Venezuelan Official Says Efforts by United States to Isolate Chavez

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Venezuelan Official Says Efforts by United States to Isolate Chavez to Fail

Venezuela's information minister said Tuesday that efforts by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to isolate President Hugo Chavez from fellow Latin American leaders would fail. Rice opened a four-country tour through Latin America on Tuesday in Brazil, where she planned evening meetings with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.

Before landing in Brazil, Rice said she expected to discuss her concerns about the erosion of democratic principles in Venezuela and perceived meddling by Chavez's administration in the internal affairs of other countries in the region during her swing through Latin America.

Venezuelan Information Minister Andres Izarra said he was sure that Rice's concerns would not be shared by the presidents of Brazil, Colombia, Chile and El Salvador. "We are sure that any effort to give a distorted vision of Venezuela ... face to face with our Latin American brothers will not be echoed in any of the countries that Rice is going to visit," said Izarra.

U.S.-Venezuelan relations have been tense recently, with Washington expressing concerns about Chavez's close ties to Cuba's Fidel Castro, his plans to buy Russian arms and the health of democracy in Venezuela. Chavez, a former paratroop commander, has repeatedly accused the administration of George W. Bush of trying to meddle in Venezuela's affairs and destabilize his leftist government. Despite the differences between Caracas and Washington, Venezuela has remained a steady supplier of oil to the United States.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBDD4SO08E.html

[AP]

1. I imagine Rice making those arguments to other LatAm leaders...

...and those leaders not being able to contain themselves, and laughing in her face.

The US has been mostly interested in protecting the oligarchs in Lat Am and in making America rich. And they're calling Chavez destabilizing? Are you kidding me?

[Vogon_Glory]

2. Rulin' Dubya Posse Success In Isolating Chavez!!!

I've no doubt that the Rulin' Dubya Posse DID have one success in isolating the Chavez regime--not with any Central or South American country, but with the most right-wing of the Cuban exiles now living in Miami and New Jersey!