US welcomes Venezuela's term vote

[IndianaGreen]

Source: BBC News

Page last updated at 02:28 GMT, Tuesday, 17 February 2009

US welcomes Venezuela's term vote

The US has cautiously welcomed Venezuela's vote to scrap limits on how often politicians, including President Hugo Chavez, can run for office.

State Department spokesman Noel Clay praised "the civic spirit" of the referendum on Sunday.

But he said it was important that elected officials in Venezuela focused "on governing democratically".

Mr Chavez is one of Washington's most outspoken, who last year expelled the US ambassador in Caracas.

Mr Chavez has said he needs to stay in office beyond the end of his current term in 2012 so he can secure what he calls Venezuela's socialist revolution.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7893907.stm

[EFerrari]

1. Where's the catch?!

lol

May this be the beginning of new better relations among democratic nations.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Do we dare to hope that "adult in the White House" has finally arrived?

Republicans claimed there was going to be one there, but they didn't tell us it wouldn't be until after their sociopath left.

[mithnanthy]

5. Yes, JudiLynn, we can dare to hope

It's a start.

[EFerrari]

7. I have about one gota of hope left that our brilliant new president

will make a difference. That's more than I had a year ago. :)

[babylonsister]

18. Man, you didn't get the meme? He's gotttagota! nt

[rabs]

8. But has there been congratulations from Obama?

I have not seen any such but maybe I missed it. Noted the remarks by State's Noel Clay praised the "civic spirit" of the Venezuelan people, but it fell far short of congratulating Chavez's victory. Incidentally, Clay's remarks were made BEFORE the official results were announced. But by then, it was clear that the referendum would be approved. Maybe Obama is still miffed that Chavez said Obama had the "same stench" as Bush?

From the AFP article Sunday night:

The US reaction to Venezuela's vote comes uncharacteristically before the complete tally has been announced. The country's electoral board has issued its first, 54-46 percent vote result with only 94 percent of precincts reporting.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.996d5cb1e73d96f0dfd0871ab8daba1f.3f1&show_article=1

[Idealism]

9. It isn't supposed to be a victory for Chavez, but for democracy

It is a victory for the people, whose voices have been heard. It may help Chavez only if the people choose it to, but the passing of this bill is not directly a victory for Hugo.

Edit: I would think Obama has shown himself to be more politically astute than many give him credit to be, and just like that worded statement the OP talks about not declaring a "victory for Chavez," I think it is important to make people remember that Venezuela is a democratic society again, and that this vote was for them.

[EFerrari]

10. It's still a change of tone. That's the first step.

I frankly don't want US to pay attention to Latin America. They do much better when we don't.

[rabs]

12. I think both stumbled out of the starting gate

Chavez congratulates Obama on Nov. 4, saying he looks forward to improved relations.

Then last month Obama tells Univision:

"We need to be firm when we see this news, that Venezuela is exporting terrorist activities or supporting malicious entities like the FARC."

Chavez gets P.O.ed and shoots off his mouth that Obama has the "same stench" as Bush. He says Obama had thrown the first rock.

But now it appears that both are backing off. I would hope so.

[EFerrari]

13. Me, too. Obama needs better Latin America advisors.

Or, maybe he just needs time to get them in place. The FARC thing was silly considering that of everyone, Chavez was the one out of everyone that said it was time to put away weapons.

[rabs]

16. Start packing your bags

Obama needs better Latin America advisors.

I have been lurking in the Latin American forum for a long time and there are many DUers who would make excellent advisors.
:)

Btw, one of the best opposition laments last night was by an anti-Chavez poster on a Venezuelan blog:

"This government is so damn good that it has given us the option of shackling ourselves in chains."


:rofl:

[EFerrari]

17. LOL!

:rofl:

[Idealism]

2. Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the motherf!@#ing floor

:wow:

[unkachuck]

3. "the civic spirit"

....see, Hugo's not so bad after all....

[justinaforjustice]

6. Hopeful News!

It appears that perhaps we are now starting to have a rational foreign policy toward Venezuela.

There was monumental enthusiasm going into this vote here, exceeded only by the enthusiasm when the "Si" results were announced. Chavez has increased the strength of his mandate to proceed with important social programs.

