Washington and Venezuela trade barbs over Bolivia at OAS conference in For

[Robbien]

As Bolivia drifted toward political chaos Tuesday, Washington's top diplomat form Latin America hinted that Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chávez was somehow responsible for the worsening situation.

'Chávez' profile in Bolivia has been very apparent from the beginning,'' Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega said in response to a question about Chavez' influence on the turmoil in Bolivia. ''His record is apparent and speaks for itself,'' Noriega told reporters atthe Organization of American States's general assembly in Fort Lauderdale. He adding that the situation ``was worrisome.''

In reply, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Alí Rodríguez ''indignantly'' denied allegations circulated by U.S. officials for several months that his government has provided financial assistance to one of the leaders of the Bolivian opposition, Evo Morales. Asked about Noriega's comments, Rodríguez said, ''It seems that he goes around seeking to throw fuel on the fire'' and added that diplomats should try to put out fires, not fuel their flames.

''The problems in Bolivia are problems that belong to Bolivia and it is up to the Bolivians to solve them,'' Rodríguez said. ''Venezuela is scrupulously respectful of the sovereignty of all countries.'' Bolivian government officials and Western diplomats in the region have told the Herald that while the allegations of Chávez financial aid to Morales are widespread, there's been no hard evidence to support the charges.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11836342.htm

except for the characterization of Rodriguez being indignant, for the miami herald this is a fairly non-propaganda article

[Roland99]

1. "leftist President Hugo Chavez"?

Nice framing.

[Robbien]

3. Since the miami herald usually calls him a dictator

leftist is as close to unbiased as they can get.

[TomClash]

12. Miami Herald hates elections nt

[aneerkoinos]

7. Well he is

And a socialist (real one, not neo-liberal puppet like Lula)!

[Roland99]

8. They couldn't call him "firebrand"?

;)



Or, *gasp*, compassionate?

[aneerkoinos]

11. Or

"Loyal servant of Venezuelan people and their Bolivarian revolution".

[getmeouttahere]

2. Yep, BushCo is at it again....

trying to position Venezueula for a potential takeover...making them look like a pariah...this time, I don't think it's going to work, because I think the Latin American countries see right through these fu**ers!

www.handsoffvenezuela.org

[Cats Against Frist]

4. Has anybody found Chavez, yet? Last I heard, he was incommunicado..

[billyoc]

5. He was just visiting his daughter. n/t

[Toots]

6. ''Venezuela is scrupulously respectful of the sovereignty of all countrie

Well we know America cannot make the same claim.

[Cocoa]

9. and the irony further compounds...

Now, the U.S. is accusing Venezuela of meddling in other countries' affairs!

the irony/hypocrisy/Orwellianism in the U.S.'s rhetoric towards Venezuela continues...

edit: here's yesterday's dose of this crap...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3800137&mesg_id=3800137

[MasonJar]

10. "Scrupulously respectful" is a great touche, albeit a subtle one so

Bush will never get it. I wonder if the neo-cons tell Bush what is said about him; he never reads the news so he may actually think that he admired and loved....all those lovely supporters in his town hall meetings.