In Venezuela, Speak No Ill of Hugo

[Hugo Chavez]

Many foreigners can travel to Venezuela without a visa. But now there's a new requirement once they get there. President Hugo 'Saviour of the People' Chavez announced on Sunday that foreigners who publicly criticize his government will be deported. He ordered officials to monitor statements made by international figures visiting the country. The comments came after the President of Mexico's ruling conservative party criticized Chavez for seeking to do away with term limits at a recent pro-democracy conference in Caracas. "No foreigner, whoever it is, can come here to attack us," Chavez said. "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 no one does anything about it?"
 
Chavez, who has turbulent relations with the Bush Administration, has never been one to put up with those who disagree with him. He has had notable falling-outs with former confidants and insulted myriad foreign heads of state and their officials for criticizing his policies. But his newest statements were ironic, considering that what Chavez labeled a punishable offense in Venezuela is something he himself has done in the United States. Many Americans know Chavez best for calling President George W. 'Son of the devil and donkey' Bush the devil at the United Nations last year. That remark, as well as similar anti-Bush comments made in Harlem on the same trip, occurred on Bush's soil(correction, America doesn't belong to Bush asswipe author for Time).

cont... http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20070725/wl_time/invenezuelaspeaknoillofhugo

[Hugo Chavez]

I agree with this policy and do not think it is hypocritical of my father and Saviour of the People Hugo Chavez...  The difference is, Venezuela isn't trying to rule the world.  Hugo believes in the sovereignty of Venezuela.  We are trying to rule the world which means all the people of the world have a stake and a right to be critical of our policies and of our leadership EVEN on our soil.

[24KT]

I'm not too fond of the policy myself, ...but I do not have a say in it, ...and don't expect to have one.

I think it is a slippery slope one climbs when one starts dictating what one can and cannot say with regards to political dissent. I think this situation however is a unique one, in that Venezuela has a history of foreigners trying to undermine it's government. Foreign agitators stirring up unrest and attempting to both undermine and overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela. It diid not succeed the last time, and I believe those who tried before, have not given up and will attempt another means to accomplish their same ends. I think his actions are designed to curtail further attacks on his government. The fact that it is directed towards foreigners is at least somewhat of a small comfort for his citizens. When you start banning the right to free speech among your own people, ...then there is a problem.

[Hugo Chavez]

I'm not too fond of the policy myself, ...but I do not have a say in it, ...and don't expect to have one.

I think it is a slippery slope one climbs when one starts dictating what one can and cannot say with regards to political dissent. I think this situation however is a unique one, in that Venezuela has a history of foreigners trying to undermine it's government. Foreign agitators stirring up unrest and attempting to both undermine and overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela. It diid not succeed the last time, and I believe those who tried before, have not given up and will attempt another means to accomplish their same ends. I think his actions are designed to curtail further attacks on his government. The fact that it is directed towards foreigners is at least somewhat of a small comfort for his citizens. When you start banning the right to free speech among your own people, ...then there is a problem.

excellent post