AP: Chavez Angers Opposition Leaders (Christmas bonuses in November)

[Eugene]

AP photo

Chavez Angers Opposition Leaders

By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER
The Associated Press
Thursday, November 2, 2006; 6:48 AM

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Flush with oil profits, President Hugo Chavez handed public
workers $3 billion in Christmas bonuses 1 1/2 months early, angering opposition
leaders who called it part of a cynical pattern of public handouts ahead of a
December presidential election.

Opponents said the government spending spree includes free commuter train rides,
a free rock concert, and a powerful propaganda machine that has painted pro-Chavez
slogans on buses and handed out T-shirts bearing the image of the former paratroop
commander known affectionately as "El Comandante."

Chavez did not attend Wednesday's ceremony where the bonuses were announced.
But during the inauguration of a medical clinic broadcast on state television, he wished
Venezuelans happy holidays, saying everyone would soon be singing local carols called
"gaitas" and eating "hallacas," corn flour tamales wrapped in plantain leaves and
shared among family and friends throughout December.

"The beginning of the holiday season: November and December. Today the gaitas begin
to ring out and we can eat one or two hallacas," Chavez said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110200315.html

[ThomWV]

1. $3 Billion? How Many People Are In The Country

How much is that per head? Remember back in 2001? George bought off the US for less than $300 per head.

[lakeguy]

2. reminds me of bush's tax "rebate"

of $300 or whatever when he first started screwin around with the economy. of course, that was just an advance of any refund we may have had coming in april.

[wakeme2008]

3. I like his Supporter...

:rofl:

While he is play politics with the bonuses, IMHO most parents would like to know early in the Christmas season how much extra cash they will have.

[Virginia Dare]

4. Cool, Americans have to wait for it to trickle down....

by the way, I'm still waiting for the oil profits in this country to trickle down. :eyes:

[Demit]

5. The president gives money to ordinary people! "It's unfair," opposition says

"He's trying to move Christmas forward, speeding up the economic growth that occurs at that time of year, so the people forget a little bit about what we have been proposing," said Jose Vicente Carrasquero, Rosales' campaign organizer.

Carrasquero said the bonuses were just the latest "populist measures" that have include no charge for rides on a new commuter train until January, and a free concert headlined by the popular rock act Manu Chao.

"We are seeing a very pronounced tendency by the president to use of all the state's resources at his disposal," he said. "It's just unfair."

[Zorra]

10. Yeah, the opposition fascists need that money to enslave the

peasants.

How dare he give that money from profits on a nationalized natural resource to the people.

I'm writing to John Negroponte immediately and demanding that he send his SOA death squads to Venezuela, before this idea of compassion and humanity spreads throughout the hemisphere.
:sarcasm:

[BushOut06]

6. I thought Chavez was a godless athiest commie?

Why is a godless bastard giving out Christmas bonuses?

What a concept. Turning over excess oil profits to the people!

[lcordero2]

7. I wonder if we could put in a national referendum

to outsource our govt with him being the contractor...

[madokie]

8. Good on Hugo

giving cheer to the people of Venezuela is a noble cause, cheer like many things can't be taken away once it is enjoyed.

[1932]

9. Can I get a tshirt?