The last few days, President Hugo Chavez has clearly demonstrated the qualities that make him unfit to be President even of his condo board, if he had a condo, proving once again that he is intolerant, autocratic and does not believe in modern science and technology. To wit:
1) He spends millions of dollars exhuming the remains of Liberator Simon Bolivar to “prove” that he was killed by the Colombian oligarchy, a silly ideological theory. The scientific study concludes that there is no evidence of any poisoning and that Bolivar more likely died as a consequence of histoplasmosis, a fungal infection.
Chavez’s response? He still thinks that Bolivar was poisoned. This is the same line of reasoning that leads him to think that despite the disastrous economic policies of the last 14 years, they are correct, just because he thinks so. Or that the electric problem is fixed, even if there are daily blackouts. And so on..
As to the reconstruction of Bolivar’s face, what a waste of money! We now know the detailed face of Bolivar just when he died, about the worst point in life you can hope for. So, if you think he looks bad, ugly, emaciated or all of the above. Of course he does, he had just died! What do you expect?
The reconstruction seems consistent with the paintings of Bolivar, just nobody painted him right before his death.
2) Venezuela lost yet again, another case in the Interamerican Human Rights Court (CIDH). Of course, you don’t respect human rights, they rule against you. Chavez’ response: He ordered his Foreign Minister to withdraw from the Human Rights Court. Among other things he argued, as usual, the “sovereignty” of countries. Where was he when Maduro went to Paraguay to tell the General not to allow Congress to impeach Lugo?
In any case, this is just grandstanding, in his infinite ignorance, Chavez apparently did not know that you can’t withdraw from the CIDH, you have to withdraw from the OAS, of which the CIDH is part. Then he will really be out of the mainstream diplomacy, which he surely does not want.
3) The Governor of Zulia State asks that there be a referendum on the use of the gasoline “chip”, the rationing tag imposed to that State in order to supposedly limit contraband. This possibility is part of the Venezuelan Constitution and it explicitly says a Governor can ask for such a referendum. Mind you, the Constitution is Chavez’ Constitution of the year 2000.
Chavez’ response? To warn the democratically elected Governor that he may suffer the same fate of former Governor of Zulia and Presidential candidate Manuel Rosales. Rosales was accused of corruption after his Presidential run and had to go into exile.
4) During the visit to Venezuela by Argentina’s Minister de Vido, who was part of the Maletagate case, Chavez theatened Repsol quite directly by suggesting that the company better reach an agreement with the Argentinian Government or this may have consequences in Venezuela, where Repsol has important interests. Talk about carrying a big stick! A bully is just a bully, is just a Bully!
I know, I know, is more of the same, we knew all that, it is just amazing that he can do all this in such a short span time.
The Devil's Excrement 