Chavez blasts U.S. over U.N. seat battle

[cal04]

President Hugo Chavez on Sunday accused Washington of waging "a dirty war" to keep his country from winning a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

The United States is supporting Guatemala in an effort to stop Chavez from winning a seat on council — a platform to voice opposition to what he calls Washington's "imperialist" policies. The U.S. has said that Chavez, whose government maintains friendly ties with North Korea and Iran, would be a disruptive force on the 15-member council.

Chavez, a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, has warned that Washington could attempt to drag out Monday's vote for days, weeks or even years if neither candidate garners the required two-thirds majority to win a seat on the council.

"Go forth with the bayonet! Venezuela is going the Security Council," said Chavez, encouraging Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations, Francisco Arias Cardenas, on the eve of the vote.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061016/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_un_1

[davidinalameda]

1. Chavez has ties to North Korea?

alrighty then

[rpannier]

3. Sadly he is

He also counts robert 'like my adolf mustache' mugabe among his friends as well.

[David__77]

10. Better Mugabe than Bush.

Bush has infinitely more blood on his hands, with his aggression and war. Mugabe is leading a sovereign nation in the third world, and while he's backward, he is right on opposing Anglo-American subversion of Zimbabwe.

[paulk]

13. yeah, Mugabe is just great

Revised their Constitution back in 1987 to make himself President, apparently for life, as Zimbabwe's elections are widely considered among the most corrupt in the world.

He's doing a great job, too. Lowest life expectancy in the world - 37 years for men, 34 for women. He's got the economy cranking right along, with a 1204.6% inflation rate this year. And his land reforms have worked out so well - Zimbabwe, once considered the breadbasket of Africa, now has widespread famine, with 45% of the population considered malnourished by international standards. His "Operation Restore Order" has also been a huge success, clearing out the slums by burning them down and driving the people out into the countryside. United Nation estimates are that "Operation Drive Out Trash" added 700,000 more to the unemployment roles and affected 2.4 million people. But, hey, for Mr. Mugabe it's all good, since those people (the poor)were comprised mostly of his political opposition.

[David__77]

16. you're misleading.

That constitution is no longer in effect, as you probably know. There are free, multi-party elections certainly at lease meeting fairness standards of those in the US. Colonialism and imperialism destroyed Zimbabwe with the "Rhodesia" project, and now it will take hard struggle to remake the country.

[paulk]

21. yeah, remaking the country is hard work....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI1l7jmabBA&eurl=


linked from global voices online

This video reached me late last night via Ethan Zuckerman. At nearly ten minutes, it’s longer than the other videos we’ve put up, but I strongly recommend you watch this.

It includes footage of the Zimbabwean police and security intelligence services breaking up a peaceful demonstration by members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trades Unions (ZCTU) on September 13th. The police repeatedly beat the demonstrators, who are calling for the provision of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for the treatment of HIV, a minimum wage, and stabilisation in the prices of certain basic commodities. The bulk of the video involves interviews with the ZCTU members describing the events of the day, and the actions of the police. Ethan and Rachel Rawlins have kindly provided a transcript.

When news of the beatings originally leaked out, trades unions in other countries strongly condemned Robert Mugabe’s hardline approach with legitimate and peaceful demonstrations. Last week a court dismissed the police report on the incident, and postponed the trial of the ZCTU protestors until October 17th, to give the Criminal Investigation Department time to conduct a thorough investigation of the allegations of police torture. When footage of the protests was smuggled out of Zimbabwe on DVD to South Africa this week, it prompted the head of one of South Africa’s labour unions to say that she would give President Thabo Mbeki a copy of the DVD of the beatings in a meeting with him on Friday.

More as and when it emerges…

[rpannier]

26. Ummm...

Zimbabwe was referred to as 'Africa's Breadbasket' for years. In the 90's Mugabe's regressive policies destroyed that.
He's remaking Zimbabwe -- for himself and his cronies at the expense of the people.

[Matilda]

30. I don't think any Constitution is in effect in Zimbabwe any more.

More like a one-man band - by Mugabe, for Mugabe. And a little on the side for his cronies.

