The following message of congratulations and solidarity, based on a translation of a message from the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was sent via email (and subsequently posted online) this morning by the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC:
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Communique of Ministry Foreign Affairs
(Unofficial Translation). On this day of hope for the American people, President Hugo Chávez, on behalf of the people of Venezuela, congratulates the people of the United States and President-elect Barack Obama for an important victory in an election that has captured the attention of international public opinion.This historic election of an African American to lead the most powerful country in the world is a sign that the changing times which originated in South America could be reaching the doorstep of the United States.
From the homeland of Simón Bolívar, we are convinced the time has come to establish new relations between our countries and in our region, based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, equality and true cooperation.From every corner of the world cries have rung out clamoring for change in international relations and the construction, as the Liberator Simón Bolívar would have said, of a world of balance, peace and of human coexistence.The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its will and determination to build, based on the absolute respect of sovereignty, a constructive bilateral agenda for the well-being of the Venezuelan and American peoples.
Caracas, November 5, 2008
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You be the judge: opportunistic diplomacy from a savvy minister, or the signalling of the start of a new relationship?
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3 comments:
Opportunistic and transparent. Let the leader of the "Bolivarian Venezuela" show his democratic ideals through actions not some high sounding diplomatic words that play well in the press--but mean nothing.
He's always been big talk; that's who Chavez is. Lets see some follow-through before we experience a change of heart.
The commentators here 'misunderestimate' Chavez yet again. It's not that he's kissing your pale gringo ass to make friends, guys. It's Chavez extending an olive branch to a new American President that, let's face it, will probably have the same kind of belligerant policies that the US has always practiced against Latin America. It's Chavez, for the record, showing that he's not "Anti-American" (whatever the fuck that might mean) and that his beef was with the Bush administration and not the USamericans in general (as he's repeatedly said but somehow the US media forgets to mention).
If you knew Venezuela a little bit more you'd understand that the Venezuelans already know that Obama's policies towards Latin America are not likely to be much different than Bush's and showing, just for the record, that's he's not the one starting the conflict.
Although you probably know well how Reuters, AP and others will spin it and will coincidentally (all of them!) forget to present the Venezuelan side of the story in their future coverage. So Chavez will be the asshole in the story, yet again.
Pepito
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