Citas

http://noticiaaldia.com/2010/02/chavez-y-uribe-se-insultan-durante-almuerzo-de-la-cumbre-de-rio-en-mexico/
Febrero 22, 2010 - 8:52 pm63 Comentarios
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Gritos e insultos entre Chávez y Uribe durante almuerzo de la Cumbre de Río en México

Alvaro Uribe y Chávez (Archivo)
La cadena de noticias CNN en Español confirmó que los presidentes deVenezuela Hugo Chávez y de Colombia Álvaro Uribe intercambiaron ofensas, gritos e insultos durante el almuerzo de los jefes de Estado, quienes participaban en la Cumbre de Río en Cancún México.
La discusión culminó cuando el Presidente de Cuba Raúl Castro intervino y sostuvo que “cómo era posible que esto ocurriera cuando los jefes de Estado se reunían por la unidad”.
Durante el percance no estaban losmedios de comunicación, pues se trataba del almuerzo que invitó como anfitrión el presidente Felipe Calderón a los presidentes asistentes.
Reclamos
“En la reunión privada de jefes de Estado el presidente Uribe le reclamó a Chávez por el embargo comercial de su país a Colombia. Este reclamo no le gustó a Chávez y acusó a Colombia de mandarlo a matar a través de paramilitares y amenazó conretirarse de la reunión”, señaló una fuente diplomática colombiana, que pidió el anonimato, por vía telefónica a la AFP.
“Molesto, Uribe le gritó: ‘Sea varón. Estos temas se discuten en estos foros. Usted es valiente para hablar a distancia y cobarde para hablar de frente‘”, enfatizó la fuente que dijo que tras el incidente, el mandatario local, Felipe Calderón, conduce un encuentro privado para tratarel tema.
Agencias/Noticia al Día

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703389004575033490107374932.html
Chávez Drops the Democracy Mask
Venezuela's president promises 'radical measures.'
* By MARY ANASTASIA O'GRADY

Hugo Chávez likes to say that Venezuela is a democracy and that a majority of the electorate supports him and his "21st Century Socialism." Or at least he used tomake that claim. Last week the strongman gave up trying to maintain a democratic image.
Referring to nationwide civil protests—led by university students—he warned the country Thursday that if they "intensify" he is ready to take "radical measures."
Given that the Chávez government already expropriates property at will, jails political opponents, polices prices, controls foreign currencyexchange, seizes media outlets and fires rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators, his threat to turn "radical" is chilling. Venezuelans have reason to fear martial law.
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Reuters
Students demonstrate against Hugo Chávez in Caracas.

The Venezuelan economy is in a free fall and Mr. Chávez is in damage-control mode. One thing he can't afford is to let Venezuelans complain withoutconsequences. Successful dictators, like Fidel Castro, make dissent a dangerous proposition, and if Mr. Chávez is to survive he knows he must do the same. His plan starts with carrots and ends with sticks.
To use carrots Mr. Chávez needs money, and that's why he announced a mega-devaluation of the bolivar on Jan. 8, taking it to an official rate of 4.3 bolivars to the dollar, from the previous2.15. Importers of basic necessities (some foods and medicines) will still be able to buy dollars at 2.60, but for all other imported goods a dollar will now cost twice the prior rate. The net effect is that prices of "nonessential" imports doubled overnight.
This sounds like a raw deal, but not for the aspiring dictator. He has dollars because the state oil monopoly, PdVSA, is an exporter. Nowwhen he sells those dollars he will get twice as manybolivars as he used to. Imagine what can be done with that gusher of funny money ahead of the Sept. 26 legislative elections. No need to worry about inflation either, according to Mr. Chávez. Businesses caught raising prices will be confiscated and turned over to the workers.
Americas columnist Mary O'Grady discusses the problems that Hugo...