Chavez: Critical Foreigners to Get Boot

CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that foreigners who publicly criticize him or his government while visiting Venezuela will be expelled from the country.

Chavez ordered officials to closely monitor statements made by international figures during their visits to Venezuela _ and deport any outspoken critics.

"How long are we going to allow a person _ from any country in the world _ to come to our own house to say there's a dictatorship here, that the president is a tyrant, and nobody does anything about it?" Chavez asked during his weekly television and radio program.

The Venezuelan leader's statements came after Manuel Espino, the president of Mexico's conservative ruling party, criticized Chavez during a recent pro-democracy forum in Caracas.

Government opponents argue Chavez _ a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro _ is becoming increasingly authoritarian and cracking down on dissent as he steers oil-rich Venezuela toward what he calls "21st-century socialism."

Chavez rejects such allegations, countering that democratic freedoms have been extended since he was first elected in 1998. The former paratroop commander says his government has empowered the poor by giving them increased decision-making authority in politics.


In his typically wide-ranging television program, Chavez also said Castro recently warned him to take precautions against possible U.S.-backed assassination attempts.

He said Cuba's 80-year-old "Maximum Leader" gave him a copy of former CIA Director George Tenet's recently published memoir and told him: "'Read it, Chavez, because that is the most perfect killing machine ever invented and I'm a survivor ... I survived more than 600 (assassination) attempts.'"

Rummy, you seem to imply the US government wants to assasinate Castro or Chavez. It would certainly be a good idea, but really nobody in the US gives a crap about Latin America. The demise of the Soviet Union means it can't be used as a base against the US so it's collapsed into complete irrelevance.

Chavez is a symptom and not a cause of this. Brown is also not a cause but a symptom, in Bermuda's case of the peoples' desire to find someboy to blame for their problems.

Blue, I think you misinterpet what I say. It is not the intention of the US to deal with these idiots in this manner.

It is better to know what is going on than use the extreme which I covered. You don't kill the hand that feeds you, not in this day and age.

Only radicals do that, then they have not the knowledge to tend their baron fields that lay in waste.

Gotta run....pick up Mrs Rummy from you know where. I won't sign out this time.

(ya think internet is expensive in Onion Land? DC is no trip when you have to pay for 'wireless'.

Ps. It's hot here today and mighy holster is a pain, just like Loowy....

Loowy, lets keep to the topic please. You of all people know, that continuity must prevail. The said statement was only, and only because I brought and carried my 'winter' holster which is lined with 'Rabbit Island Fur'. My mistake ok, so let it go.

Just remember, it's not the holster but the 'impact' that matters.

Um tired of these personal attacks. Please don't bring them up again.

Your friend in arms(feet)

Bugs..........