[Peace-discuss] Kerry on Venezuela. Is he insane?

[Phil Stinard]

I've completely had it with Kerry.  I hate him passionately, and I'll hate 
him until my dying day.  He is a liar, a master manipulator, and will be as 
bad, if not worse, than Bush, in the sense that MANY more innocent people 
will die because of his policies, not so much in overt actions, but in his 
desire to destroy popular, non-neoliberal governments and their peoples in 
third world countries.  Kerry is pushing for civil war in Venezuela, and 
he's supporting paramilitary death squads in Colombia.  Kerry will be more 
"successful", because so-called liberals who think that he's the lesser of 
two evils will let him get away with it once he's in power.

--Phil

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Kerry:  Chavez has lost the opportunity to demonstrate popular support

El Universal reports:  US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry 
released a communication in which he asserts that Venezuelan president Hugo 
Chavez “lost the opportunity to demonstrate the popular support he says he 
has,” because the referendum process “represents legitimate defiance of his 
leadership.”

Kerry said that, on the contrary, the Venezuelan Head of State demonstrates 
“an alarming disdain for the rule of law.”  He asked President Chavez to 
understand that the international community will be watching the repair 
process “very closely” to guarantee that it flows openly and impartially.

“After being democratically elected and promising reform, President Chavez 
has treated his opponents as enemies instead of trying to heal the divisions 
that have dogged Venezuela.  He’s undermined the Constitution and used his 
Bolivarian Circles to repress peaceful dissidence at the same time that his 
government has acted systematically to expand his powers,” asserts the 
communication.

Kerry expressed particular worry for the recent reports of human rights 
violations (in Venezuela).  “During recent weeks, President Chavez has 
resorted to questionable pretexts to justify giving more arms to militias, 
and intimidating the press and referendum participants,” indicates Kerry.

To Kerry, there’s a “disturbing tendency towards establishing an 
authoritarian regime that must be reversed now, so that the referendum 
process can initiate a process of national reconciliation.”

He urged giving complete access to all stages of the process to OAS and 
Carter Center representatives.

Kerry also criticized the Bush government’s position towards Venezuela.  In 
Kerry’s judgment, “(Bush), unfortunately, has decided not to take a true 
leadership role in channeling international pressure against President 
Chavez in order to permit the referendum to occur without incidents.  In 
fact, his tacit support for the imprudent military coup in April 2002 
against Chavez has undermined his capacity to manage that role.”