Chavez: Obama Has "The Same Stench" As Bush

In an interview shown in the past week on the Spanish-language network Univision, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said that Venezuela's firebrand president, Hugo Chávez, has hindered progress in Latin America, and he expressed concern that Chávez's leftist government has assisted Colombia's biggest guerrilla movement, a group the United States considers a terrorist organization. Chávez responded this weekend by saying that Obama had "the same stench" as President Bush, a frequent target of Chávez's remarks.

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Comments

[btrim]

Bush put out a hitt on Chavez. I hope that Obama does not follow suit.

[truegreen]

Now that Bush is gone Chavez is feeling a little lonely.

[Whinger]

Now we know what a bag of hot air looks like!

[sbrown80]

We as Americans are truly naive. Do you know right now Europe is talking w/ Iran to buy oil in order to ween themselves off of Russia.

They are working out a deal w/ Iran, and we're talking mess about Chavez? Yeah until we need them for oil. At the end of the day, it's all about money. Atleast Chavez like Castro feed and educate his pple. Atleast they can read a book in Venezuela.

[merger]

I have been to Venezuela many times and frankly, he (chavez) took a mediocre country and made it worse. It's a horrible place and the people hate him, but are afraid to say so publically.

[onalimb]

"We will extend a hand if you unclench your fist"
Lighten up - give Obama a chance.

[ThirdSection]

That was a good opening overture on Obama's part-- an appeal for civil discourse. However, I find it highly doubtful that Chávez has been helping FARC, as such an alignment would do little or nothing to further his interests.

[AndThenOneDay]

Needs to put on a clean shirt, and perhaps a tie would help. The pres. is a pretty snappy guy and doesn't go for drama queens.

[merger]

Yes, exactly. The difference in class between Obama and Chavez is like the difference in a fine bottle of wine and swamp water. Chavez is a low class thug.

[Norge]

Lighten up Chavez and give it a chance, the poorage has not had time to rot yet. And if it does, it requires a few months of really really rotten temperatures.

Be less with bluster and more with critical facts. We are all color rich now and the times they are achanging or at the least, in that area.

[brooklyncitizen]

Well Colombia is the only right-wing govt in SA now and very hated by its populace. Obama should get an education and consider carefully any furthering of ties with Uribe.He comes from a land-owning family with ties to the drug cartels- his father was subject to a drug trafficking extradition warrant in the US.

http://www.colombiajournal.org/colombia185.htm

Before making up his mind about FARC- the new administration needs to understand the plight of indigenous people who have been fighting for their rights in Colombia.

[klaatu barada nikto]

Obama has defended the rights of Indigenous people in Ecuador against oil companies(as a lawyer). The same oil companies Chavez is courting to pillage his country.

[RoloTomassi]

It is my understanding that Venezeula's oil industry is nationalized; so, which oil companies would Chavez be courting, and why?

[brooklyncitizen]

Ecuador is not Colombia- please re-read post.
Uribe remains as the only staunch US ally in SA.

[tydicea]

I think Chavez is a blowhard..­..instead of reacting in his usual manner to snippets, Chavez should wait until Barack in sworn in, and request a face to face with him so that they can speak one on one.

[NWBrunette]

Oh come on Chavez. Bush set a new universal standard for the high achievement of stench. No one else comes close. Work up a more enlightened insult.

[HoosierRadical]

Barack needs to pipe down that BS about Hugo. It seems he may be listening to Biden's misinformation about Hugo. Hugo is the man and Barack could only hope to transform this nation the way, Hugo has for the Venezuela. Hopefully, this is just a little spat and something more constructive will evolved.

[Petey131]

Hugo is a dictator. I know many individuals from Latin America that feel this way. Hugo is an ignorant imbecil. You can not compare Hugo to President Obama. Mr. Obama DOES NOT need to pipe down.

[raaf]

You are right about one thing, you can't compare Hugo to Obama. Hugo represents real change, Obama just puts another face on the same old imperialistic Bush/Clinton politics.

[RoloTomassi]

An uninformed comment; dictators usually don't hold democratic elections.

Obama needs to withhold comments until he is in the position to know all of the facts and separate those from the entrenched NeoCon/NeoLiberal dogma that has framed all discourse about Chavez, Venezeula and South American countries in general.

Generally speaking, the South Americans I have encountered who are pro-Chavez are indigenous to their SA country of origin; those opposing Chavez--again, generally speaking--are of European decent. Or, to make a finer point, the Haves vs the Have-Nots.

[Indie2008]

Thank you Sean Penn.

[postman606]

Hugo is in real trouble with his own populace.

[drjasonmd]

Yeah, his approval rating is all the way down to 62%!

[ropadopa]

Mr. Chavez's ties to the Castro regime is his feigned disdain for the USA and to this end he must appear to be keeping up appearances. As the price of oil continues to fall and a President Obama pursues his renewable energy program, we can only expect more of this vitriol form him.

[marbiol]

bummer man...didn­t he read the article below this???

where's the love---at least give him 3 mos!!!

[joebhed]

economic hitman.

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

Chavez is having problems in his country with the price of oil at 30plus dollars and his socialist ideals falling to way side. Bye bye Hugo!