The election was very orderly and very efficiently run. It would be a good idea for the U.S. to scrape all its Diebolt computers and copy the Venezuelan system, which provided a receipt to every voter and paper ballots for recounts in addition to the electronic tabulations.

[bgr1938]

11. what's next? bullets

i sure hope hugo isn't too trusting of america.

[getthefacts]

14. HUH!?!?

lost for words...

[AlphaCentauri]

15. very strange but possible

:woohoo:

[originalpckelly]

19. Uh, whut?

:wow:

If that's not retracted, that could be very nasty in the short term if Chavez does something unsavory.

[EFerrari]

20. I hope you guys who have been waiting for Chavez to screw up for the last ten years

have something else to do while you wait.

lol

[originalpckelly]

21. While we have no right to tell Venezuela what to do, in our own country...

we have the right to debate whether or not what's going on down there is a good thing, mainly because of people like you who seem to want the very same stuff to happen here.

Isn't it true that the CNE is picked by the National Assembly, which is now totally under the control of Chavez's supporters?
Is that really a great idea? Would you want Republicans to pick the members of the FEC without any opposition whatsoever?

How would you feel if you lived in this country and the Republicans had 100% of Congress? Wouldn't that frustrate you? I know I was frustrated when they only had a majority, and I can only imagine how pissed off I would have been if they had 100% control of Congress.

If the National Assembly picks the judges of Venezuela's court system, and they are 100% Chavez supporters, is it credible to think that those courts wouldn't rule only in his favor or the favor of his movement?

Wouldn't you be frustrated if Republicans could do that, without so much as a hearing in the Senate to allow Democrats to question the nominees?

What if George Bush had been able to run indefinitely for President?

Even if he had managed to win fair and square, it would still enrage me. I can only imagine how pissed of the opposition is in Venezuela, whether or not they have legitimate reasons to be opposing him. Being powerless is not a good thing for real democracy. There needs to be proportionality in any system, democracy is not ignoring dissent, it's working to compromise with dissenters.

[EFerrari]

22. So, are you claiming that Democrats mounted an opposition here?

I must have missed that part. :)

[bread_and_roses]

24. My thought exactly (n/t)

[IndianaGreen]

26. I plead guilty for wanting a similar revolution in the USA

No more Alitos and Scalias. No more laws used to protect the powerful against the weak. Capitalism is barbarism.

[readmoreoften]

27. I plead guilty to agreeing with you.

[No Elephants]

23. IMO, he should not have said anything.

[subsuelo]

25. Wow.

This is welcome news!

[Judi Lynn]

28. State Department Calls Bolivian and Venezuelan Referendums "Democratic," New Attitude at the White H

February 19, 2009
State Department Calls Bolivian and Venezuelan Referendums "Democratic"
A New Attitude at the White House?

By LAURA CARLSEN

There are early signs of change in the Obama State Department. In response to significant political victories by former Bush nemeses Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and Evo Morales in Bolivia, State Department spokespersons praised the democratic processes in these countries, indicating a more open attitude toward the growing independence of Latin American nations.

Chavez won his referendum on lifting term limits for elected officials on Feb. 15 by a solid 54% at last count, with a 70% turnout. State Department spokesperson Gordon Duguid stated that, "For the most part this was a process that was fully consistent with democratic process."

Last week spokesperson Robert Wood established the administration's position on the referendum by calling it "an internal matter." When asked for his opinion on the Venezuelan vote, Duguid echoed that position saying it "was a matter for the Venezuelan people."

A similar response came out of the State Department following the Jan. 25 vote on Bolivia's new constitution. Approved by 61%, the vote culminated a reform process that nearly tore apart the nation and left several dead in its wake due to the violent opposition of anti-Evo factions.

The day after the vote, Wood congratulated the Bolivian people on the referendum and stated, "We look forward to working with the Bolivian Government in ways we can to further democracy ..." When asked if he believed the referendum furthers democracy, he replied, "A free, fair, you know, democratic process certainly does contribute positively."

These might seem like standard-issue statements from a government commenting on matters pertaining to neighboring countries. But if the votes had taken place under the Bush watch, the response would have been much different.

More:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=405