Venezuela President Hugo Chavez died today after fighting cancer for two years. Vice President Maduro’s statement:
Today, the 5th of March, after participating in the meeting of the council of ministers, we came here to the military hospital to follow the sequence of our comandante president’s health. We were receiving information and we were accompanying his daughters, his brother, his family members and we received the hardest and the most tragic of news that we will ever transmit to our people. At 4:25 in the afternoon, today, the 5th of March, Comandante President Hugo Chavez Frias died.
Defense Minister Bellavia said in a press conference:
You can count on us, the men and women of the country’s armed forces, who will together ensure that the constitution is upheld. We join the nation in their sorrow, and once more call for unity and peace between all parties. We all, from this moment, will have a mission to comply with and will ensure that for the sake of the nation that it is complied with. Long live Chavez. Long live the revolution.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation sent out an eblast:
The President of Haiti tweeted (translation via BBC) “I extend, on behalf of the people of Haiti, my sincere condolences to the people after the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez”:
On the other hand, the BBC reported this email they received:
“My Venezuelan girlfriend and every Venezuelan I’ve ever met will be happy and celebrating, I on the other hand am still unsure, hear mostly good things about Chavez through the international press but only bad stories from the Venezuelan people.”
The New York Times reports on how the transition of power will occur:
With the president’s death, the Constitution says that the nation should “proceed to a new election” within 30 days, and that the vice president should take over in the meantime. The election is likely to pit Vice President Nicolás Maduro, whom Mr. Chávez designated as his political successor, against Henrique Capriles Radonski, a young state governor who ran against Mr. Chávez in a presidential election in October.
But there has been heated debate in recent months over clashing interpretations of the constitution, in light of Mr. Chávez’s illness, and it is impossible to predict how the post-Chávez transition will proceed.
WAJ adds: From the archives — Obama Throws Venezuelans Under The Bus:
No surprise here —
or here
No condolences from Michael Moynihan, Hugo Chavez Dead at 58: Good Riddance!
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Goodbye and good riddance scumbag.
Double Tap!
I never understood the fuss over Chavez. There have been many more terrible South American political figures than he.
The amount of words & efforts used up on this guy could have been better spent looking at our own lot.
Wow….perhaps you missed his corralling of other nefarious South American leaders/dictators to coalesce against the U.S., or his providing support and local assets (meaning land and safe haven) to Iran? Or perhaps that is a good thing to you.
Central & South America can have whatever alliances they want – like it or not.
As for The Iranians perhaps you should send Ollie North to Venezuela to give them a good weapons deal. I hear Daniel Ortega is still President of Nicuaraga. Don’t you have some Sandinistas
to wipe out?
ah Those were the days my friend,
we thought hey would never end……
Oops. Sorry. I thought your original comment was serious.
They’re already dead.
Condolences to Danny Glover, Sean Penn and Michael Moore – not!!!!!!!!
They may be on suicide watch right now….
JUST IN — Abu Musab al-Zarqawi takes a break from having sex with Adolf Hitler to give Hugo Chavez his turn.
..amen…Amen…AMEN…A*M*E*N…!!
Arafat & bin Laden want their turns to play pitchers to his catcher,’Yo. Turning on a spit-in-Hell can be a warm and bumpy place.
Kevin Maguire, Assoc Ed of the Daily Mirror tweets:
Ooops looks like I left off the html tag on that blockquote. The quote should end after improved lines of South Americans. I added the snark about Hollywood. Sorry.
Wow! Condolences are such cheap currency. Getting one from Galloway. Yuk!!! (BTW, Galloway’s a muzzie, so why’s he giving kind words to a kuffar in death.)
I prefer to take the Moe Szyslak approach, “I’m a well-wisher in that I don’t wish him any specific harm.”
Ah, yes! The Mysterious Voyage of Homer episode. Can you name the voice of the Spirit Coyote, without looking it up?
Easy, Johnny Cash.
Breaking news… Notorious Communist dictator And air to the Soviet controlled Central American Empire, Hugo Chavez, died of complications from cancer in a Venezuelan hospital at the age of 58…
In other news, Emotional support and grief counselors will be provided to the entire Democratic delegation of the Massachusetts Senate.
Governor Deval Patrick has ordered all flags to be flown at half staff…
In related news… President Obama has made Air Force One available for party apparatchiks, Gold level bundlers, Media lap dogs and unnamed lobbyists. George Soros has volunteered to pay all expenses.
