Pat Robertson says we should assassinate Chavez

[D_Raay]

http://www.wfmynews2.com/news/local_state/local_article.aspx?storyid=47339


On Monday's broadcast of "The 700 Club" Robertson said the United States should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Virginia Beach, VA -- The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network says the United States should assassinate Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez.

On Monday's broadcast of "The 700 Club," the Reverend Pat Robertson said, "We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability."

Chavez, who often expresses strident opposition to US policies and influence, has spent the last several days in Cuba meeting with the island's communist leader Fidel Castro.

Calling the president of oil-rich Venezuela a threat to US security, the Reverend Robertson said assassinating Chavez would be "a whole lot cheaper than starting a war." He added, "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and get it over with."

[Ali]

Didn't the US already try to get rid of him once before, by funding a military coup, which failed, because the people who voted him in went nuts and got him re-instated?

That's the way things should be!

If he gets assasinated by the U.S. there will be hell to pay :mad:

[ms.peachy]

Ah yeah, there's that good ol' brotherly love one can always count on from Reverend Pat.

[Jayrock5054]

We were reading that today at work. That guy needs to have his tounge removed.

[Ali]

We were reading that today at work. That guy needs to have his tounge removed.Can he not be charged with something?

[Funkaloyd]

I'm by no means an expert on any aspect of the American legal system, so take my words with a grain of salt, but I believe that he's protected by the First Amendment unless it can be shown that his comments were likely to produce imminent lawless action.

[Ali]

I'm by no means an expert on any aspect of the American legal system, so take my words with a grain of salt, but I believe that he's protected by the First Amendment unless it can be shown that his comments were likely to produce imminent lawless action.Well, IMHO saying that somebody ought to be killed is quite likely to lead to that person getting killed.

Gag the swine.

[bopst]

I guess he forgot, "Thou Shall Not Kill"....

[King PSYZ]

god, you are so full of shit, the news outlets have been slinging the term left wing and far left around like nobody's business, moreso with cindy sheeham bashing by the major "news" channels.

[STANKY808]

"Communist Dictator"?

You are such a fuckin' ass sicko! He won a landslide election in '98 as well as defeating the US supported recall attempt in '04 so I guess he's a dictator.

Oh and since there are multi-party elections - I guess communist doesn't fit either.

[infidel]

"Muslim extremism"???????
Venezuela is 98% Roman Catholic and 2% Protestant.
Robertson is almost as full of shit as sicko.
It's no wonder with dumb fucks like these two running around that GW was reelected.

[Echewta]

"Close personal friend of Jimmy Carter."

What most people fail to see about President Carter is that he is one of the most moral persons to ever hold office. More than reagan, bushs, and clinton combined. He became president in one heck of a unfortuante time when I doubt anyone could have done a good job. The Carter Center, strong Baptist, navy officer, noble prize winner, donates his presendital retirement money to charity, and Camp David are just a few things this guy did right. To remember him for "failing" to deal with the hostages just goes to show you what little you know. Too say being friends with him is like being friends with the devil is disgusting.

[Funkaloyd]

Hook, line and sinker.

[King PSYZ]

Hugo Chavez, close personal friend of Jimmy Carter, is the communist dictator of Venezuela, or as the media likes to call him "President" Hugo Chavez. Anyway, he's big trouble. Really big trouble. This guy bashes George Bush and the United States at every turn, including threatening statements as well as threats to cut off the oil.

So let me get this straight, because he doesn't like us and has threatened to cut off our oil (which technically he has every right and power to do) we should have him killed?

That's the kind of thinking that will sink us from a democracy straight into an empire under the fourth reich.

[Documad]

Hard to understand why the guy wouldn't like the US president right?

The president's bible buddy thinks he should be murdered. Also, I think Condi Rice said Chavez was to blame when there was an attempted coup (after he had been elected once or twice by a majority of his country's voters). We're all about diplomacy.

