Chavez Says Americans Detained for Taking Pictures of Venezuelan Military

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB805LTX7E.html

Chavez Says Americans Detained for Taking Pictures of Venezuelan Military Facility, Refinery

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that a woman linked to the U.S. military had been arrested while photographing a military installation, and several U.S. citizens were also arrested for taking pictures of a refinery, signs that the Washington may be plotting an invasion of his country.

Chavez's announcement, made during his weekly radio and television show, was thin on details and did not specify the woman's nationality or supposed role in the military. But it came just two days after the U.S. embassy announced that Venezuela had abruptly suspended a 35-year-old military exchange program between the two countries.

"We put her where we had to," Chavez said, without elaborating, giving an indication of when the incident took place or saying if she had been released. "If she or any other U.S. official does this kind of activity again, they will be imprisoned and face trial in Venezuela."

He also said that the Americans detained were journalists who were caught taking pictures of El Palito refinery, some 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Caracas. They were released, Chavez said.

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[Judi Lynn]

1. Whoa! Thanks. Looks as if Bush could be starting it up again.

OR, Chavez could be lying his head off to make himself seem powerful and necessary for Venezuelan's very survival, like _{George W. Bush} but I believe he's too honorable to do something low and slimey like shouting "Look, a terrorist" and setting up a juvenile, pathetic color code system, and instructing Venezuelans to go shopping a lot so the terrorists won't win, and to buy a lot of duct tape and plastic sheeting, etc.,etc. Whew.

Hope those people are on their toes. Neocons seem relentless, and I believe they intend to shed Latin American blood in this Presidential term. I don't think they can pass up the temptation to flex that kind of muscle, just because they can.

After all, who ends up paying for their adventures, anyway? Certainly not anyone THEY know.

[hector459]

19. This is what I call "freedom and democracy" in action. We would have

done the same and their ain't a damn thing we can complain about!! Remember: "9/11 changed everything."

[FlemingsGhost]

2. Chavez knows he's marked. Why not defiantly challenge the U.S?

Castro must be reminiscing.

[Geo55]

7. LOLOL....

"Castro must be reminiscing"

My first thought exactly

[Algorem]

18. Bay of Pigs too?

It says minutes before announcing the arrests he aired a video of the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion,U.S.-backed effort to topple his close friend,Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

[ECH1969]

3. This kind of stuff will give Bush a pretext

and that is all he needs.

[aneerkoinos]

6. Bring it on, looser!

Bush has allready lost in Iraq (where's all that oil they promised?).

If Bush attacks Iran, he looses.

If Bush attacks Venezuela, he looses.

One more lost war, Bush is finished, but he will succeed taking US down with him.

[Mika]

4. It'll only be a short period of time. Chavez doesn't want war with the US

"We put her where we had to," Chavez said, without elaborating, giving an indication of when the incident took place or saying if she had been released. "If she or any other U.S. official does this kind of activity again, they will be imprisoned and face trial in Venezuela."

IOW, she'll be returning home soon. Mr Chavez is a very reasonable man.








www.stopbolton.org

[Toucano]

21. If the US tires to engage in war with Venezuela

they may find themselves with a civil war here at home.

[Igel]

5. You know, I'm not surprised.

This kind of behavior used to be really common in this one country and its dependents ... Canada? Italy? India? No, now what was that country ...?

[Algorem]

8. "...He also said that the Americans detained were journalists..." (?)

Those American "journalists" are something else.(?)

[leveymg]

9. AP - Venezuela detaining Americans, warns of U.S. invasion

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-425venezuela,0,2217218.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Venezuela's Chavez says he is detaining Americans, warns of U.S. invasion



By ALICE M. CHACON
Associated Press

April 25, 2005, 7:21 AM EDT

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said a military exchange program with the United States was canceled because U.S. officers in Venezuela were spreading a negative image of his government to the soldiers they were training.

He also announced the detention of several Americans and said the United States might be planning to invade his country.

The U.S. Embassy on Friday said Venezuela had abruptly and without explanation ended the 35-year-old military exchange program. Ambassador William Brownfield said the five U.S. officers in Venezuela involved in the program had been notified.

