I am no fan of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, but he has been democratically elected numerous times – and there is no question that he is a big-time regional leader in Latin America. Chavez recalled his Ambassador to the U.S. in September, but on Friday things began to change as U.S. President Barack Obama went out of his way to meet Chavez, at the Summit of the Americas, and make nice with him.
After Obama introduced himself to Chavez, “”the two men talked about their mutual desire to change the relationship between their countries,” according to Politico.com.
Chavez also “said Saturday that he had proposed a former foreign minister, Roy Chaderton, as his ambassador to Washington in a move toward restoring normal ties with the United States,” according to the New York Times.
Things started to thaw when Obama announced his initial plans to thaw our relationship with Cuba. Many of the Latin American leaders are upset today because Cuba is not allowed to participate in the Americans Summit meetings due to the American embargo.
No question about it. Obama needs to restore relations with Cuba now. Why wait?
I must say that it is refreshing to have a President who spends time trying to make peace instead of war.
Mr perdroza.
You need to get out more often into the world.
Chevez has distoryed his country. Gave arms to the Iranians that most likely took the lives of Americans and is a real threat to his people.
My president just made a fool of himself and the American people by brown nosing with a dictator.
“Democratically elected?” To quote John McEnroe, “you cannot be serious.”
Don,
This is the downside of democracy – mob rule wins. Our system is better, thanks to the Electoral College.
Do ANY of you folks have a clue as to Chavez’s actual record. While he far from perfect, he has done some good things for his people.
It always strikes me as funny that the U.S. can work with true dictators as long as they allow our corporate interests to run roughshod over their natural resources, but when a foreign leader actually demands some compensation and accountability from foreign interests the U.S. suddenly brands them dictators and begins undermining them.
The U.S. should try to WORK with Chavez and push him in a positive direction. We have a long ugly history in Latin America, it’s about time for a change. Good for Obama if he can make this happen.
I know all the right-wingers are going to go crazy- please do some research before you start to attack me.
post 4 i will start it . DO YOU HAVE ANY CLUE WHO CHAVEZ IS =FIDEL JR oh i guess he is good too .
Letting the voters go through the motion of voting before declaring yourself the winner by outright fraud, murder and intimidation has nothing to do with a democracy; it’s called an Oligarchy – where a small, select group rules. Most “Dictatorships” are ran this way.
Chavez is a thug anyway you slice him. If it wasn’t for his country’s oil, he’d be nothing more than a gnat on an elephant’s ass. The man should be assassinated as soon as possible.
I have to ask all these “Americans” why when the largest oil reserve EVER discovered was aurguably in US/International waters did President Bush cede it to Mexico?
Why? because it’s far easier for Cheveron to prop up a canidate and pay off the system there than to go through all that environmental bullshit this country might require.
Since they already had they’re boy (and girl if you count condi) in their pocket they gave it away. Since they and perhaps Texaco/BP are the only ones with the technology to get the crude, they have no competition to worry about.
So my point: The only different between Chavez and Bush is Chavez gives a little something back to his people.
Chavez is giving Obama Eduardo Galeano’s book “Open Veins of Latin America” in the picture, which, judging by many of the comments here on this blog, should be read by many of you…
YES
The President is offering a working relationship with Latin country leaders. How is this a negative.
Apparently it is because Chavez is considered a dictator via a fixed Democratic vote.
America has a history of many relationships of this kind around the world.
We had a strong relationship with Cuba when Cuba was ruled by Bautista. We broke relationships with Cuba when our interests in Gambling, Prostitution,Liquor and Sugar where destroyed by Castro.
Our past and current bad relationship with Chavez is because Chavez does not offer the USA the right interests, as far as Bush was concerned, relative to oil , the drug trade and other resources.
If Chavez gave Bush what he wanted you can bet The US would of been friendly and supportive of Chavez’s administration.
Our President seems to be setting up opportunities in the form of mutual interests which is why Latin American leaders are listening to him.
