Hugo Chavez, sworn in: "Fatherland, socialism or death&

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jimservo
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10 Jan 2007, 11:40 am

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was sworn in on Wednesday for a new six-year term that he vowed to use to press a radical socialist revolution including nationalizations that have roiled financial markets.

Emboldened by his landslide re-election win, the typically combative anti-U.S. leader has gone on the attack, deciding to strip a private opposition TV channel of its license and take over some major companies owned by foreign investors.

"Fatherland, socialism or death -- I take the oath," Chavez said.

The man who calls Cuban President Fidel Castro his mentor changed tradition by draping the presidential sash from his left shoulder instead of his right in what he says is a symbol of his socialist credentials.

...

Investors took fright this week at the leftist drive that further consolidates power in the hands of a former coup leader who already controls Congress, the courts and says he has total support in the army and the giant state oil company.

As the United States criticized Chavez's moves against private property, the stock market lost almost a fifth of its value on Tuesday, debt prices tumbled to a six-week low and the currency changed hands at nearly twice the official rate.

(full article)



SovietChess
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10 Jan 2007, 12:12 pm

It's Cuba, all over again.


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hyperbolic
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10 Jan 2007, 12:59 pm

Up until this media takeovers, I didn't see much that was different from FDR's work in Chavez's work, or that was different from work that FDR might have done, and things which have been done, later, post-FDR, in the United States. Indeed, he was democratically elected. Even with term limits being eradicated for him, he would still be within the realm of FDR, who was elected to office four times. But without an open and free press, Venezuela's democracy will probably weaken. Then it may be that Chavez becomes, in fact, a dictator. It remains to be seen whether he would, beyond that point, be a benevolent dictator or a ruthless tyrant. A benevolent dictator would be a bad eventuality for Venezuela in terms of its democracy and parts of its economy, but maybe not beyond that. But, if Chavez became a ruthless tyrant, and were despotic to the point of bringing about death and destruction, it would be more likely, in my opinion, that the United States would execute what it has done elsewhere in places dominated by ruthless, murderous dictators...



headphase
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10 Jan 2007, 3:15 pm

SovietChess wrote:
It's Cuba, all over again.

Cuba doesn't have oil



SovietChess
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10 Jan 2007, 3:44 pm

headphase wrote:
SovietChess wrote:
It's Cuba, all over again.

Cuba doesn't have oil


You sure?

http://www.washtimes.com/business/20060 ... -7824r.htm
Cuba is drilling for oil 60 miles off the coast of Florida with help from China, Canada and Spain even as Congress struggles to end years of deadlock over drilling for what could be a treasure trove of offshore oil and gas.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14095881/
Cuban oil renews embargo debate
Discovery of sizeable reserves means U.S. trade ban may finally have a cost
Oil.
To be more specific, recent, sizable discoveries of it in the North Cuba Basin — deep-water fields that have already drawn the interest of companies from China, India, Norway, Spain, Canada, Venezuela and Brazil.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3266509.stm
Foreign oil companies are actively engaged in offshore exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, with six blocks awarded to Spain's Repsol and an adjacent four blocks being drilled by Canada's Sherritt Corporation in Cuba's exclusive zone of 112,000 square kilometres.

The Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras has opened an office in Havana to discuss new drilling in 10 blocks in the Gulf.


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I drink, I smoke, I gamble, I chase girls-- but postal chess is one vice I don't have.
Ah, but is life worth living if you have to worry about so many things?
~Mikhail Tal~
World Chess Champion 1960-1961


hyperbolic
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10 Jan 2007, 4:37 pm

SovietChess wrote:
headphase wrote:
SovietChess wrote:
It's Cuba, all over again.

Cuba doesn't have oil


You sure?

http://www.washtimes.com/business/20060 ... -7824r.htm
Cuba is drilling for oil 60 miles off the coast of Florida with help from China, Canada and Spain even as Congress struggles to end years of deadlock over drilling for what could be a treasure trove of offshore oil and gas.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14095881/
Cuban oil renews embargo debate
Discovery of sizeable reserves means U.S. trade ban may finally have a cost
Oil.
To be more specific, recent, sizable discoveries of it in the North Cuba Basin — deep-water fields that have already drawn the interest of companies from China, India, Norway, Spain, Canada, Venezuela and Brazil.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3266509.stm
Foreign oil companies are actively engaged in offshore exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, with six blocks awarded to Spain's Repsol and an adjacent four blocks being drilled by Canada's Sherritt Corporation in Cuba's exclusive zone of 112,000 square kilometres.

The Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras has opened an office in Havana to discuss new drilling in 10 blocks in the Gulf.


Hah...why is it all the dictators get the oil...



jimservo
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10 Jan 2007, 10:15 pm

God had a dark sense of humor.