[Documad]

Having said that, I want you to watch the media on this one. The story will not be that Pat Robertson, TV preacher and religious fanatic, sounds off on foreign policy. Nope, that won't be how it plays at all.
I love that Pat Robertson is so crazy that even sisko's blogs want to disown him. :p

[King PSYZ]

Hard to understand why the guy wouldn't like the US president right?

The president's bible buddy thinks he should be murdered. Also, I think Condi Rice said Chavez was to blame when there was an attempted coup (after he had been elected once or twice by a majority of his country's voters). We're all about diplomacy.
Well you know the current administration doesn't belive in the popular vote... (!)

[Documad]

Well you know the current administration doesn't believe in the popular vote... (!)
How can you say that ???
Bush invaded Iraq for the SOLE PURPOSE of giving those poor people a chance to vote for their leader!!!

[D_Raay]

The story will be that Pat Robertson, former Republican presidential candidate, member of the right wing and follower of George Bush made those statements. Every effort will be made to make Robertson look like a spokesperson for the entire Republican party and the White House.
Completely ridiculous and disingenuous... If the shoe fits, well, you know how that goes... If it had been Jesse Jackson who made such remarks what then?

[QueenAdrock]

Maybe we should assassinate Pat Robertson for being a threat to the logical, stable-minded people of our country. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, anyways, because most Christians think they're going to heaven even if they're FUCKING CRAZY ASSHOLES.

[Ali]

Hook, line and sinker.Liberal-baiting?

Maybe gmsisko's not quite so stupid as he makes out.

Maybe he posts stuff like this in order to get a rise out of the libruls?

And that he does!

[zorra_chiflada]

evangelical fundamentalists make me vomit. if there was a hell, they'd be burning brightly in it.


if you want a bit of a brief history and can't be bothered researching, here's something that zount wrote recently:

Like most countries in South America, Venezuela has both extreme wealth and extreme poverty. The countries large oil reserves meant easy profits for the countries ruling class, and oil below market prices for the US. It also meant low wages and poor social services for the people who worked in the industry.

In 1998, Hugo Chavez was elected president of Venezuela with 56% of the vote. He was able to come to power on the promise that he would imediatley instigate land reform and divert the countries oil wealth towards social progress like health and education.

Like the Sandinistas, Allende and Castro before him, Chavez was labeled a terrorist and a dictator by governments the world over as soon as the intrests of the elite were set aside. In April 2002 a coup was orchestrated by the CIA and carried out by the Venezuelean buisiness congress and right wing elements of the military to oust Chavez. His Cabinet were arrested, the supreme court was dissolved and Chavez himself was kidnapped.

The New York Times, and The Washington Post ran articles of a popular uprising in Venezuela against the Chavez government. The majority of the Venezuelan people actually had no idea what was going on; the state run television and radio stations were cut. Meanwhile, the private stations were playing cartoons instead of news programs. Within days word had spread througout Venezuela and millions marched in opposition to the new illigitamate government and Palace guards sympathetic to Chavez stormed the palace and arrested any of the new government that had not yet fled. Chavez was reinstated soon after.

Less than eight months later, high level anti-Chavez beuracrats organised a lockout to shut down the national oil company. The idea being that if the economy could be sabotaged enough Chavez would be forced to quit. The lockout organisers didn't take the workers support of Chavez into account, however, and they managed to break through the lockout and keep the oil industry going - without the need of bosses and shareholders.

In August 2004, a referendum was taken on Chavez's presidency. 60% of the vote was for Chavez, this is despite the intimidation and fraud carried out by the opposition. The rhetoric of the US may turn into violent action (such as in 1973 the assasination of Chiles president Allende), but Support for Chavez's policies are growing in Venezuela, and the public are becoming more and more involved in the transformation of their society.

if you want to know where to find more unbiased, factual info on this topic, just PM me :)

[Ali]

The rhetoric of the US may turn into violent action (such as in 1973 the assasination of Chiles president Allende)Please don't tell me that he was replaced by Pinochet. (I haven't time to google).

