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Massive anti-Chavez demonstrations in Venezuela

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 30, 2007 10:59 AM

Someone should put this photo on a t-shirt and send one to every member of the Celebrity Hugo Chavez Fan Club (via Jim Hoft):

hugono.jpg

Daniel at Venezuela News and Views continues his excellent coverage of the upcoming weekend vote.

Fausta is tracking the Countdown to Tyranny.

Posted in: Hugo Chavez

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Comments

  1. #1
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:02 am, Your Brother John said:

    Silly freedom loving rubes. Lucky Penn’s not there with his shotgun.

  2. #2
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:03 am, WarTip said:

    I will pray for them. At this stage of the game that is all I can think of to do to show my support. I wonder if we can unite the same way here when the time comes to do so.

    At least there is some good news here though.

  3. #3
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:07 am, ciceroskip said:

    That’s a picture of a lot of brave people. Unlike our msm that takes close up pictures of a few potesters so they fill up the shot and lead you to believe there is a large crowd.

  4. #4
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:08 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

    Massive is about the best word to describe this gathering.

    Venezuela the land of “beautiful waterfalls” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

    Naomi, Sean, Danny, are you paying attention?

  5. #5
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:12 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Keep watching. The next step is mass burial. This will not go unpunished. I will be praying as this is not going to end well for these people. I see another Che moment coming I am afraid.

  6. #6
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:20 am, CarpiJugulum said:

    The hollywierd leftist were so eager to come forth and praise good ol Hugo not to long ago. Yet when the truth comes out about the new Che they refuse to stand by what they had said.

    Typical hypocrits are the left. As good ol Hugo, who by the way I predict will get his amendments passed. With Jimmy Carter touting the fairness of the vote. Whwere are these so called common people out of hollywierd. Those who are so in touch with the “common man”.

    Liberal progressive = oppresor

  7. #7
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:21 am, malkin_fan said:

    Can anyone say “Tiananmen square” South American style!!!!!!

  8. #8
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:21 am, Tennessee Dave said:

    Even if the popular vote is against him, Chavez will just declare them all traitors and that their votes don’t count.

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

    And Jimmy Carter is out chasing rabbits that are flying around in UFOs.

  9. #9
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:22 am, paboperfecto said:

    Now those are some pictures to warm my soul. When I was in Venezuela in 1998 I was living in the buildings in the background from the NY Times picture. The crowds were this big at Chavez’s campaign speeches at the time. I love Venezuela and hope these crowds get even bigger, I’d like to take my wife and children but not while Chavez is in power. NO a la reforma!

  10. #10
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:27 am, Laree said:

    I am concerned for the bird, you know the one he keeps on his shoulder. You know how we have KFC, I am worried this bird may end up CFC Caracas Fried Chicken. Carcases: whats left over when you die.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracas

  11. #11
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:30 am, Blind_Mule said:

    Power to the People, Revolt! and throw this idiot out before you become another Cuba.

  12. #12
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:31 am, sausage said:

    The power of peaceful protest! Great stuff…

  13. #13
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:43 am, EHeavenlyGads said:

    This will not go unpunished.

    I agree with you, On-my-soap-box. Our nouveau Castro has a bitter history of punishing defiance. And the stakes this week are especially high.

    This is a staggering, massive uprising. If they turn out to vote, they have a real chance of defeating the 69 constitutional changes that would transform Venezuela into a pure dictatorship.

    Unless, of course, Chavez effects his coup d’etat by rigging the election.

  14. #14
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:43 am, right_on said:

    I can’t believe the CIA was able to convince that many Venezuelans to protest against him and his plan. They really do run things down there…NOT!

    It’s really too bad that it’s already past time for non-violent change. Chavez will not allow the freedom-loving people of his country “dictate” the direction of his government. If these demonstrations are any indication of the level of opposition in that country, God help them. Chavez will use some pretext to use massive lethal force to quell the protests, and we’ll have another civil war in our hemisphere.

    I have to wonder if US military surgery is being considered to excise this cancer infecting South America? Preventative medicine anyone?

  15. #15
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:45 am, orlandocajun said:

    100,000 students protesting against communism/socialism…over here we have that many protesting for it. Where did we go wrong?

