Reuters: ‘Genocidal’ Israel will be put in its place – Chavez

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez described Israel on Saturday as a genocidal state that acted as an assassin for the United States, predicting the Middle East nation would one day be “put in its place.”

via ‘Genocidal’ Israel will be put in its place – Chavez | World | Reuters.

AP: Chavez Blames Private Sector For 30 Percent Inflation

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s annual inflation rate has surpassed 30 percent after consumer prices surged in April.

The Central Bank and National Statistics Institute on Friday reported a 5.2 percent increase in consumer prices during April, driving up the annual rate to 30.4 percent.

President Hugo Chavez’s government has been struggling against the highest inflation rate in Latin America and a weakening economy in general.

The country imports most of its food, and Chavez on Friday announced the government will create an import-export corporation aiming to break with the private sector’s “hegemony.” It wasn’t immediately clear how the new state entity would operate.

Chavez said wealthy Venezuelans involved in the import business “buy abroad, come here and ask for more than it really costs.”

Venezuela: Chavez critic convicted - latimes.com

Reporting from Caracas, Venezuela, and Bogota,A retired general and onetime confidant of President Hugo Chavez has been sentenced to prison in a case that revealed the divisions in Venezuelan society.The retired general, Raul Isaias Baduel, was sentenced to a nearly eight-year prison term Friday night by a military court on charges of abuse of power, misappropriation of funds and violation of the military code while he was an officer.

via Venezuela: Chavez critic convicted – latimes.com.

Big Hollywood: Sean Penn: Journalists who Call Chavez a Dictator Deserve to Go to Prison

What is it with Sean Penn? When he’s not busy wishing rectal cancer on his critics (and looking constipated while doing it), he’s slamming Americans who dare to say mean and nasty things about his pal Hugo Chavez. I kid you not!

In a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO show, Penn showered praise on Venezuela for assisting him in assisting the quake victims in Haiti. He also claimed to have a little sympathy for those who hold America-as-an-evil-empire-looking-to-conquer-the-world views. Then he turns around and says journalists here who call Chavez a dictator (shudder) should do a stint in the hoosegow:

via Big Hollywood » Blog Archive » Sean Penn: Journalists who Call Chavez a Dictator Deserve to Go to Prison.

washingtonpost.com: Jackson Diehl – How Hugo Chavez’s revolution crumbled

While the world has been preoccupied with the crisis in Haiti, Latin America has quietly passed through a tipping point in the ideological conflict that has polarized the region — and paralyzed U.S. diplomacy — for most of the past decade.

The result boils down to this: Hugo Chávez’s “socialism for the 21st century” has been defeated and is on its way to collapse.

via Jackson Diehl – How Hugo Chavez’s revolution crumbled – washingtonpost.com.

Venezuela begins 2010 with electricity rationing

Oil-rich Venezuela ushered in 2010 with new measures rationing electricity use in malls, businesses and billboards, as Hugo Chavez’s government aimed to save power amid a crippling drought.

The new regulations came into effect January 1, with businesses required to comply with reduced consumption limits and authorities warning of forced power cuts and rate hikes if the measures are not followed.

via Venezuela begins 2010 with electricity rationing.

Washington Post: Colombia to Chavez - Maybe 'spy plane' was Santa

Colombia’s defense chief joked Monday that Venezuelan troops might have mistaken Santa’s sleigh for a spy plane, dismissing accusations by President Hugo Chavez about drones flying over Venezuela.

Chavez on Sunday accused the United States of violating Venezuela’s airspace with an unmanned spy plane and ordered his military to be on alert and shoot down any such aircraft.

via Colombia to Chavez: Maybe ’spy plane’ was Santa.