Adios Hugo!
1. Every time I read about pre-Chavez Venezuela, the story was corruption corruption corruption. That should, but probably won’t, be a warning to our own ruling class.
2. The way the American Revolution worked out was not inevitable. It may well have been improbable. It’s not an outcome to be taken for granted.
3. OT gripe: I am annoyed whenever I read about somebody “fighting” a disease. I am even more annoyed when I read about a pampered somebody “fighting” an addiction.
You quite obviously never extended your reading to the Chavez era and corruption, corruption and more corruption and more poverty than before. Get first-hand knowledge before spouting off.
You quite obviously never extended your reading to the Chavez era and corruption, corruption and more corruption and more poverty than before. (boldface mine)
Afaic virtually all LI readers have some idea of how Chavez governed.
Get first-hand knowledge before spouting off.
Take your own advice.
Would actually having lived there be sufficient first-hand knowledge and experience, unlike using Wikipedia as a source?
“And, Hugo, could we have a final word on the virtues and miraculous work of the Cuban health system?”
“Hugo, Hugo, Hugo? Are you there?”
“Sicko,” the talk of the Cannes Film Festival [and stellar opus of the less-than-honest M. Moore]last week, savages the American health care system — and along the way extols Cuba’s system as the neatest thing since the white linen guayabera. From,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/weekinreview/27depalma.html?_r=0
“Lets give it one more try. Hugo, are you there?”
Oh, you must be referring to The Mendacious Michael Moore. No one is better than he at cherry picking facts and arguments. Supposedly, though, you can make money by listening to his “stock tips” and then doing the opposite. Most companies he ignorantly criticizes for being “too greedy” and making too much profit end up being the dreams of short sellers.
Newly elected Congressman, Tom Cotton, has the correct response and tone:
“Sic semper tyrannis.
“After the welcome news of Hugo Chavez’s death, I hope that the oppressed people of Venezuela will be able to live in freedom, not under miserable tyranny. I look forward to working in the House to promote a free, democratic, and pro-American government in Venezuela.”
http://cotton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cotton-responds-to-the-death-of-venezuelan-president-hugo-chavez
Where has he been ? A Pro America today would be a Pro Obama ideology – however one interprets it.
Facts are facts.
While I would not wish a cancerous death upon anyone (especially after seeing my mother suffer through a lingering cancer until she passed away), I am not unhappy to see a change in leadership in venezuela either.
To see the caliber of people mourning his loss in terms of politics, as the end of great period in venezuela’s history, it makes me consider his loss a general improvement in the political arena.
I do give condolences to his family though, no one should see their loved ones die from cancer.
It is the end of a grate period. The end of people chasing garbage trucks for their daily bread.
What is all the fuss over Chavez dying? He had his turn as a Communist leader of a nation with vast mineral wealth and ran the place into the ground. Oh, hurray, huzzah! Venezuela is a Commie cesspool! Mission accomplished, El Commandante!
Condolences? For what? He is a hero to Sean and Fidel and Bill and Jane and perhaps secretly to the Executive Branch in general and the Diplomatic Corps in particular. Hey, when will the look-up-his-nose Inspriational Commie t-shirts be available? Will his earthly remains be preserved and displayed for all to see in the style of Lenin’s tomb? Think of the Progressive Pilgrimages to Caracas as a warm up for when Fidel goes.
Hugo’s reward was right here on earth, my friends.
Thank you, Anne and thank you, Professor.
DM
Thank you DMurray… you said it all in a nutshell.
Sadly, Weekly World News will no longer be covering bat boy sightings.
Rot in Hell… I spent a few years of my youth training to fight communists in the cold war, and I haven’t forgotten.. nor forgiven.
That picture of a SMILE A MILE WIDE grinning Obama sickens me.. at the same meeting where the El Douchebag gave him a copy of his book trashing America and calling for our government to be overthrown by communists..
When he met.. meets the Prime Minister of Israel.. Obama has a frown twice that big… making clear where that SOB Obama has sympathies,.. and they are not with western values.
For decades the radical socialist/communists have gone underground, gutting once uniguely American institutions, like a free press skeptical of power. An academia which valued ideas.. now, they’ve all outed themselves, because they think this is when they can cemment their power forever.. because if the American people allow Obama to openly harass and crush dissent without notice..
