3 Years After Coup Chavez Is Stronger Than Ever And Still Irritating Bush

[NNN0LHI]

Three Years After Coup, Venezuela's Chavez Is Stronger Than Ever and Getting Under Washington's Skin

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBBJUFOD7E.html

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Three years after dissident generals briefly drove him from power, President Hugo Chavez is stronger than ever, but he is facing increased criticism from the United States as he moves to buy arms and more of his political foes face criminal charges.

Having survived the short-lived coup of 2002, a two-month strike that petered out in 2003 and a presidential recall referendum in 2004, Chavez and his "revolutionary" movement appear unstoppable.

"He is stronger now than he ever was in the past and has successfully managed to use each of these episodes to consolidate his grip on power," said Steve Johnson, a Latin America analyst at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington.

The Venezuelan leader is maintaining his popularity as he pours millions of dollars from windfall oil prices into programs for the poor, while increasing the size of the military reserves and brushing aside criticism that his government is cracking down on dissent.

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[JohnyCanuck]

1. I would say Chavez was a burr under Dubya's saddle,

except that we all know Dubya is only a fake cowboy with a fake pig farm-cum-ranch and couldn't ride a horse if his life depended on it (although to give credit where credit is due, rumour has it brush clearing is his real forté).

[Zorra]

2. "The Venezuelan leader is maintaining his popularity as he pours millions

of dollars from windfall oil prices into programs for the poor..."

A political leader using oil profits to help the poor? How completely contrary to republican party principles can you get.

Yeah, I can see how that would completely piss a creep like Buh off.

Can you imagine how strong the US could be if we had a real leader like Chavez, instead of a puppet like Buh, the worlds biggest corporate whore?

[struggle4progress]

3. kick