usual".
As an Australian I understand a great deal about colonialism. Do you understand anything about international relations, or even simple manners?
Care to explain the legal reason for cancelling RCTV's broadcast licence? Those would be legal reasons which rely on proof, not innuendo.
Originally posted by Damocles
reply to post by Alxandro
im sure there will be i suppose, but im curious, in your opinion, who exactly stole the election?
chavez did lose on his reforms that were up for vote afterall...
PS 4 pages and 4 flags? cmon ya'll wheres the love?
[edit on 3-12-2007 by Damocles]
Originally posted by Raoul Duke
In my book if one is democratically elected his/her past indiscretions are forgiven...
Originally posted by HowlrunnerIVAs an Australian I understand a great deal about colonialism. Do you understand anything about international relations, or even simple manners?
????
Chavez’s answer to the demonstrations was to call the students “clowns” and more sinisterly to deploy soldiers using tear gas, plastic bullets and water cannon to disperse them.
This showed beyond any doubt that while Chavez is willing to use any forum that affords him free speech to denigrate anyone with whom he disagrees, he is equally ready to crush all within his own country who disagree with him.
Care to explain the legal reason for cancelling RCTV's broadcast licence? Those would be legal reasons which rely on proof, not innuendo.
Originally posted by HowlrunnerIVCare to explain the legal reason for cancelling RCTV's broadcast licence? Those would be legal reasons which rely on proof, not innuendo.
Imagine a world in which Tony Blair hosts a television programme called Hello, Prime Minister from locations around the country every Sunday on BBC One and on every BBC radio station.
Imagine this programme, in which he lambasts his political opponents and cries up the government's achievements for three or four hours at a time.
Imagine he also commandeers airtime on ITV and Channel 4 and Five at peaktime, sometimes two or three times a week.
RCTV's Todos Intimos, at 9pm each night, is currently one of the top-rating telenovelas or soap operas which dominate the ratings in Venezuela - which may be why Granier so resents what he calls Chavez's frequent "confiscation" of RCTV airtime during Todos Intimos's transmissions.
Originally posted by HowlrunnerIV
None of which gives a legal reason for refusing to renew RCTV's broadcast licence. "Because I can" is not a legal reason. What had RCTV done that was in contravention of the licencing laws?
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Article 1: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is irrevocably free and independent, basing its moral property and values of freedom, equality, justice and international peace on the doctrine of Simon Bolivar, the Liberator. Independence, liberty, sovereignty, immunity, territorial integrity and national self-determination are unrenounceable rights of the Nation.
Article 2: Venezuela constitutes itself as a Democratic and Social State of Law and Justice, which holds as superior values of its legal order and actions those of life, liberty, justice, equality, solidarity, democracy, social responsibility and, in general, the preeminence of human rights, ethics and political pluralism.
Article 3: The essential purposes of the State are the protection and development of the individual and respect for the dignity of the individual, the democratic exercise of the will of the people, the building of a just and peace loving society, the furtherance of the prosperity and welfare of the people and the guaranteeing of the Fulfillment of the principles, rights and duties established in this Constitution. Education and work are the fundamental processes for guaranteeing these purposes.
Article 4: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a decentralized Federal State on the terms set forth in this Constitution, governed by the principles of territorial integrity, cooperation, solidarity, attendance and shared responsibility.
Article 5: Sovereignty resides untransferable in the people, who exercise it directly in the manner provided for in this Constitution and in the law, and indirectly, by suffrage, through the organs exercising Public Power. The organs of the State emanate from and are subject to the sovereignty of the people.
Article 6: The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and of the political organs comprising the same, is and shall always be democratic, participatory, elective, decentralized, alternative, responsible and pluralist, with revocable mandates.
Article 7: The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of the legal order. All persons and organs exercising Public Power are subject to this Constitution.
Article 8: The national flag with its yellow, blue and red stripes, the National Anthem "Gloria al bravo pueblo" (Glory to the Brave People), and the coat of arms of the Republic are the symbols of the native land. Law shall regulate their characteristics, meaning and use.
Article 9: Spanish is the official language. The use of native languages also has official status for native peoples, and must be respected throughout the territory of the Republic, as constituting part of the cultural heritage of the Nation and humanity.
Originally posted by BitRaiser
Check this out:
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Article 6: The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and of the political organs comprising the same, is and shall always be democratic, participatory, elective, decentralized, alternative, responsible and pluralist, with revocable mandates.
Venezuela's Constitution
That there is the part of Venezuela's constitution... a document made possible through the efforts of Hugo Chavez and his supporters.
Does that sound like the sort of document a Dictator makes law?
For this reason, and to prevent a break-up, Bolívar wanted to implement in Gran Colombia a more centralist model of government, including some or all of the elements of the Bolivian constitution he had written (which included a lifetime presidency with the ability to select a successor, though this was theoretically held in check by an intricate system of balances).
This move was considered controversial and was one of the reasons why the deliberations met with strong opposition. The convention almost ended up drafting a document which would have implemented a radically federalist form of government, which would have greatly reduced the powers of the central administration.
Unhappy with what would be the ensuing result, Bolívar's delegates left the convention. After the failure of the convention due to grave political differences, Bolívar proclaimed himself dictator on August 27, 1828 through the "Organic Decree of Dictatorship".
Originally posted by BlueRaja
My point was that just because these guys are "elected" doesn't necessarily mean as much as the stats might show. Chavez' popularity is because he's basically bribed the lower class, and pitted them against the professional class, trying to make himself out to be the modern day Robin Hood.