We need to celebrate this kind of intelligent leadership.
Some here are saying we should try to influence Chavez, but those same people then condemn our country for interfering and having an “ugly history” there. Make up your mind…
I am tired and saddened by people who have nothing but negative things to say about our great country. Most of the rhetoric that is written here is nothing more than conspiracy theory paranoia and babble that is driven by the left wing cauldron of Kool-Aide. This country has done more things for more people in this world than any other. We have helped more people and have contributed to the global well being of more in this world than any other country ever has. And what do we get in return but slammed by most every other country in the world and even the very citizens of the US who spew forth their anger without ever thinking for one second about whether or not if they lived in any of these other countries, would they even have the freedom to spew forth their angry, bitter opinions.
Most of you here have no awareness, understanding or appreciation for our great country and no clue of what we should all be thankful for. How much time have you lived overseas? I’m not talking about visiting a tourist trap, but actually lived anywhere outside of the US? Can you honestly say that you have personal experience and subjective exposure to use as a basis for your vile bitterness? If not, you should be ashamed of yourselves and your bitter anger that most frequently has no real basis.
Anyone on here that does not think Chavez is a brutal dictator needs to educate themselves about the realities of this world before they offer inaccurate and ill-conceived opinions that disrespect and insult our great country.
If you doubt me, go to Caracas and wear a sign around your angry, whining, unappreciative liberal neck that says “Chavez is a brutal dictator” and see how long you last before some very friendly gentlemen escort you away and you will never be heard from again. Please take me up on this offer ….
D Wagman,I know that responding to your post is a waste of time, I can tell that your opinions are fixed and that you neither know nor care about facts. Your world is black and white, good and evil, there is NO reasoning with that mind set.
You bring to mind an old Chinese Proverb:
“A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.”
No one posting on this thread is arguing what Chavez represents as a leader of his country.
Some of us are responding to those second guessing our President about opening a dialog with Chavez.
Statements presented above are historical facts. Open dialog and referencing history when addressing actions by our leaders is healthy and is why we are a great country. This is what separates us from Caracas, so why do you not want Liberals to be able to state their opinions?
America is great and beautiful because we can freely debate issue in general and political issues in particular without being escorted by very friendly gentlemen and never be heard from again.
On this thread Conservatives have disagreed with our President offering communication with Chavez because he is seen as a bad leader by them.
I, a Republican and others have presented history where our country has had relationships with dictators and such in order to protect American interests.
Why bad mouth our President for doing what other Presidents have done? It is a rhetorical question it is done because of partisan politics.
okay for you all out there
HIS OWN PEOPLE HATE HIM
ask Venezuelans and they will say they hate them
…at least the ones that have an education
Try this for a story – an army general gets fed up with the corruption in the political system, thinks he can do better, attempts a political coup to forceably overthrough the president. Doesn’t work, gets arrested and thrown in jail. He becomes so widely popular that the very president that he attempted to over throw is essentially forced to pardon him and release him from jail. This time he goes about it the legal way and runs for the presidency. He wins. He convinces the government to abolish term limits and gets himself “re-elected” several times. Hollywood couldn’t write this stuff up.
As an American who spent several years in Venezuela, and actually lived there when Chavez was initially elected, I can tell you that yes, he has done some good for certain groups in his country. But when it comes to the freedoms that we enjoy here in the US, they don’t exist there. I still have friends that are natives of Venezuela that still live there. There electricity goes off for a few hours every couple of days because the country has to ration it’s electricity. Does that sound like a well run government to you? Venezuela would be much better off with a different president who had a different outlook on how to get along with others.
You sir are a scary dirtbag. Go back to the coffee shop and spew your crap to stinky halfwits who think that talking all the time makes you smarter. Thank GOD for elections in november and 2012. So we can send that big eared jackass Obumass back to chicago with his pack of kools and ugly talking shitstick wife
john. As a conservative Republican on the Juice team let me ask you not to engage in attacking the first lady. However, president Obama is fair game.