Some 90 Venezuelan military personnel were in the United States as part of the program, the embassy said. It was not clear how they would be affected.

During his weekly television and radio show, Chavez complained the U.S. officers ``are sent here to turn our boys against us.''

``It's best that they leave, until someday we can have transparent, clear relations and cooperation with the civil and military institutions of the United States, the way we do with almost all governments in the planet,'' Chavez said Sunday.

Chavez said that a woman in the U.S. armed forces had been detained by authorities while taking pictures of military installations in central Venezuela. He did not identify her or say whether she had been released.

<SNIP>

Shrub's '05 trifecta? Venezuela first, Iran second, then North Korea? All at once, or one big fake-out? We'll find out soon.

:dunce: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[halobeam]

10. Feels like I'm reading a novel

is this for real? What planet am I on? :wtf:

[leveymg]

13. Phillip K. Dick Lives

He scripted all this in 1971 before his mind left the solar system for points beyond.

:bounce: :smoke: :popcorn:

[PassingFair]

26. Even Horselover Fat...

wouldn't know what to make of GW....

[ClintonTyree]

11. North Korea doesn't have any oil reserves...

why bother? The other two countries you named however DO have oil reserves. THEY should be prepared for the worst. OUR oil is sitting under THEIR land. Why did god plan it that way? Probably so bush could take the oil and foist god given freedom on them simultaneously. That must be it.

[jukes]

15. NK DOES

have mutual protection treaties w/ iran/syria. the blitzkrieg is only trying to guarantee their oil supplies before the world gets fed up w/appeasing them.

[ugarte]

12. Chavez is right

The so-called military exchange is just a U.S. indoctrination program and always has been. It's nothing but a tool to size up Latin American officers from various countries and single out for special treatment those who are sympathetic to the U.S.

[LiberalEsto]

14. I wonder if the School of the Americas

is where the Venezuelan officers are being trained.

[confludemocrat]

25. This is so right

Basically the U. S. military in this role are Republican operatives in effect and in reality. What a screwed-up country we are. Finding those sympathetic to the U.S. has go to be harder and harder, I would think. Even right-wing latins would not want to live here as a reward, the way things are going.

[LiberallyInclined]

16. we don't have the troop strength to invade Venezuela-

without incurring HEAVY casualties.
and with the jungles and mountains, venezuela is a lot more like vietnam than iraq- the wide open treeless plains of Iraq are ideal for things like satellite surveillance and drone camera-planes- thick jungle provides better coverage for guerillas and anti-american freedom fighters.

[leveymg]

17. Who said anything about an invasion? Only need 5-6 US "tourists"

and someone inside Chavez's security detail to carry out the job they more likely have in mind. Of course, it might take a few more guys if they want to take that refinery off-line for an extended period.

MISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Operation MUST coincide wih peak driving months for maximum desired effects. OVER - NID/DC.

:bounce: :freak: :nuke:

[nolabels]

20. Can you feel them Neo-Cons searching for something latch on to?

They need a war to get the focus off them BAD

[mmonk]

22. LOL

The neocons are having such a time now that no one has cowed to shock and awe. Makes it all so much more difficult.

[OETKB]

23. Trouble keeps coming-Venuezaela pops up again to keep us busy

Oh to be a fly on the wall. However which wall to pick? Trouble is again brewing as President Chevez ousts American military instructors:


<http://nytimes.com/2005/04/25/international/americas/25venez.html?pagewanted=all>


Venezuela Ends Military Ties and Evicts Some U.S. Officers
By REUTERS

"CARACAS, Venezuela, April 24 (Reuters) - Venezuela is ending military operations and exchanges with the United States, President Hugo Chávez said Sunday, and he ordered out American instructors who he said had been trying to foment unrest in the barracks against him.

The end of military cooperation amounted to a further downgrading of ties between Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, and its main oil customer, the United States.

Warning of what he called a possible American invasion of Venezuela, Mr. Chávez said a female United States naval officer and some American journalists were temporarily detained recently in separate incidents for photographing a Venezuelan Army base and an oil refinery."

[Rufus T. Firefly]

24. Venezuela is a member of OPEC.

Bu$h trying to get prices to go even higher?