  16. #16
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:52 am, hatelibs said:

    Time for Sean etal to go down there and lecture the people about what a wonderful hero Chavez is. I would be curious what the nitwit thinks about his budy now…..idiot!

  17. #17
    On November 30th, 2007 at 11:54 am, TruthSeeker said:

    Hope this doesn’t turn into another Tiananmen Square.
    Pray for the people of Venezuela.

  18. #18
    On November 30th, 2007 at 12:01 pm, Dandapani said:
  19. #19
    On November 30th, 2007 at 12:01 pm, Boomer said:

    When the stuff really starts to hit the fan I hope the Army stands with the people of Venezuela instead of this tin pot dictator in training.

  20. #20
    On November 30th, 2007 at 12:02 pm, right_on said:

    Will Chavez, with little prompting from his buddies in the Middle East, consider using arrested protestors as human shields against perceived imminent attacks by the US military, trying to topple his majesty?

  21. #21
    On November 30th, 2007 at 12:46 pm, ArmoredCAV said:

    I predict a victory for Hugo. Probably about 99%. I think that is the same margin the Soviet Premier used to win by, too. “By any means necessary.” You go, Hugo. With Jimmy Carter there to validate the results, how can he lose? Jimmy? Jimmy?

  22. #22
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:07 pm, watershed said:

    So this violent dictatorship/non-democracy allows a giant protest? I am confused.

  23. #23
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:14 pm, watershed said:

    The largest peaceful protest in history of course was the worldwide antiwar protest prior to the Iraq war. Millions and millions of your “nutroots”.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15%2C_2003_anti-war_protest

    But that kind of democratic demonstration is the kind this website can do without, I suppose.

  24. #24
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:15 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:

    What’s the reason for their protest? What are these Venezualans protesting?

    Your response to these two questions, if answered honestly, should clear up any confusion you have.

  25. #25
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:24 pm, right_on said:

    watershed

    Yeah, we’re all wrong about Chavez…he’s democracy’s friend…that’s why he’s trying to go authoritarian. He loves democracy. His “people” (supporter) have a history of non-violent behavior…those poor students that got hurt last week just fell down and got boo-boo’s…r-i-g-h-t!

    Oh, by the way, he’s not “allowing” anything! This protest was/is too big for him to do anything about (at this juncture.) Do you suppose he would try and contain it with violence, now?

    Don’t be confused…just wait to see what happens.

  26. #26
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:25 pm, watershed said:

    #24

    That’s two questions? They look like the same question, repeated.

    I am sure, like in any democracy, they are practicing their right to gather and protest against the leadership in power. We do that here, and it does little good as well. See post #23- Iraq War protests.

    Here’s two for you. How does a protest in Venezuela prove that it’s a dictatorship? Do our large unsuccessful protests prove that we live in one here?

  27. #27
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:34 pm, right_on said:

    Once again, you win watershed…the US is bad. The US is the dictatorship. Venezuela is the democaracy. Bush bad!!! Chavez good!!! You have such clarity of thought, it simply amazes me. Way to go, dude(ette!)

  28. #28
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:35 pm, watershed said:

    #27

    I said no such thing. Hyperbole and insult isn’t really an argument.

  29. #29
    On November 30th, 2007 at 1:52 pm, right_on said:

    That wasn’t hyperbole, nor an insult, but my way of demonstrating the rediculous, with the rediculous.

    If you’re not making the point that Chavez is the “good guy” in all this, then you need to find a better way of explaining your point of view.

    Did I misunderstand your insinuation that “we” conservatives are being hypocritical of an “elected” democracy? If so, what was your point?

  30. #30
    On November 30th, 2007 at 2:07 pm, watershed said:

    #29

    Summing up my post as “America is THE dictatorship” is yes, hyperbole. And saying you’re amazed by my clarity of thought is yes, a sarcastic insult.

    My point was, if you can lay off the hyperbole and insults, that this site goes overboard in saying that Venezuela is a violent dictatorship, and a violent dictatorship usually wouldn’t allow a “massive” demonstration. Just the opposite.

    My second point was that the demonstrations here have been even larger, and have had little to no effect on govt policy. Would you call that a dictatorship?

  31. #31
    On November 30th, 2007 at 2:27 pm, apostle53 said:

    Where is Cindy S. and Harry Belafonte, lovers of freedom and the little man?