[D_Raay]

Please don't tell me that he was replaced by Pinochet. (I haven't time to google).
We really can't let history repeat itself here... any ideas?

[NurfBallJeaneus]

You people need to get your facts correct! Robertson did not say we need to assinate Chavez. He said we should take him out. (that does not always mean assinate)

also


Chavez attempted to assinate the leader of that country many years ago.

You should get your facts straight and not just relay on 1 article for all your information.....

from CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/08/23/robertson.chavez/index.html

"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it," said Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition.

[Vladimir]

He then went on to say that if Hugo Chavez were so worried about the United States assassinating him, perhaps we should just go ahead and do it.

Dude. Sisko. You said it yourself. I think the correct term for that would be flip-flopping.

[King PSYZ]

where did you get this info from?

[franscar]

You people need to get your facts correct! Robertson did not say we need to assinate Chavez. He said we should take him out. (that does not always mean assinate)

There's a great Pizza place in New York, tiny Italian place with lovely, smiling waitresses. They could take him there, he'd like that.

[D_Raay]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/3322759

Chavez offers cheap gas to needy Americans
Reuters News Service

HAVANA - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, popular with the poor at home, offered Tuesday to help needy Americans with cheap supplies of gasoline.

"We want to sell gasoline and heating fuel directly to poor communities in the United States," the populist leader said at the end of a visit to Cuba.

Chavez did not say how Venezuela would go about providing gasoline to poor communities. The Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA, owns Citgo, which has 14,000 gas stations in the United States.

The offer may sound attractive to Americans feeling pinched by soaring prices at the pump but not to the U.S. government, which sees Chavez as a left-wing troublemaker in Latin America.

Chavez said Venezuela could supply gasoline to Americans at half the price they now pay if intermediaries who "speculated ... and exploited consumers" were cut out.

[D_Raay]

oh my bad.

By the way, Chaved tried to assinate a leader of his country many years ago.
He lead a failed coup in Feb. 1992 to overthrow Carlos Andres Perez, he did not try to assassinate him. His associates then attempted another coup in November of that same year while Chavez languished in jail. After 2 years in jail he was pardoned and started his political career.

[D_Raay]

A story I remember reading when they tried to recall Chavez:

Why Hugo Chavez Won a Landslide Victory
by Medea Benjamin


When the rule of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was reaffirmed in a landslide 58-42 percent victory on Sunday, the opposition who put the recall vote on the ballot was stunned. They obviously don’t spend much time in the nation’s poor neighborhoods.

I knew Chavez would win the referendum when I met Olivia Delfino in a poor Caracas barrio that our international election delegation visited. Olivia came running out of her tiny house and grabbed my arm. “Tell the people of your country that we love Hugo Chavez,” she insisted. She went on to tell me how her life had changed since he came to power. After living in the barrio for 40 years, she now had a formal title to her home and a bank loan to fix the roof so it wouldn’t leak. Thanks to the Cuban dentists and a program called “Rescatando la sonrisa”—recovering the smile—for the first time in her life she was able to get her teeth fixed. And her daughter is in a job training program to become a nurse’s assistant.

Getting more and more animated, Olivia dragged me over to a poster on the wall showing Hugo Chavez with a throng of followers and a list of Venezuela’s new social programs that read: “The social programs are ours, let’s defend them.” Then slowly and laboriously, she began reading the list of social programs: literacy, health care, job training, land reform, subsidized food, small loans. I asked her if she was just learning to read and write as part of the literacy program. That’s when she started crying. “Can you imagine what’s it has meant to me, at 52 years old, to now have a chance to read?” she said. “It’s transformed my life.”

Walk through poor barrios in Venezuela and you’ll hear the same stories over and over. The very poor can now go to a designated home in the neighborhood to pick up a hot meal every day. The elderly have monthly pensions that allow them to live with dignity. Young people can take advantage of greatly expanded free college programs. And with 13,000 Cuban doctors spread throughout the country and reaching over half the population, the poor now have their own family doctors on call 24-hours a day—doctors who even make house calls. This heath care, including medicines, are all free.

