Hugo Chavez power grab succeeds

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 2, 2007 04:23 PM

The Venezuelan National Assembly has rubber-stamped Venezeulan thug-o-crat’s Hugo Chavez’s power grab and socialist makeover:

Venezuela’s National Assembly overwhelmingly gave final approval Friday to constitutional changes that would greatly expand the power of President Hugo Chavez and permit him to run for re-election indefinitely.

The assembly approved 69 amendments with all but seven of the 167 lawmakers raising their hands in favor of the changes, which threaten to spur fresh political upheaval in this oil-rich South American nation.

“Today the Venezuelan people have a pencil in their hands to write their own history, and it’s not going to be the history of the elite,” said pro-Chavez lawmaker Earle Herrera amid applause.

But dissident lawmaker Ricardo Gutierrez railed against pro-Chavez congressmen for approving amendments that “don’t have anything to do with giving more power to the people.”

If approved by voters in a Dec. 2 referendum, the changes would be Chavez’s most radical move yet in his push to transform Venezuela into a socialist state.

Can you smell the sulfur?

Students continue to demonstrate against El Diablo.

Alberto de la Cruz at Babalu Blog spotlights the student protests and writes: “This type of civil disobedience and protest is going to have to continue and grow in frequency and intensity if the people of Venezuela ever hope to get this monkey off their back.”

Sean Penn, Danny Glover, Kevin Spacey, and Naomi Campbell were unavailable for comment.

***

Much more at VCrisis (hat tip- Val Prieto).

Posted in: Hugo Chavez

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Comments


  1. #161840
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:26 pm, cpodug said:

    Being closely watched by Billary as a blueprint for change in the United States, no doubt.

  2. #161843
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:27 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Sean Penn, Danny Glover, Kevin Spacey, and Naomi Campbell were unavailable for comment.

    They’re on their way to North Korea to encourage more starvation.

  3. #161847
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:32 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Naomi: “Please Hugo, let me beat some protester upside the head with my phone! Those rabble aren’t fit to clean your streets.”

  4. #161860
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm, Uncle Monkey said:

    I think he’s checking out the diamonds on her bracelet.

  5. #161861
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:41 pm, feebiebabe said:

    Naomi: “Please Hugo, let me beat some protester upside the head with my phone! Those rabble aren’t fit to clean your streets.”

    Honestly, the beatings, water cannons and tear gas will be least of these protestors worries. “Socialism” will soon develop into a dictatorship and complete autocracy and military state.

    Armed governement militia will be out and about to silence and make people who speak out against Chavez disappear.

    Chavez/Castro/Ahmadinejad and now, the Argentinian woman president (who is very close with Chavez) and Daniel Ortego.

    Not a really good line up we have goin’ down there.

  6. #161869
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:47 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Armed governement militia will be out and about to silence and make people who speak out against Chavez disappear.

    Feebie there’s no doubt there. The idiots from Hollywood are Hugo’s “curtain”. Showy, but what goes on behind the curtain is horrific. Honestly , if you were to manipulate their DNA could you make them bigger tools?

  7. #161870
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:47 pm, graysonret said:

    History repeats itself. Another tyrant gets more power, and even more power. Soon, he will have total control, just like his buddy, Castro. The country will sink to a new low, with a meglomanic in charge.

  8. #161872
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:48 pm, trinitytim said:

    Mr. Bush, repeal the executive order preventing the CIA from going after enemy leaders. Maybe the top-down approach to warfare would work a lot better than bottom-up.

    Afterall, we really don’t believe that our enemies would not go after our President do we????? Plus it would probably save the lives of our military.

    I know, I’m a radical right wing loon.

  9. #161881
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 4:57 pm, feebiebabe said:

    South/Central America will start falling like dominos to these dictators.

    I posted on another thread (Protest Photo of the Day) about some personal family history with South American governments.

    They are all very inter-connected. It is truly cyclical. They kick the bad guy out of power…then after a period of time you have COMPLETE memory loss and they start all over again and elect some other whack job!!!

    When will they ever learn!

  10. #161888
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm, Miss Ladybug said:

    I heard (at least third-hand, but I don’t doubt the truth of it) that an American pro baseball player, who goes down to play ball in Venezuela in the off-season, was on an airplane to return to the States. The flight was held because Chavez wanted to met said American pro baseball player before he left…. There is no way in hell you could get me to go down there for ANY reason….

  11. #161898
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 5:15 pm, granite said:

    #8 trinitytim:

    “Mr. Bush, repeal the executive order preventing the CIA from going after enemy leaders.”

    Correct!
    I’ve thought this executive order is insane for years.
    I believe it was Gerald Ford who authored it?

  12. #161902
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 5:19 pm, feebiebabe said:

    Murder of Journalist/Photographer Jorge Aguirre.

    Anderson Murder Case/Press Black OUt Judge Blown up in his car – case involving Hugo Chavez.

  13. #161907
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 5:27 pm, josetheguerilla said:

    This is how liberty ends.

  14. #161909
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 5:29 pm, meatpieandtatters said:

    The Hugo-nut marches onward.

