Talk Elections

Defying U.S., Venezuela's Chavez embraces socialism

Friday, February 25, 2005 Posted: 4:12 PM EST (2112 GMT)
   
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday embraced socialism as his ideology of choice in a political statement that sharpened his antagonism against the United States.

Chavez, a firebrand nationalist who has governed the world's No. 5 oil exporter for six years, has persistently declined to define the precise ideology of his self-styled "revolution."

But, addressing an international meeting on poverty in Caracas, he said Western-style capitalism was incapable of solving global economic and social problems.

"So, if not capitalism, then what? I have no doubt, it's socialism," said Chavez, who also rebuffed U.S. criticism of his left-wing rule in Venezuela and denounced U.S. President George W. Bush as the "great destabilizer of the world."

Since coming to power, he has irritated Washington by developing alliances with China, Russia and Iran and flaunting a close personal friendship with Cuba's Communist President Fidel Castro, a longtime foe of the United States.

Chavez's public support for socialism recalled Castro's defining announcement in the early 1960s that his 1959 Cuban Revolution was "socialist."

Chavez said he had up to now avoided labeling his political program in Venezuela as "socialist."

But he added his personal experience in power, which included surviving a brief coup in 2002, had convinced him that socialism was the answer. "But what kind?"

Chavez, who won a referendum in August ratifying his rule until early 2007, said previous experiences of socialism in the world -- an apparent reference to the former Soviet Union -- might not be the example to follow.

"We have to invent the socialism of the 21st century," he added.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/02/25/venezuela.chavez.reut/index.html

Well, he always was a socialist, and this is nothin new. While I disagree with socialism, it doesn't bother me so much, and some great men- FDR, Scoop Jackson, David Ben-Gurion- have been strongly pro-labor. My problem is his authoritarianism.

about time we had a world leader who tells it like it is!

He's actually more of a national socialist; his accomplishments are quite unimpressive so far but we'll see if he does better than crazy Castro.

He wants to become the next Castro, and he almost accomplishes that.
Although he's not as smart as Castro.
In 20 years time we will still be talking about him as the dictator of Venezuela.
If the United States doesn't do anything to remove him from power, then I will be forced to do it when I'm president of Mexico. He's a destabilizing figure, he gives sanctuary to terrorists and criminals. He's dangerous.

He's the next Allende.

Not really: Allende respected democratic institutions and his first bid for power was not a failed coup.

That's true.

Hell's yeah.

Ben Laden in Venezuela? yeah...

Dangerous? indeed, he's dangerous  for rich people, for inequality, for the bastards who pluntered the country,... 

If you actually look into it, he is actually quite dangerous to his political opponents (about half the country).  The terrorists he was referring to were Colombian ones, I don't Chavez has any allies among the Arab organizations.

Ffft, his economic policies have sent the country into the craphole, not some kind of socialist Utopia you make it seem like.

Yeah, I knew he was a pinko.  I always thought Hans Brinker was one too.

what kind of man goes around putting his fingers in dikes anyway?

He's talking about FARC.

I sincerely doubt that the US would sit back and let Mexico attack Venezuela, and let them take all the credit.