The programs are being paid for with the income from Venezuela’s oil, which is at an all-time high. Previously, the nation’s oil wealth benefited only a small, well-connected elite who kept themselves in power for 40 years through an electoral duopoly. The vast majority in this oil-rich nation remained poor, disenfranchised, and disempowered. With the election of Hugo Chavez in 1998 on a platform of sharing the nation’s oil wealth with the poorest, all that has changed. The poor are now not only recipients of these programs, they are actively engaged in running them. They’re turning abandoned buildings into neighborhood centers, running community kitchens, volunteering to teach in the literacy programs and organizing neighborhood health brigades.

Infuriated by their loss of power, the elite have used their control over the media to blast Chavez for destroying the economy, cozying up to Fidel Castro, antagonizing the US government, expropriating private property, and governing through dictatorial rule.

They also accuse Chavez of using the social programs that have so improved the lives of the poor as a way to gain voters. In this, the opposition is right: providing people with free health care, education, small business loans and job training is certainly a good way to win the hearts and minds of the people.

Sunday’s overwhelming victory for Chavez has given him an even stronger mandate for his “revolution for the poor.” It should also give George Bush and John Kerry reason to rethink their attitude towards Hugo Chavez. Rather than demonizing him as a new Fidel Castro and stoking the opposition, US leaders should embrace Venezuela’s social transformation and the way it is empowering people like Olivia Delfino.

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange and the women’s peace group CodePink, is an election observer in Venezuela.

[King PSYZ]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/3322759

Chavez offers cheap gas to needy Americans
Reuters News Service

HAVANA - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, popular with the poor at home, offered Tuesday to help needy Americans with cheap supplies of gasoline.

"We want to sell gasoline and heating fuel directly to poor communities in the United States," the populist leader said at the end of a visit to Cuba.

Chavez did not say how Venezuela would go about providing gasoline to poor communities. The Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA, owns Citgo, which has 14,000 gas stations in the United States.

The offer may sound attractive to Americans feeling pinched by soaring prices at the pump but not to the U.S. government, which sees Chavez as a left-wing troublemaker in Latin America.

Chavez said Venezuela could supply gasoline to Americans at half the price they now pay if intermediaries who "speculated ... and exploited consumers" were cut out.
I'm all for it!

[NurfBallJeaneus]

Really great story. From this story, I can see why people would want to assasinate him. :rolleyes:

But in all honesty, you can't base everything on 1 article. I don't know anything about him so I can't formulate an opinion until I have more knowledge.

I do appreciate the info. Thanks.

I anxiously await gmsisko's reply.

[yeahwho]

Pat Robertson is just saying what his followers are thinking, they want to take out everybody they disagree with that have what they want.

If you disagree with him and his followers, but have nothing but dirt for your GNP, Pat Harvey Robertson will pray for you and send in missionary's with bibles and top ramon.

Thats the game, we all knew this right?

[STANKY808]

First he said "I didn't say assassinate ". Then when proved to be a liar, he now says "I was adlibbing". Man of god indeed.

And once again you ignorant ass siko - HE IS NOT A DICTATOR! He was elected, won the the attempted recall and continues to be popular with everyone except the elite.

Oh and as for terrorists, why is one Luis Posada still in the US? He's wanted for the murder of 73 people but remains in the US. Oh wait those were 73 Cubans so they don't count.

[QueenAdrock]

Well, pretty much the Republicans could come out with ANYTHING right now, and Sisko would follow them.

"We here at the GOP think that Hillary's a threat, both for the senate in New York, and for giving women an actual voice. I mean, first we give them suffrage, now THIS? I say we take Hillary out. Let's assassinate her, because it's what Jesus wants."