  15. #161917
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 5:45 pm, right_on said:

    When will the Venezuelan kangaroo courts begin trying “anti-Chavezistas?” My bet is within one month…any takers?

    Well, he may have to wait until he gets his Russian Hind’s and Mig 27’s in place to quell any US instigated violence that will erupt. Ooh, can’t you just feel the tension building?

  16. #161942
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 6:16 pm, zorro said:

    I think he’s checking out the diamonds on her bracelet.

    …or doing a Curly (of Three Stooges fame) and biting the diamond out of her ring.

  17. #161961
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 6:55 pm, jcflindsay said:

    Funny that the “progressives” and “students” in this country fawn all over this totalitarian pig but the students and intellectuals of Venezuela repudiate him. Does any one in Venezuela have a spine? So much for the notion of a federal constitution. If you think it can’t happen here just look at the likes of the Cape Cod Orca and Abscam Murtha and the 45+% of the lemming-like electorate that vote dem every two years. Very depressing.

  18. #161973
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 7:13 pm, DesertLover said:

    If you are not boycotting Citgo oil and gasoline products already it is time to start … virtually every bit of the profit goes to Hugo … there is now virtually no private enterprise there any longer … he is continuing with the nationalization of everything under his control … time to take a stand and cut off the flow of US funds to this moronic clown …

  19. #161979
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 7:17 pm, ajmontana said:

    dl, you mean you dont want to go meet him and all the mooooooooooovie stars? lol
    Nice to see you there was a mad bomber on the loose in your area…..

  20. #161980
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 7:19 pm, brooklyn red said:

    Over the last couple of years I have noticed lots of well heeled Venezuelans showing up to buy condos in Manhattan (OK, I know some people in real estate).

    It reminds me of when all those Persians started showing up here just before the the Iranian revolution. (Or at least sending their children to NY schools).

    Those who can get out are getting out, Lord have mercy on those who can’t.

  21. #161981
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 7:19 pm, blues said:

    cpodug–Absolutely no doubt.Very real possibility,with the Democrats controlling the legislature.If I remeber correctly there was some talk of taking terms limits off the President when Slick Willy was in,not to mention the fact that Hillary has indicated a desire to do away with the electoral college.

  22. #162032
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 8:09 pm, DesertLover said:

    aj … yep … saw the story … actually I am on the other coast on business for a while … I’m in trinitytim’s neck of the woods for a couple of weeks … lol …

  23. #162038
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 8:14 pm, trinitytim said:

    I noticed that 7-11 dropped their contract with Citgo because of the Chavez connection.

    DL. Hope you had a good day.

  24. #162040
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 8:15 pm, DesertLover said:

    tim … all went well today thanks … hope your day was equally as good …

  25. #162055
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 8:33 pm, trinitytim said:

    Good here too. Talk to you over the weekend.

  26. #162056
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 8:35 pm, DesertLover said:

    looking forward to it …

  27. #162061
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 8:43 pm, mojoe said:

    The assembly approved 69 amendments with all but seven of the 167 lawmakers raising their hands in favor of the changes, which threaten to spur fresh political upheaval in this oil-rich South American nation.

    I don’t think I’d want to be one of those seven.
    Call Chavez what he is and always has been, a dictator.

  28. #162118
    On November 2nd, 2007 at 9:55 pm, hadsil said:

    And they say Bush is destroying democracy …

  29. #162211
    On November 3rd, 2007 at 12:30 am, RetFireman said:

    Let me see, Chavez goes and violates their constitution, changes it to where he is now LEGALLY their “Dictator For Life” and the Liberals claim that he is the greatest thing since packaged tortillas, yet Bush does NOT violate the Constitution, the Libs CLAIM that he does and thus is the reason he should be summarily thrown in front of a court and sent to prison for life.

    OK, what am I missing here?

  30. #162214
    On November 3rd, 2007 at 12:35 am, RetFireman said:

    Afterall, we really don’t believe that our enemies would not go after our President do we?????

    No, of course not. Especially not both of the Bush’s. It would never happen and those events were made up by the Freemasons to take over the world. Just ask Kos and Rosie.

  31. #162314
    On November 3rd, 2007 at 8:11 am, Rick Moran said:

    The economy in Venezuela is already in the tank and oil production has dropped significantly.

    The question is what’s going to happen when Chavez’s grandiose promises don’t pan out – as they surely won’t thanks to his socialist policies? How long will the people put up with it?

    Venezuela will be an economic basket case in less than 5 years.

  32. #162342
    On November 3rd, 2007 at 10:03 am, JHSII said:

    I expect that the 7 who voted “no” will soon disappear – either by going into hiding or an “accident” or just “disappearing”.

    In 1979 Jimmy Carter gave us the Ayatollah. In 1998 Jimmy Carter gave us Chavez. What’s next?

  33. #163052
    On November 5th, 2007 at 9:04 am, LarryD said:

    #8,11

    Would you really trust the CIA with this?

    At the very least, the analytical section leaks too much. And I’m sure it is deliberate.

  34. #164084
    On November 6th, 2007 at 3:05 am, Prime Director said:

    Can’t we sic Hernando de Soto on Chavez?

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