It's hard to hold multi-party elections when the opposition members are in jail or dead.

[rinsd]

14. Better neither of them

"he is right on opposing Anglo-American subversion of Zimbabwe"

That would interfere with his own loot and pillage.

[David__77]

17. Zimbabweans can determine their own fate.

The duty of people in imperialist countries is to oppose imperialist aggression and interference in the third world.

[rinsd]

19. Can they?

I'm not saying they need regime change from without but to say the Zimbabwe people are determining what is goin on in their country is so much bullshit.

Oh wait...we've into each other before. I shouldn't have even bothered.

[paulk]

20. Gosh...

Do you get this stuff out of some "manual for armchair revolutionaries" or do you come up with it yourself?

[Odin2005]

29. Zimbabwians have a right not to be ruled by a tyrant.

[pampango]

18. Bush cries "terrorism", Mugabe cries "Anglo-American subversion"

Mugabe has set a standard for life-long dictatorial rule, running his country into the ground and starving his people that Bush will have to work long and hard to equal. Bush has killed many more, but that is only because he inherited better weapons than Mugabe.

Anyone who defends Robert Mugabe either does not like Africans or is blinded by racism. He has taken a country with a fairly developed economy along with racism and income inequality and turned it into an economic basket case with widespread poverty and income inequality through racism.

Of course, Mugabe blames someone else while he gets rich. What dictator does not blame someone else?

[Odin2005]

28. Mugabe raped his country for his own benefit.

Power corrupted him, turning him from freedom fighter to tyrant. He used "evil whitey is gonna come after you" demogogury in order to loot his country.

[1932]

6. U.S. Officials Praise Venezuela Heating Oil Program, N. Korea Position

Caracas, October 11, 2006 (Venezuelanalysis.com)—U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman told Reuters yesterday that he had no objections to Venezuela’s discounted heating oil program and wished more companies would follow suit. Similarly, U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, William Brownfield, said he applauds Venezuela’s position of condemning North Korea’s nuclear weapons test.

Energy Secretary Bodman said about Venezuela’s discount heating oil program, "I can't find my way clear to object to Venezuela being charitable." To him, it is “a charitable contribution and I wish more companies did it.”

[Peace Patriot]

7. Bechtel has ties to North Korea.

They and other U.S. global corporate predators built and help maintain No. Korea's energy plants.

alrighty then

[Andrushka]

24. Yes,

my mouth is still agape at that, too!

[upi402]

2. The big USA is pretty scared of little Chavez and tiny Cuba

The elites just can't stomach the thought of the common folk removing their consent to be governed by the wealthy elites. So the elites assasinate or debase the leaders of such populist democracies in order to knock down that model of possible government. They like the status quo corporate democracy just fine, thank you very much!

It's so obvious why BushCo is up in arms abouth Chavez. Especially since there's an oil producer alliance involved.

[Bacchus39]

4. and Hugo is "up in arms" about the UN seat

on the security council since it is very much in doubt despite his incessant compaigning.

[Adelante]

5. "Go forth with the bayonet!"

Is something lost in translation or does he actually say shit like this?

[Peace Patriot]

9. Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.

And where is the "increasingly authoritarian" president of Venezuela ("according to his critics...")?

I tracked that one to the Vatican finance office.

----------------------------

Actually, I kind of like "go forth with the bayonet" --considering who would be nailed to the wall by Venezuela's presence on the Security Council.

[David__77]

11. They needs to be armed politically and militarily.

US imperialism is dangerous and schemes everywhere to annihilate those who dare to oppose it in any way.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Chavez on top:In opposing ........ US made a serious strategic blunder

Chavez on top
In opposing Venezuela's bid for a security council seat, the US made a serious strategic blunder.
Ewen MacAskill

October 16, 2006 12:13 PM |
Today's vote at the United Nations on Venezuela is purely symbolic. It is of interest only because the Bush administration has been working so hard to try to stop Venezuela.