REALLY? DERR, OKAY! I MEAN, I DIDN'T CARE YESTERDAY, BUT NOW THAT SOME HIGH-RANKING DOUCHEBAG THAT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION SUGGESTS IT, I THINK IT'S THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD! DERP! :rolleyes:

[zorra_chiflada]

i love how at one time, gmsisko is defending pat roberson, saying why we need to assassinate hugo chavez (oh, bad bad man, muslim extremism LOL!)
and also he's saying "but pat robertson didn't say that"
what kind of christian are you if you think "lets kill off who we don't like"?

it's good because everything he says undermines conservatives, and proves everyone else right. :p

[Documad]

PRESS RELEASE
Pat Robertson Clarifies His Statement Regarding Hugo Chavez

CBN.com – VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., August 24, 2005--

this is a dangerous enemy to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil that could hurt us very badly.
If you heard it on CBN.com, you know it's the shit!

The main point made in all these articles is that Chavez's crime is that he might deny the US his country's oil. How does the US have a right to another country's natural resources? He's not making people disappear, starving his people, or violently overthrowing anything (unlike a lot of the US's best dictator buddies throughout our history). He's threatening our ability to drive trucks that only get 10 mpg.

[Ali]

Can any of you, for a moment, imagine what the American Government's reaction would be if anyone, anywhere, said that Bush "should be assasinated"?

But when when a prominent American suggests the same thing of the head of another country... nothing.

Makes me :mad: I tell you.

[freetibet]

What is this? The Religious Reich?!?

When did "moral, family valued, compassionate conservatives" tell the masses we should assassinate people? Ok, that was a stupid question...assholes have been using religion for violent agendas for centuries, God must be proud!

Right is left, black is white, up is down, war is peace....these people are the real danger to America.

You mean Allah must be proud. ALLAH. HIS holy book tells people to kill others.

And THOSE people ARE the real danger to Western civilization.

[freetibet]

And why nopt shoot such an asshole like Chavez? Jeez, that would spice things up a bit and perhaps regimes would fall quicker, without losing precious Western soldiers' lives.

[freetibet]

Can any of you, for a moment, imagine what the American Government's reaction would be if anyone, anywhere, said that Bush "should be assasinated"?

But when when a prominent American suggests the same thing of the head of another country... nothing.

Makes me :mad: I tell you.


Kim Zhong Il or Bush - You choose.

It's obvious as hell that regime leaders and terrorists are a fucking threat to all of us (vide London) and it's sad as hell some people will never learn (that).

[DroppinScience]

Yay, freetibet is back to offer nothing of note to say. :rolleyes:

[yeahwho]

All I know is that the CIA is probably pissed off at Robertson right now. I mean, Chavez worries aloud that he is an assassination target, and then gets off, who (in the U.S.) cares or even notices? That's right, nobody but the protesters outside the School of the Americas, and most people don't care of even notice them

Now, though, every Tom, Dick, and Harry knows who Chavez is, and knows that someone important (i.e. someone on T.V.) has openly called for this guys death. That's the kind of climate that just isn't ideal for an assassination.

I wonder if maybe Pat really was doing God's work by making a statement that brought a political spotlight down on someone just days before the CIA was to give him an exploding cigar. They say God works in mysterious ways...

[infidel]

... just days before the CIA was to give him an exploding cigar. They say God works in mysterious ways...For those who don't know...
During the 1960s, the CIA attempted to assassinate Fidel Castro with a poison cigar, contaminated with botulinum toxin. The cigars were so heavily contaminated with the poison that merely putting one in the mouth would cause death within a few hours. Other methods of assassination considered by the CIA included explosive sea shells, a poisoned scuba diving suit, and a gangstyle drive-by shooting.

Castro now says now tobacco is poison and boxes of cigars are best given to one's enemies.

[EN[i]GMA]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/3322759

Chavez offers cheap gas to needy Americans
Reuters News Service

HAVANA - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, popular with the poor at home, offered Tuesday to help needy Americans with cheap supplies of gasoline.

"We want to sell gasoline and heating fuel directly to poor communities in the United States," the populist leader said at the end of a visit to Cuba.