  32. #32
    On November 30th, 2007 at 2:38 pm, right_on said:

    watershed

    Venezuela is a democracy in name only. Chavez’s actions in Venezuela’s parliment are transparent attempts to look democratic as he tries to transform his authority into an autocracy. The USSR was not a democracy, and masses of people protested there. Did that make the USSR not a tyrannical regime?

    There are also massive protests in Iran. Would you consider Iran a democracy? How about China? Governments cannot prevent mass protests unless they are willing to eliminate all the protestors. There just are not enough military and police forces large enough to control that type of situation, without massive bloodshed. It doesn’t matter if it’s a democracy or dictatorship.

    In the United States, we have “election” cycles where those people who participate in the massive protests to which you allude, have the opportunity to vote their conscience. If their POV fails to produce “their” desired results, that means their POV is in the minority. That is democracy.

    In Hugo Chavez’s democracy, if he doesn’t like the results of the election, he fixes the election, or declares it “invalid.” That, is not democracy, it is depotism.

    You are not under the impression that here in the US, that public demonstrations dictate policy, are you? If that was the case, why do we have elections?

  33. #33
    On November 30th, 2007 at 2:45 pm, right_on said:

    Sorry, Despotism!

  34. #34
    On November 30th, 2007 at 2:53 pm, txvet2 said:

    My point was, if you can lay off the hyperbole and insults, that this site goes overboard in saying that Venezuela is a violent dictatorship, and a violent dictatorship usually wouldn’t allow a “massive” demonstration. Just the opposite.

    China allowed mass demonstrations too, right up until they rolled in the tanks. The fact that Chavez hasn’t yet done so doesn’t necessarily reflect his tolerance, as much as his unwillingness to push a confrontation before he finishes legitimizing himself, after which he will be free to take whatever retaliatory action he might choose.

  35. #35
    On November 30th, 2007 at 3:06 pm, bipartisancomplainer said:

    What exactly are you supporting watershed? Do you know that he forces people to “vote” for him when they register for their driver’s license? Do you know that he is forcing people who have extra rooms in their house to take in other people against their will? There will definitely be repercussions for the bravery of these people who stood up to protest. It wasn’t “allowed” it was demanded by the protesters. Exactly what qualifies as a dictatorship for a moron like you?

  36. #36
    On November 30th, 2007 at 5:00 pm, conservativesRus said:

    For watershed, it’s not imminent when the stand is built, or the rope tied to the stand or the noose tide in the rope, or having the person’s neck put in the noose..it’s only imminent when the floor falls away. How dare any of us claim it’s an imminent problem that Chavez’ poses.

  37. #37
    On November 30th, 2007 at 5:01 pm, conservativesRus said:

    On the other hand, watershed is probably most worried about how the rope felt.

  38. #38
    On November 30th, 2007 at 9:34 pm, garyt said:

    Chavez has said he will triple these crowds int tomorrows demonstrations. The trouble with the Chavez types is that once they get in its very difficult to remove them. Left wing dictators are more difficult to remove then their right wing ones down in central and south america.

  39. #39
    On December 1st, 2007 at 2:03 am, hadsil said:

    Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.

  40. #40
    On December 1st, 2007 at 2:03 am, hadsil said:

    Hey, a “University student” protest/revolution I can actually support!

  41. #41
    On December 1st, 2007 at 6:51 am, Prime Director said:

    I predict a victory for Hugo. Probably about 99%. I think that is the same margin the Soviet Premier used to win by, too.

    A celebrated progressive once said “Power resides not in he who votes but in he who counts the votes.”

  42. #42
    On December 1st, 2007 at 7:13 am, Prime Director said:

    How does a protest in Venezuela prove that it’s a dictatorship?

    It doesn’t. Who claimed it did?

    Chavez is trying to change the Venezuelan constitution in order to concentrate political power into the hands of one office holder. That’s what makes Chavez a dictator.

    Do our large unsuccessful protests prove that we live in one here?

    For the most part, protests in America are a joke, and the people who participate in them are just bozos looking for an excuse to engage in property destruction. That just proves that the standard uniform for progressives should include not only a ski mask, a che t-shirt and a kaffiyeh, but also big, red, floppy clown shoes.

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