Democray will be dead, and forget anymore elections.. because Soviet style voting is their dream.. one party, one choice, and the opponent running under the radar from prison. We have a hard long fight to reclaim the entire entertainment and news media.. academia from craven thugs.. but we really don’t have any other options..
I do plan to begin again in a couple of years, after my medical issues are in the background,.. I’ll never do manuel labor again,.. but teaching?.. why not?.. Why not go into the front lines of the fight and attend college to look the enemy in the eye and call them on their false claims.
How did Manuel take the news?
Hey, one way to look at Hugo’s passing is that Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler, and el Duce are getting fresh blood, so to speak, one to spread their evil work load around while bowing down to Prince Satan.
Nothing yet from Sean Penn? He must be beside himself with grief…
Joe Kennedy (Robert’s oldest kid) too.
The Kennedys are through-and-through rotten, going back generations.
Farewell Chavez. Enjoy voting in Chicago.
Will Barry attend his funeral?
Due to the sequester TOTUS will be attempting to raise Lazarus from the dead.
As someday it may happen that a victim must be found,
I’ve got a little list, I’ve got a little list.
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And who never would be missed, who never would be missed.
Chavez, Penn, Moore and Glover were already on my “Enemies List,” which is up to almost 1,000 names. Those eulogizing Chavez may put the list over 1,000.
Hugo Chávez was a dictator and ruled with an iron fist. He also persecuted the press and media who opposed him. Chávez also tried to change Venezuela’s Constitution in an attempt to rule indefinitely. He was a Marxist demagogue who used wealth redistribution as a means to political advantage. Redistributed wealth was given to the “poor” in order to gain popularity in a nation where the poor far out number every one else. He used the poor as a means of retaining power and thereby a continuance of his ruthless dictatorship and the destructive socialist policies which continue to wreck havoc in Venezuela even as we speak.
“Venezuela has become one of the least economically competitive countries in the world. In 2012, the country ranked 126 of 144 in a study by the World Economic Forum. According to the report, Venezuela now has some of the lowest scores worldwide in functioning of public institutions, trust in the justice system and domestic competition. It has some of the highest scores in terms of regulation, trade tariffs, and rules that deter foreign investment. The country has an inflation rate of 26 percent, and has also suffered several food shortages this year.”
“Venezuelan infrastructure has been falling apart under Chávez. The Cupira bridge near Caracas collapsed recently despite repeated warnings from engineers that it was in disrepair. Last month, poor drainage infrastructure led to nationwide flooding, resulting in over 400 families losing their homes and 1,500 people ending up in shelters. Chávez also mismanages Venezuela’s oil wealth. Since the government effectively took control of the national oil company in 2004, it has become much less efficient and production is 25 percent lower than when Chávez took office. Accidents are common—an offshore oil rig sank into the sea in 2010 and an oil refinery explosion in August killed at least 48 people. Despite sitting atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela now imports and rations gasoline.”
“Venezuela has the fourth highest murder rate in the world and is now the most violent South American country. Between the time Chávez took power in 1998 and 2012, kidnappings have risen from a few hundred annually to a record of 16,000 in 2011. Homicide rates have nearly tripled and suspect arrests have fallen by 61 percent. Only eight in every 100 murder investigations lead to an arrest. Murder of police officers has risen by 45 percent in the last year alone. Violence is much worse for Venezuela’s inmates despite Chávez’ campaign promises of prison reform. A prison riot on August 24 left 26 people dead and 43 injured after inmates took over the compound and held it for four hours. Venezuelans are 20 times more likely to be killed in penitentiaries than outside of them. More than three hundred people died and 572 were injured in Venezuelan prisons in 2011 alone.”
“Venezuelans have also witnessed alarming revocations of political liberties during Chávez’ presidency. In September 2012, Chávez decided to withdraw from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He regularly targets media who expose his failures. He recently arrested two journalists for writing a satirical article about his leadership. In addition, he demanded the names of voters who participated in the opposition’s primary election in February, 2011; just as he did to those who unsuccessfully voted to remove him from office in 2004. Chávez banned foreign funding for civil society watch dogs, which makes electoral transparency in upcoming elections difficult.”
“While Chávez may have been a popular figure amongst many Venezuelans and even some Westerners i.e. progressive liberals, his policies speak for themselves. Hugo Chávez’ leadership has made his country less prosperous, more dangerous, and much more repressive.”
It will be interesting to see how things unfold now that Chávez is gone. He claimed he was Catholic and I understand he prayed to Christ to allow him to survive his bout with cancer. I guess the Lord had other plans.
