The Gay Blade of Caracas has been out of the news for a couple of days and was feeling lonely:
Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, emboldened by thousands of anti-American protesters, is getting a rare chance to stand up to his adversary, George Bush, with promises to keep the president from reviving talks on a free trade area stretching from Alaska to Argentina.Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean we aren't out to get ya, Hugo! And what's to practice? All they'll do is speed dial the NY Times and the Democrat National Committee and yell for help.
The two men were to arrive in Argentina for the fourth Americas summit Thursday, the same day Venezuela is staging a mock U.S. invasion of its own territory. The event is the latest exercise intended to prepare soldiers and civilian volunteers for what Chavez says is a possible attack by American troops.
U.S. officials deny any such plan, but Chavez says it's best to be ready just in case.
With tensions rising between the two nations, Chavez and Bush will likely see each other Friday at the summit's inauguration _ after Chavez addresses a rally of mostly anti-Bush protesters. The two leaders are not scheduled to meet one-on-one, but they will both be taking part in the same summit sessions.I'll bet Hugo is the highlight of the hot tub.
Chavez has joked about whether Bush is afraid of him, saying he might sneak up and scare Bush at the summit.
There are signs the U.S. may be winning over supporters for the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas, the summit's main sticking point. A high-ranking Brazilian official who said he wasn't authorized to give his name told reporters that 28 of the 34 countries participating in the summit had agreed talks should begin as early as April.A fool and his nation's money. There's more blather by following the link including a nice pout from Fidel because he didn't get invited to the soiree.
Negotiators missed a January 2005 deadline for wrapping up talks on the agreement.
The region has been divided over the FTAA, as Venezuela uses the issue to try to recruit supporters of its own so-called socialist "revolution."
Chavez has used Venezuela's oil wealth to push for regional solidarity, offering fuel with preferential financing to various Caribbean and Latin American countries.
He also bought $950 million this year in Argentine bonds, saying it was a step toward creating a so-called Bank of the South to help provide financing to the region.
In other Fat Boy news, Hugo blames global capitalism for earthquakes and mud slides; Hugo's Thought Police try to track down protesting pumpkins, and my fave:
ONE OF THE TOP CULPRITS of the March 11 massacre in Madrid apparently has been arrested in Pakistan.More here. Ole Fatty is running up quite a tab.
Interestingly, he's the same guy who reportedly had been hiding in Venezuela under the protection of a Chavist official (link in Spanish) until a TV interview with Johan Peña, a former agent of Venezuela intelligence service, was aired. A very good source there told me back then that Setmarian quicky fled the South American country after the broadcast.
