La Hora, Ecuador
Hugo Chavez and His Anti-Imperial Road Show

By José Hidalgo Pallares 

Translated By Harry Kenneth Echevarria

September 25, 2006

Ecuador - La Hora - Home Page (Spanish)    

After seven and a half years as president, with inflation in Venezuela at 15 percent, unemployment at 13 percent as of 2005 (11% higher than at the beginning of his mandate), and with a poverty level reaching 55 percent in 2003, which according to the most recent data was 47 percent in 2004, Mr. Hugo Chavez seems to have forgotten the reason he was elected: To improve the living conditions of his people, and not to get involved in matters that don't concern him.

Beyond the spectacle that he puts on at every stop of his round-the-world tour -which is all that his presidency amounts to - and the laughter that he elicits by making a mockery of George W. Bush (of course, with no lack of motive), Hugo Chavez has taken upon himself attributes that don't correspond to him, believe himself capable of imposing his will on several Latin-American countries.

To be precise, while continuing to incite against the imperialism of the United States, he has thoughtlessly intervened in the electoral processes of Bolivia, Peru and Colombia.

Puffed-up with arrogance just a few days ago, he declared that he wouldn’t recognize the elected president of Mexico, thereby seeking to undermine the sovereignty of that nation.

[Editor's Note: Mr. Chavez backed the losing candidate in that election, the left-wing Mr. Lopez Obrador]

But Mr. Chavez didn't stop there; his delusions of grandeur and thirst for the limelight have led Chavez to ally himself with some of the world's most controversial leaders, such as the Iranian president, who has done little else but repeat that the state of Israel should be "wiped off the map." He offered his open support without considering the threat that a nuclear Iran poses to world peace, and without any other purpose but to defy the United States.

And now, after having armed himself to the teeth with rifles and fighter jets, he wants to take up a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Mr. Chavez' show and his state of rapture will continue for as long as the price of oil is high. And given the fact that the price will remain high for at least the remainder of the year, we shouldn't be surprised if Ecuador is the next country that Chavez intervenes, and attempts to impose on us the candidate of his choice. In this way he will attempt to extend his sphere of influence and apply the same old-fashioned authoritarian political model.

Hopefully we won't fall prey to his game.

[Editor's Note: Ecuador holds its next presidential election on October 15].

Spanish Version Below

El show antiimperialista

Por: José Hidalgo Pallares

25 de Septiembre de 2006

Después de siete años y medio como presidente, cuando la inflación en Venezuela es del 15%, con una tasa de desocupación a finales del 2005 de 13% (mayor al 11% previo al inicio de su mandato), y con una incidencia de la pobreza que alcanzó el 55% en 2003 y que en 2004 (último dato disponible) se mantenía en el 47%, Hugo Chávez parece haber olvidado que la función para la que fue electo es mejorar las condiciones de vida de su gente y no inmiscuirse en asuntos que no le competen.

Más allá del show que genera en cada escala de ese largo viaje por el mundo en el que se ha convertido su período presidencial, y de las risas que pueda provocar burlándose (sin que le falten motivos) de George W. Bush, Hugo Chávez se ha tomado atribuciones que no le corresponden, opinando y queriendo imponer su voluntad en varios países latinoamericanos.

Justamente él, que no deja de arengar contra el imperialismo de Estados Unidos, ha intervenido, sin contemplaciones, en los procesos electorales de Bolivia, Perú y Colombia.

Y hace pocos días, haciendo gala de su soberbia, declaró no reconocer al presidente electo de México, atentando, ahí sí, contra la soberanía de esa nación.

Pero Chávez no se queda en eso. Sus ínfulas de grandeza, sus incontenibles ganas de figurar lo han llevado a aliarse con algunos de los líderes más polémicos del mundo, como el presidente de Irán, quien hace poco dijo que Israel debería ser borrado del mapa.

Sin reparar en la amenaza que el plan nuclear iraní significa para la paz mundial, Chávez, sin otro propósito que desafiar a Estados Unidos, lo ha apoyado abiertamente. Y así, y después de haberse armado hasta los dientes con fusiles y aviones de combate, pretende ocupar un lugar en el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU.

El show de Chávez, su embelesamiento, continuarán mientras el precio del petróleo siga alto. Y dado que así se mantendrá al menos durante el resto del año, no debería sorprendernos que el Ecuador sea el siguiente país donde Chávez intervenga, tratando de imponernos el candidato de su preferencia, ese con el que conseguirá ampliar su zona de influencia, ese que aplicará su mismo modelo trasnochado y autoritario. Ojalá no caigamos en su juego.