[NYTr] More on Clash between Chavez and the King of Spain

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Venezuelanalysis - Nov 12, 2007
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2827


Venezuelan President Clashes with the King of Spain at Latin American
Summit

by Chris Carlson

Caracas, November 12, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com)- Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez clashed verbally with King of Spain Juan Carlos
at the Latin American Summit in Chile on Saturday. The Spanish King
told the Venezuelan president to "shut up" after losing his patience
with Chavez' interventions at the Summit, causing a sharp response from
the Venezuelan leader.

The conflict began after Chavez labeled former president of Spain, Jose
Maria Aznar, a "fascist" for his continued criticisms of Chavez and the
political process in Venezuela. The comment offended the Spanish
delegation led by current Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez
Zapatero.

"You all know that Jose Maria Aznar, I said it yesterday and I'll
repeat it today, that man is a fascist," said the Venezuela President
at the closing session of the Summit. Chavez accused Aznar of knowing
about, and supporting the 2002 coup d'etat in Venezuela that
temporarily overthrew the Chavez government.

President Chavez' statements provoked a response from Zapatero, who
demanded "respect" for all political leaders, regardless of their
ideology.

"You can be against a certain ideological position, and I am not very
close to the ideas of Aznar, but he was elected by the Spanish people,
and I demand respect," said Zapatero to Chavez.

But it was when Chavez attempted to answer Zapatero, explaining that
the ex-president Aznar continues to criticize Venezuela in public, that
King Juan Carlos lost his patience, and said to Chavez "Why don't you
shut up?" while angrily pointing a finger at Chavez.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Bolivian President Evo Morales, and
Cuban Vice-President Carlos Lage all came to the defense of the
Venezuelan President, while President of Peru Alan Garcia expressed his
support for the Spanish King, as did the government of Chile.

It wasn't until the following day that Chavez responded to the King's
statements, saying that he hadn't heard what he said.

"People have asked me why I didn't respond to him, but I didn't hear
what the King said," said Chavez to journalists outside his hotel in
Chile. "There was noise. I didn't even see the king, or hear him."

The Venezuelan president stated that he would never shut up, and
accused the Spanish king of also supporting the 2002 coup d'état in
Venezuela.

"I'm not going to shup up, and they won't shut me up because I'm not
speaking for myself, I am speaking for millions, the millions who are
the children of Bolivar, the millions who are children of Guaicaipuro
and Manuela (Saenz), Jose Leonardo Chirinos, and all of those who the
Spanish murdered, ambushed, and slaughtered here," he said.

Chavez directed a question directly at the Spanish King, demanding to
know if he was involved in the Venezuelan coup.

"Now the debate has begun Mr. King. Answer this: Did you know about the
coup d'état against Venezuela, against the democratic, legitimate
government of Venezuela in 2002?"

Chavez asked if perhaps the King is angry about his comments against
Aznar because he was also involved in the Venezuelan coup. Chavez
explained that the Spanish government at that time openly supported the
coup, and that the Spanish ambassador to Venezuela, along with the US
ambassador, both went to the presidential palace in Venezuela to greet
the coup leaders.

"The Spanish ambassador, with the US ambassador, went to applaud (the
coup) while I was in jail," said Chavez. "It's very difficult to think
that the Spanish ambassador is going to be in the presidential palace
supporting the coup leaders without the authorization of His Majesty."

Although Chavez expressed concern about future relations between the
two countries, and stated that he hopes they will not be affected, he
assured that he would not change his posture. "We've been here for 500
years and we'll never shut up, much less at the demands of a monarch,"
he said. "If I shut up, the people of Latin America would scream. They
are ready to be free of all colonialism after 500 years."