Chavez Says Hitler 'a Babe in Arms' Compared to Bush
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after being serenaded by a band singing Chavez Don't Go Away, proceeded before a huge rally last week to denounce the Bush Administration for spying on his country and warned, according to this account from Venezuela's El Universal, that if the United States doesn't halt its behavior, 'We would soon see how high a gallon of gasoline can go.'
Translated By Karen Hoffmann
February 4, 2006
Original
Article (Spanish)
Caracas: On
the national radio and television network, President Hugo Chavez addressed his
followers congregated on Bolivar Avenue and insisted on the truth of the espionage
accusations against U.S. Embassy officials, assuring that there is "a
lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Army" whom "I have hunted."
He also
warned that he would imprison American officials who continued to spy: "I
know where they eat Reina Pepiada [a kind of filled tortilla], because they
changed the tortilla maker to Jose Vicente" he said, drawing attention to
the Vice-President. "I am hunting them. If they are reckless, I will take
them prisoner and bring them to the [U.S.] Embassy."
He said of
the military attaché, John Correa - who was declared persona non grata and was
ordered expelled from the country - "when he was told that he was caught they
sent him on vacation."
After
justifying his Government's expulsion of Correa, Chavez complained of the
action undertaken by the U.S. against Venezuelan diplomat Jenny Figueredo Frías,
expelled from North America "as a political reprisal." "That government has no reason to expel
her," he noted.
The
president warned that if the U.S. Government wishes to break relations with
Venezuela, it would cost Chavez nothing to close Venezuela's refineries in that
country. "We would soon see how high
a gallon of gasoline can go," he declared.
He offered
a tribute to the Venezuelan Embassy advisor in Washington, Jenny Figueredo Frías,
who was expelled from the U.S. and declared persona non grata, in response to
the same measure taken by the Venezuelan government last Thursday in regard to American
Embassy naval attaché John Correa.
Chavez Supporters Rally Before He Speaks
On Bolivar Ave. on Saturday (above and below).
Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte
(2nd from left) Before Annual Senate Select Intelligence
Committee Hearing on Global Threats to the U.S.,
With (L-R) Principal Deputy Director of National
Intelligence Michael Hayden, CIA Director Porter Goss
and FBI Director Robert Muellern , Feb. 2.(below).
— C-SPAN VIDEO: U.S. Senate Intelligence
Committee Annual Hearing on Worldwide Threats to
the United States. Witnesses Include Dir. of Nat'l
Intelligence John Negroponte, Dir. of CIA
Porter Goss, and others,
Feb. 2, 03:42:45
Diplomat Jeny Figueredo (RT), Expelled By Washington
Last Week, With Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel,
at an Event to Welcome Her Back to Caracas. (above).
Not Everyone is Thrilled WIth the Leadership
of President Hugo Chavez. A Demonstration Was
Held on January 22 Against His Electoral
Manipulations. The Words on the Demontsrator's Face
Say 'Long Live Freedom, Death to Dictatorship.' (below)
The Chief
of State indicated that during the presidential elections they are not battling
the political opposition or the mass media, but "really we are facing the
most powerful, immoral, cynical, murderous empire that has ever existed in the
entire history of our planet: The empire of the United States of America. That
is our true adversary."
He warned
that "the empire began the attack, we also will begin ours" and
assured that this year the U.S. "will return to bite the dust of defeat."
"This
battle against the imperialism of the U.S. began with Bolivar ... I ask everyone
that 200 years later, we defeat imperialism and contribute to saving the life
of this planet by throwing off this dangerous empire that threatens the entire
world," he insisted.
President
Chavez criticized the comparison made by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Donald
Rumsfeld, of his person with Adolf Hitler and recommended a book called "Hitler
won the war" by Walter Graziano, which discussed the supposed relation
between "the Bush clan and bin Laden" and the supposed financing of
the Nazi machinery in Germany on the part of a U.S. elite, among other
subjects.
"If
someone is physically similar to Hitler, at a glance, he is indeed Mister
Danger," he said in reference to U.S. President George W. Bush. "The imperialistic, genocidal, fascist
attitude of the U.S. President knows no bounds. I believe that Hitler was a babe in arms next to him," he affirmed.
He also
questioned the declarations of the U.S. National Director of Intelligence, John
Negroponte, whom he described as having a "mafia handbook," who
alerted Washington of the supposed risk of any reelection of President Chavez and
his exercise of executive powers.
Beginning
the "Second Battle of Santa Inés"
He announced
that "today the second Battle of Santa Inés begins. There are ten months from now until December
3rd of this year to give our country another resounding popular political and
revolutionary victory," with a view to the December elections which he
hopes to be reelected by 10 million votes. "It's very encouraging," he recognized.
[Editor's
Note: The gathering on Bolivar Ave. in Caracus, that this article is an account
of, was called to commemorate Chavez' own failed coup, on Feb. 4, 1992. The
Battle of Santa Ines took place on Dec. 10, 1859, and was a key confrontation
of the Venezuelan Federal War, in which the Federalists, led by General
Ezequiel Zamora, were victorious].
The
President dedicated the celebration to his comrades-in-arms, some of whom were
present. He sought their recognition, especially for Commander Francisco Arias
Cardenas, who was present at the act. "I
am sure that from now on we will always walk together, in this battle that
began so long ago," he said. He
also saluted Joel Acosta Chirinos, who also participated in the 1992 putsch.
The Chief
of State wanted to render tribute to the fallen ones of 4F [Feb. 4]. "Soldiers, students, officials, noncommissioned
officers, troops, bachelors ... the commitment especially by them and all the
men and women who have fallen in this long fight for the vindication of the
mother country," he affirmed.
Before beginning
his approximately 20-minute-speech, the national radio and TV stations broadcast
a band singing, Chavez Don't Go Away ("Uh, ah, Chavez no se va") for
the arrival of the Chief of State to Bolivar Avenue.
After the
singing of the National Anthem, a cry went up which was the customary call to
battle, which summoned the audience to "The second Battle of Holy Ines,"
which is the name of the Chavez' official electoral campaign.
Minutes
before, the vice president of the Republic, Jose Vicente Rangel, assured that today’s
[defense] mobilization was not an electoral act.