(I'm suprised not to see this mentioned here yet. Once again, distance provides insight into the American political spectrum.)
The Sunday edition of the Washington Post features a lengthy question-and-answer session with Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. Chavez traveled to New York recently for the UN summit and was interviewed by Newsweek-WaPo's Lally Weymouth. He discussed the Iraq war, terrorism, and US-sponsored overthrows of Venezuela's leaders. More inside.
After mentioning his recent 90% landslide victory in elections, the questions moved to Chavez's relationship with and perception of the United States.
You have said that the US is the most evil country in the world and you have called it a terrorist state. Do you want to have relations with the US?
Of course. Indeed, we have relationships and want to improve them.
All snarks aside on the 'have relations' question, Weymouth's query assumes that the US is the lone economic superpower and that Chavez will perish by not bowing at its feet in order to improve trade relations. Sorry, but the global economy has drastically decentralized US economic might.
Why did you call the United States a terrorist state?
...What I said is that this US administration - the current government - is a terrorist administration. I entertained the best of relationships with the Clinton administration, and I consider myself a good friend of the former President Carter
The distinction between anti-US and anti-Bush administration is absolutely necessary. But, a casual reader would not quickly glean that from glancing at the second page's title Chavez: The US Is A 'Threat to Humanity'. The title frames the notion in overly-simplistic Republican terms. Chavez dislikes America, so therefore I must not care for his criticism since I am an American. A more apt title would be what I've titled this diary, Chavez: Bush administration a 'threat to humanity'. But, I digress...
So what's wrong with President Bush?
This administration invaded Iraq. According to Pope John Paul II, it is an illegal war, an immoral war, a terrorist war. The US has bombarded entire cities, used chemical weapons and napalm, killed women, children and thousands of soldiers. That's terrorism.
...
This [present US] government is a threat to humanity. I have confidence that the American people will save humanity from this government - they will not allow it to [continue to] violate human rights and to invade countries.
Despite the article's poor framing of the actual content, I commend the WaPo for the timing of its appearance. The day following a march in Washington, DC featuring hundreds of thousands of angry Americans protesting Dear Leader's policies couldn't have a better companion piece. More, why not run this interview shortly after it originally took place (presumably one week week ago)?
Moving on, Chavez delves into his friendship with Fidel Castro and some of their joint policies.
Now we are conducting Operation Miracle, saving the eyesight of thousands of Latin Americans through eye surgery. I call upon all US citizens - especially the poor - who happen to have eye problems that require surgery. Cuba and Venezuela are offering to pay all expenses so anyone can undergo surgery for eye diseases. Today, we signed an agreement to train 200,000 doctors in the next 10 years. This information is denied to US citizens.
In the World Health Organization's 2000 ranking of health care systems, Cuba was ranked 39th. (Cuba's per capita spending on health care was 118th.) The US was ranked 37th, only slightly better. (The US was first in per capita health care spending.)
Who would you like to see as president of the United States?
I could deal with President Bush. I would like very much to be able to debate issues with him. I would like to transform this confrontation, this aggressive rhetoric, into a mature, serious debate on common issues.
...
Regarding who is in the White House, it's up to you, the American people. [Ed.-And the SCOTUS and Diebold] Think it over. A government with so much power that it can start a war and destabilize a country but doesn't take care of its own people. Now, before the hurricane, they knew that Katrina was coming, and the government did not evacuate people. In Cuba, when they know a hurricane is coming, chickens, hends and people are all evacuated. A hurricane recently destroyed many towns in Cuba but not a single person died because no one was there. The government prepared its people and took them to shelters, whereas here they left the poor without protection, especially the blacks. That's horrible. Be careful with the government you have.
Chavez next says that he feels increasingly threatened by the US, to the extent that he's buying rifles from Russia in order to be prepared. He elaborates on the threat:
The government of the United States, that's the empire. We have evidence that there are plans in this country to invade Venezuela. There is a plan called "Balboa." Our intelligence found this plan, and everything is spelled out there - the target is Venezuela. They have even calculated how many bombings they should do, how many soldiers they will require. We now have the counter-Balboa plan. I hope that this will never happen because you're going to regret it.There will be such havoc in the whole hemisphere if this happens. The United States invaded Iraq, but Venezuela is not Iraq. The price of oil would shoot up and reach what - $100 a barrel?
For more on 'Balboa' see an AP story here, a previous DailyKos diary here, a June WaPo article, an article from Bellaciao, and an article from the Venezuelan press.
The Bush administration has denied this allegation and all others related to US-sponsored attempts at overthrowing Chavez. A FOIA request on all Bush admins. documents related to Chavez and Venezuela would be mighty interesting, no?