Perhaps Venezuela will return to the former democratic governmental system the country enjoyed for many many years. Socialism never works and one glance at present day Venezuela only reinforces that perception. America is also going down the same treacherous path under the Barack Obama administration. And the results have proven to be equally devastating to the U.S. economy and to millions of Americans who are still out work or underemployed as a direct result of Obama’s failed policies and failed presidency. The rich are getting richer while the middle class and poor are being exploited and have suffered tremendous hardship under Marxist Obama and his infamous crew of progressive Democrats.
Hat tip: Reason magazine
A very large part of the above is due to the cocaine trade from Colombia to the many remore departure airfields in rural Venezuela & along the vast coastline..
It is estimated over 400 tons of Cocaine transits thru Venezuela to West Africa (air) & up to Europe to by ship to the east coast US A & Europe.
Venezuela is a large rugged mostly unpopulated country with a population of 28 million & the equivalent ( official ) GDP of about Lousiana with maybe a similar high % of mixed race With strong tribal lines.
On the plus side , the girls are almost always beauty winners & rarely out of he top 3 . Caracas is the Norleans of Central America with the crime & corruption to match.
Might be the climate too.maybe they both have evolved tobe yellow fever immune but something had to give.
Neither places are Reason territory.
I just hope that what follows Hugo Chavez isn’t even worse. I hope the people of Venezuela will build a better future for themselves.
Adios to yet another Tyrant! Sean is going to miss going down……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….to Venezuela, to blow smoke up his .ss!
The condition of Venezuela resulted from a leader who didn’t care for his people but only for himself. Not unlike what happened in Detroit. And with the posturing that comes out of the White House red flags should up all over the country. But an ego with a golden throat can go far with a timid audience.
BBC emailer: “I on the other hand am still unsure, hear mostly good things about Chavez through the international press but only bad stories from the Venezuelan people.”
Hmmm, who’s the best judge? The international press or the people of Venezuela? Tough call. No wonder he’s “unsure”!
Venezuela is unfortunate to be in the shadow of the drug trade. It itself is not a producer but its rugged lowly populated hinterlands are criss crossed by the cartels to get their drugs to the European market.
Colombian drug cartels have largely given up going north to the Us market because the Mexicans are too vicious. Some may be diverted through Florida but the route to an offshore reception point near Europe is far more attractive – especially when the Euro was gaining strength. With Venezuela ‘s long coastline departure is easy & the tiny Caribbean islands patrols are easily avoided.
The drug cartels have corrupted the people of Venezuela . Drug money & their ‘business ways’ has brought or driven the rural people into cities hence the burgeoning crime rates. It has not helped that Chavez has been AWOL & most likely a power vacuum / infighting has been in effect.
Again the self centred hedonistic cocaine set of the west has ruined another peoples.The only good thing is that the rural regions are too dangerous & bio diversity is
Venezuela will face the same problems well into the future without Chavez.
Deflecting much? Who is the best judge of a country’s situation: the press or the people?
Hugo Chavez’ support of the drug cartels has corrupted the people of Venezuela .
FIFY. Emperor Hugo’s active and vocal support of the narco-terrorist group FARC in an attempt to undermine the government of Colombia was no secret. Naïvely defend him if you wish, but you can’t deflect the blame for Venezuela’s troubles away from that pig. It won’t work here.
May he forever enjoy his monopoly of one.
Condolences, Hugo the Plump.
Venezuelan economy in shambles. Electricity rationed in an oil rich state. $2-Billion looted from those championed peasants and resting in his malignant pockets.
Ahhhhhhhhh…Sean Penn-ski lost a ‘Friend’. So, too, Billy and Bernardine Ayers…Castro is inconsolable…So too, Obam-bam, in the hidden privacy of the Oval Bathroom.
Is that a tear I’m sensing..? NOPE, just a speck’o’dust.
And now as a put it yesterday to friends: I never drink to the passing of anyone, but in this case I will drink to the future of a country that was once!
As the Venezuelan businessman said about his recently deceased mother-in-law:
“Embalm, cremate and bury. Take no chances.”
[…] have suffered thanks to Hugo Chavez, unlike many on the left who have been quick to offer their heartfelt condolences. But it’s dangerous to believe that Chavez’s problem was one of incompetence rather […]
Per Mary Sue and JP, it will be interesting to see whom Barry sends to represent the US at the funeral.