At stake is a place on the UN's 15-member security council. The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, who has been travelling the world to secure support for his nation's bid for a seat, claims to have enough support on the 192-member general assembly to win. He says he has been promised backing from other Latin American countries, the Caribbean, most of Africa, and much of the Arab world. Asia is divided.

US ambassadors have been working hard, cajoling and putting pressure on these countries not to back Venezuela. Where gentle pressure has failed, Washington has opted for threats, warning that military co-operation and economic aid could be in jeopardy.

It is a huge mistake for Washington to behave as it does. Sure, Chavez is an irritant to Washington, his left-wing rhetoric a repeated challenge. But the Washington's antagonism has turned him into a bigger figure than he would ever have been otherwise, champion of the many countries resentful of US dominance.
(snip/...)

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ewen_macaskill/2006/10/chavez_on_top.html

[Judi Lynn]

12. This article from the Caribbean states Bush has already punished

people who support Venezuela's proposed temporary seat at the Security Council:

Even today the Monroe Doctrine continues to threaten us. In recent weeks the U.S congress has passed legislation aimed specifically at crippling the lucrative internet gaming industry in Antigua after repeated efforts to force the government there to submit to American control have proven unsuccessful. It has also attempted to undermine the regional tourist industry by requiring the unprecedented necessity of passports for travel to the region to be implemented from January 2007 a full two years before the new regulations come into force for Canada and Mexico. This is the result, no doubt of the failure to vote for Guatemala for the vacant Security Council seat.
(snip)

http://www.pamdemocrat.org/Newspaper/Details.cfm?Nz=%280GIZ4I%26%3DAG8%20%0A&Iz=%23%28R%40N%0A

[Demeter]

25. And THAT'S Why They Passed That Bill?

How petty. How stupid. How pointless. How like Bush.

[Bacchus39]

15. Guatemala leads Venezuela in UN vote

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061016/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/un_security_council

UNITED NATIONS - Guatemala topped Venezuela in the first round of voting Monday for a U.N. Security Council seat, but it failed to get the necessary two-thirds majority to win a two-year term on the decision-making body.


Guatemala, whose candidacy had been backed by the United States, received 109 votes, 15 short of the necessary 124 and triggering a second round. Venezuela trailed with 76 votes.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has toured the world and spread hundreds of millions of petrodollars vying for the seat. The United States has said Chavez, whose government has friendly ties with North Korea and Iran, would be a disruptive force on the 15-member Security Council.

[PeaceProgProsp]

22. Fourth round: Venezuela up to 83, Guatemala down to 103

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061016/wl_nm/un_council_vote_dc_6;_ylt=ArPO0LPbbWK3WzYm_RyxCstn.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA2ZGZwam4yBHNlYwNmYw--

[Yupster]

27. After 20 rounds

Guatemala is still up about 102 - 80.

What's going to happen is neither of them will get in and a compromise candidate will be agreed to.

Too bad since Guatemala has never been on the Council and has waited a long time for its turn to come up.

[w4rma]

31. Do you know where the term banana republic originated? Guatemala has been

one of the biggest examples of the "banana republic". The country was literally run by United Fruit Co. (As of 1990, Chiquita Brands International, Inc.) who exploited the labor of the folks who lived there to pick their bananas cheaply and sell them in the U.S. market at a huge profit to this multi national corporation.

And Guatemala *still* has horrible human rights and labor abuses. Also, the right-wing run country is a major trafficking point for the drug trade for opium, cocaine and heroin.

Why are you ignoring the still horrible human rights abuses and impediments to free speech in Guatemala?

[greccogirl]

23. Chavez, your mouth

is waging the war....................

[geek tragedy]

32. I hope neither Venezuela nor Guatemala wins.

Guatemala is Bush's proxy, and Chavez is just looking for a soapbox instead of being interested in getting anything accomplished there.

Get a grown-up Latin American country in there instead..

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. Costa Rica or Mexico wpuld be good choices

[geek tragedy]

34. Uruguay or Chile as well. Brazil is the most populous

country, so you could argue for them as well.

Lots of good choices--these may be the worst two.