On Tue, 2007-11-13 at 12:48 -0600, Carrol Cox wrote: > Jim Devine wrote: > > > > from HARPER'S WEEKLY, November 13, 2007: > > > > new frontiers in diplomacy: > > > At an Ibero-American summit in Chile, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez > > > called Spain's former prime minister a fascist, adding, "fascists are not > > > human. A snake is more human." "Why don't you shut up?" asked the king of > > > Spain. < > > > > [by the way, which former prime minister was that? was he (or she) > > _literally_ a fascist?] > > No, but at the time of the attempted coup he had been involved in > marshalling international support for that coup. Which makes him > something pretty despicable, & "fascist" whether accurate or not is the > handiest epithet in sight for such skullduggery.
A few more historical points: The Aznar government immediately recognized the Carmona government coups (just like the USA government did) and did so using a European Union (led by spain at the time) communiqué which caused quite a few problems at the time within the European Union. http://jorgegarreton.blogspot.com/2007/11/king-juan-carlos-chavez-spat-highjacks.html << ... Chavez charged Aznar not only supported the failed 2002 coup, but that he was informed of it ahead of time. Chavez pointed to a series of events that would link Aznar to the coup events. He said Aznar quickly recognized the short-lived 36-hour government led by businessman Pedro Carmona that had replaced Chavez. Aznar as the head of the European Union issued a communiqué supporting the new regime and, that the Spanish ambassador with the US ambassador were present during Carmona's swearing in of the coup government. ... >> http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/state_freedom_press_venezuela200607.htm <<... The Spanish Government, at that time holding the European Union Presidency, on April 12 issued a statement which read, "The European Union trusts the transitional government's respect for democratic values and institutions to overcome the current crisis with full respect for fundamental rights and liberties"[20]. That is, the Spanish government took the opportunity to recognise and legitimise the dictatorial government of Carmona in Venezuela in the name of the European Union. On April 12 the Spanish government also issued a joint statement with the US government in which they "express their desire that the exceptional situation that Venezuela is experiencing would lead in the shortest possible time to full democratic normalization"[21], thus supporting and legitimising Carmona's government. ... [20] "Los documentos del Golpe" by Fundación Defensoría del Pueblo, 2006 digital version, accessible at www.gobiernoenlinea.ve [21] "A review of US policy toward Venezuela: November 2001- December 2002", report number 02-OIG-003; attachment 9 to the Appendix. Accessible at www.oig.state.gov, >> There was a scandal in Spain about this affair later in 2004 when a well informed politican mentionned Spain government involvement in 2002 and refused to retract his words: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/dec2004/vene-d10.shtml << Spain’s foreign minister claims Aznar government supported Venezuela coup By Keith Lee 10 December 2004 Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has refused to retract his claims that the former Popular Party (PP) government under the leadership of Jose Maria Aznar supported the coup that temporarily ousted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias in 2002. The right-wing PP has denied the claim and called for the resignation of Moratinos. Speaking at a parliamentary hearing on December 1, Moratinos said that his remarks had been misinterpreted and denied that he said that the former government instigated or help prepare the coup. “What I wanted to say and what I want to say is the Aznar government did not condemn the coup d’ etat, that it endorsed it and gave it international legitimacy,” he said. ... >> Laurent