Chavez did not say how Venezuela would go about providing gasoline to poor communities. The Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA, owns Citgo, which has 14,000 gas stations in the United States.

The offer may sound attractive to Americans feeling pinched by soaring prices at the pump but not to the U.S. government, which sees Chavez as a left-wing troublemaker in Latin America.

Chavez said Venezuela could supply gasoline to Americans at half the price they now pay if intermediaries who "speculated ... and exploited consumers" were cut out.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Chavez is absolutely raking in the cash due to high oil prices, he isn't going to undercut jack shit.

As soon as his money supply dwindles, he's over with.

[infidel]

I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war, and I don’t think any oil shipments will stop.
Next thing sicko will be saying is that Robertson was just laying down the religious right's rules for assassination. As long as it doesn't fuck with the oil supply it's ok.

[DroppinScience]

For those who don't know...
During the 1960s, the CIA attempted to assassinate Fidel Castro with a poison cigar, contaminated with botulinum toxin. The cigars were so heavily contaminated with the poison that merely putting one in the mouth would cause death within a few hours. Other methods of assassination considered by the CIA included explosive sea shells, a poisoned scuba diving suit, and a gangstyle drive-by shooting.

Castro now says now tobacco is poison and boxes of cigars are best given to one's enemies.

Yeah, but what about that 1976 agreement not to assassinate foreign leaders (unless it's during wartime)?

[yeahwho]

Deep in the bowels of some office in DC there's a the "time to talk about Chavez" meter that tips at some crucial $/gal.

And who better than radical cleric Pat Robertson....

Scroll down and checkout the daily show clip titled, "Pat Sounds (http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/videos/headlines/index.jhtml)" as usual the best reporting in the USA comes from Jon.

[Documad]

That is fabulous! It doesn't count because Pat didn't do it during the Christian portion of his show? :rolleyes:

[Pres Zount]

Well from what I heard, Pat said he wanted to "take Chavez out", he didn't mean assassinate him, he meant kidnap him or possibly 'Take him out' to dinner.

[Medellia]

Well from what I heard, Pat said he wanted to "take Chavez out", he didn't mean assassinate him, he meant kidnap him or possibly 'Take him out' to dinner.
Oh good lord, now I have this awful mental image in my head of Chavez and Robertson out on a man-date at a fancy Italian restraunt followed by ballroom dancing to the tune of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out", naturally. :rolleyes:

[Documad]

Well from what I heard, Pat said he wanted to "take Chavez out", he didn't mean assassinate him, he meant kidnap him or possibly 'Take him out' to dinner.
Yeah, that's bullshit. Listen to yeahwho's link.

[zorra_chiflada]

Yeah, that's bullshit. Listen to yeahwho's link.

i'm pretty sure he was joking :)

[Documad]

i'm pretty sure he was joking :)
Oops. I'm disoriented because he hasn't posted in so long.

Do you two take turns logging in and out now?

[zorra_chiflada]

Oops. I'm disoriented because he hasn't posted in so long.

Do you two take turns logging in and out now?

just today :)

[SobaViolence]

anytime they both post is a great day on this board.


Chavez stayed/regained power because he was a military officer and worked for the benefit of the poor. so you have the masses that live in poverty and the military (which is mostly from poor backgrounds anyway) and voila. no one is coup d'etat'ing shit.


i figured christians would like Chavez, since he goes with Jesus' teachings of helping neighboors and taking care of the less fortunate...

unfortunately for Chavez, the number 1 thing not to do to a capitalist is fuck with his money. that'd get a brother killed. i hope not, but wouldn't be surprised

[Ali]

Pat Robertson's call to assassinate Venezuelan President and communist dictator Hugo Chavez.So Robertson DID say that Chavez should be assasinated?

He said he didn't.

Make up your mind.

[King PSYZ]

there's a difference between freedom of speach and using the airwaves to incite terrorist acts...

[Ali]

there's a difference between freedom of speach and using the airwaves to incite terrorist acts...Yeah, ask Nick Griffin (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/4416523.stm).

