Tal Cual, Venezuela
President Chavez Calls for Bush to Quit 'Out of Honor'

"It would be a good way out, not only for the United States, but it would reduce the tremendous tension around the world ... and perhaps this way, Papa Bush won't have to suffer the sight of what his son is about to face."

Translated By Harry Kenneth Echevarria

November 9, 2006
Venezuela - Cadena Global - Original Article (Spanish)    

Accompanied by foreign journalists, President Hugo Chavez today celebrated the rout of the Republican Party at the hands of Democrats in state and federal elections. After learning that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had resigned, Mr. Chavez said that the President of the country, George W. Bush, should also have to resign.

Donald Rumsfeld resigned his post after voters, aggravated by the campaign in Iraq, handed victory to the Democrats in the legislative elections.

"I believe Bush has fallen, compadre, his government has fallen democratically. Heads have already started to roll. The president should resign out of honor." Mr. Chavez was asked whether the United States should hold a referendum for the people on whether Mr. Bush, who Mr. Chavez has called genocidal and an assassin, should remain in power, as occurred in Venezuela.

Chavez insisted that Mr. Bush should resign and call for new elections. "It would be a good way out, not only for the United States, but it would reduce the tremendous tension around the world ... and perhaps this way, Papa Bush won't have to suffer the sight of what his son is about to face." Chavez has energetically condemned the Iraq invasion and has said that the 74-year-old Rumsfeld should have to go to prison.

Moreover, he described the congressional election result as a "battering" for a President who, even with all the resources at his disposal, was unable to cope with tragedies like Hurricane Katrina, and he said that the victory of the Democratic opposition in regaining control of the House of Representatives plus 36 of the 50 state governorships was a "punishment vote" that the American people have imposed on the administration of George W. Bush.

"The punishment vote is without doubt a vote against the war in Iraq, against corruption and the scandals of corruption that have engulfed the government of the United States, against the aggression that the Bush Administration has shown against the American people, and against the Patriot Act, which allows the President and executive branch to persecute, wiretap, kidnap, arrest and prosecute without warrant or legal cause, anyone they accuse of being a terrorist," Chavez said during a press conference at the Presidential palace.

Also, Mr. Chavez added, the government of George W. Bush is incapable of safeguarding its own citizens despite its tremendous resources, as occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in which 1400 mostly African-American people died.

"With all of his resources, he was incapable of preventing the Katrina tragedy, and then afterward, he abandoned millions of his own citizens," criticized the Venezuelan chief of state.

COUNTERATTACK

In addition, Mr. Chavez announced a plan to "counterattack" in the face of what he described as calls by some his domestic opponents to destabilize the country, to deny him victory in the general elections in December.

The President gave assurances that he would win re-election, but said that if he did lose the fight, he would give up his post and join the ranks of the opposition.

"They are calling for violence; they are calling for a coup d'etat. ... Last night, I spoke to the defense minister ... and I said to him that we are going to prepare a counterattack plan, because they are forcing me to do so, and I cannot sit with arms crossed," he told journalists.

The Venezuelan chief execute said that that he doesn't want any violent situations in the run-up to the upcoming elections, but warned that if his political adversaries try to take control of the streets, place roadblocks, "fire weapons and set fire to public property, we will be forced to impose order."

Spanish Version Below

Bush debería renunciar

El presidente Hugo Chávez celebró hoy, ante corresponsales extranjeros, la derrota del partido republicano frente a la bancada demócrata en las elecciones legislativas y estatales, celebradas ayer en EEUU y expresó, tras conocer la renuncia del secretario de Defensa de Estados Unidos, que el presidente de ese país, George W. Bush, también debería dimitir.

Donald Rumsfeld declinó al cargo hoy luego que los votantes de Estados Unidos, irritados por la campaña en Irak, llevaran a la victoria a los demócratas en las elecciones legislativas.

"Yo creo que cayó Bush, compadre, ha caído el gobierno de Bush democráticamente. Comenzó la caída. Comenzaron a rodar cabezas (...). Debería renunciar el Presidente, debería renunciar por moral", dijo Chávez en conferencia del prensa con corresponsales extranjeros. Chávez se preguntó por qué en Estados Unidos no se llama a un referendo para consultar a la población, como sucedió en Venezuela, si quiere que su presidente, al que Chávez ha calificado de "asesino y genocida", debe seguir al mando.Chávez insistió en que Bush debería dimitir y llamar a elecciones. "Sería una buena salida, no sólo para los Estados Unidos sino para las tremendas tensiones que hay en el mundo (...) quizás para que el papá Bush no tenga que sufrir lo que le viene al hijo". Chávez, que ha condenado enérgicamente la invasión a Irak, dijo que Rumsfeld, de 74 años, debería ir a prisión.

Asimismo calificó este resultado como de "paliza" para un gobernante que no fue capaz de prevenir con todos los recursos que tiene, tragedias como la de Katrina, y dijo que la victoria de la oposición demócrata que recuperó el control de la Cámara Baja del Congreso y se adjudicó 36 de 50 gobernaciones nacionales responde a un "voto castigo" que el pueblo estadounidense ha impuesto a la administración de George W. Bush   "Es un voto castigo sin duda contra la guerra en Irak, contra la corrupción y los escándalos de corrupción que han rodeado al gobierno de Estados Unidos, contra el atropello a su propio pueblo, la ley patriota que faculta al presidente y al ente ejecutivo para vigilar, perseguir, encarcelar sin juicio previo a cualquiera que se les ocurra acusar de terrorista", dijo Chávez en una rueda de prensa en el palacio presidencial.

Chávez añadió que el gobierno de George W. Bush es incapaz de atender, a pesar de tener enormes recursos,  a sus propios conciudadanos en tragedias como la causada por el huracán Katrina que dejó un saldo mortal de más de 1400 estadounidenses, la mayoría de ellos afroamericanos. ´´Fue incapaz de prevenir con todos los recursos que tiene la tragedia del huracán Katrina y luego de ocurrida la tragedia abandonó a millones de sus propios ciudadanos", criticó el jefe de Estado venezolano.

Contraataque

Chávez anunció asimismo un plan de "contraataque" ante lo que calificó de llamados de algunos opositores para desestabilizar el país y desconocer su triunfo en las elecciones de diciembre. El presidente aseguró que ganará los comicios para su reelección, y que en el supuesto de que llegara a perder en la contienda entregaría el cargo y se iría a las filas de la oposición. "Están llamando ya a la violencia, están llamando ya al golpe de Estado (...) Anoche conversé con el ministro de Defensa (...) le dije vamos a preparar el plan de contraataque, pues, me están obligando pues, yo no puedo quedarme de brazos cruzados", dijo en una conferencia de prensa con corresponsales extranjeros.

El mandatario dijo que no quiere situaciones de violencia alrededor de los comicios, pero advirtió que si sus adversarios políticos llaman a sus seguidores a tomar las calles, obstaculizar vías, "echar tiros y a quemar no sé cuántas cosas, nosotros estaríamos obligados a poner el orden".