[D_Raay]

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1736

Caracas, Venezuela, August 28, 2005 —Venezuela’s Chavez said to visiting Rev. Jesse Jackson today that he would like Jackson to help with finding a way to provide discounted heating oil and free eye operations to poor communities in the U.S. Pointing out that Venezuela provides 1.5 million barrels of oil per day to the U.S., Chavez said, “we would like to provide a part of this 1.5 million barrels of oil to poor communities.”

Chavez made these comments during his weekly television program Aló Presidente today, which Jackson briefly attended to speak to Chavez and the audience. Jackson is on a three-day visit to Venezuela, during which he will meet with local religious leaders, Afro-Venezuelan groups, the president of the state oil company PDVSA, President Hugo Chavez, and visit poor-neighborhoods to see Venezuela's social programs at work.

Chavez had first mentioned the plan to supply discounted oil to poor communities in the U.S. last week, while in Cuba, but did not provide any details beyond that. Today he specified that it was heating oil that the Venezuelan government was looking into because this seemed the most feasible and most necessary approach. Given the high price of oil this year, heating oil is expected to reach very high levels this winter, which will be unaffordable for many poor families in the U.S.

“There is a lot of poverty in the U.S. and don’t believe that everything reflects the American Way of Life. Many people die of cold in the winter. Many die of heat in the summer, many unemployed and that die of starvation,” said Chavez in explaining why Venezuela was interested in providing discounted heating oil to the U.S. poor. “We could have an impact on seven to eight million persons,” he added.

Chavez said that he was interested in talking to Jackson about this plan, so that his organization and other U.S.-based groups might help with it. Chavez mentioned the groups TransAfrica Forum, Global Exchange, and Global Women’s Strike that could also help implement the plan.

Part of the plan was for the U.S.-based and Venezuelan state-owned oil company Citgo to provide heating oil directly to poor households. Chavez said this would not present a loss to Venezuela because the idea would be to offer the oil at a lower rate because intermediaries would not be involved. Up to 30% to 40% of the cost could be saved said Chavez. Citgo licenses 14,000 gas station franchises and 8 refineries in the U.S.

Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.S. Bernardo Alvarez, had told Chavez that the embassy has already received over 140 requests about the plan, even though it has not been formally announced yet.

Free Eye Operations

Chavez spent a large part of his Sunday talk show discussing new healthcare plans for Venezuela. Part of this discussion also involved the provision of free eye operations to people in all of the American continents, north and south. The operations Cuba would provide the bulk of the operations, with Venezuela providing the transportation.

Chavez said that of the six million operations that Cuba and Venezuela would want to organize over the next ten years, there would be slots for 150,000 U.S.-Americans per year. Each country will receive a quota. Chavez gave some examples, explaining that there would be 100,000 for Brazilians, 60,000 for Colombians, 12,000 for Panamanians, 30,000 for Ecuadorians, 20,000 for Bolivians, and 20,000 for inhabitants of the Caribbean. Chavez said that those interested in the eye operations should turn to the Venezuelan embassies in their respective countries.
The plan to provide free eye operations is part of the “Mission Miracle,” which is one of the many new social programs that Chavez government has instituted in the past two years in Venezuela. By the end of December, 150,000 Venezuelans will have received eye operations. These operations involved operations for cataracts, myopia, pigmentary retinosis, and many others.

[Ali]

Free medical care!?!?!?

Kill the god-damn commie dictator!

[SobaViolence]

yeah, what a ruthless tyrant.

fucking weirdo americans...




i just remembered the venezuelan embassy is just down the street. :cool:

[Documad]

I seriously hate Jesse Jackson. Why does he have to show up everytime there's a microphone nearby. He will singlehandedly undo any good that could come of exposing Robertson.

sisko, some questions regarding your last post: do you know what a "tinhorn dictator" means? And I take it that "sloganmaster" is what your blogs call Jackson? what is/are his most famous slogan(s)?

[GetYourWarOn]

i know atheists who are better christians than pat robertson.