Category: Hugo Chavez

Amid riots in Venezuela, which have claimed 18 lives, the government of Nicolas Maduro, led a massive rally to remember the one-year anniversary of the death of Hugo Chavez, according to BBC. To celebrate the death of the communist tyrant Chavez, Maduro announced that he would cut diplomatic ties with Panama, that he claims is conspiring against him and his government with the US;

“I’ve decided to break political and diplomatic ties with the current government of Panama and freeze all trade and economic relations from this moment on,” Mr Maduro told the presidents of Cuba, Raul Castro, Uruguay, Jose Mujica, and Bolivia, Evo Morales, among other leaders gathered around the tomb of Mr Chavez.

Panama’s President Ricardo Martinelli expressed surprise at Venezuela’s decision.

“Panama only hopes that this brother nation finds peace and strengthens its democracy,” Mr Martinelli wrote on Twitter.

Panama’s official statement said the country was “astonished” and called Mr Maduro’s words “unacceptable”.

“The measure announced by President Maduro should not become a smoke screen intended to hide reality,” it read.

Yeah, all the conservative Martinelli did was ask the Organization of American States to investigate the violence in Venezuela. I guess the last thing that Maduro needs is a little scrutiny.

“There are moves by the United States government in accord with a lackey government of a right-wing president which has been creating the conditions for the OAS and other bodies to step towards an intervention in our country,” Mr Maduro said.

Yeah, well, when the richest nation in the region becomes one of the poorest in the space of a few years, someone needs to intervene. Of course, Panama is benefiting from Venezuela’s problems since the wealthier residents are fleeing to politically-stable Panama with their money.

It appears that previous reports that Hugo Chavez’s remains would be put on permanent view – like those of his ideological brethren Lenin and Stalin – were incorrect.  Venezuela’s information minister has announced that it will not do so “based on the advice of a Russian medical commission”.

Funeral arrangements for Chavez were not announced.

I’m heartbroken – just heartbroken.  I was so hoping one day to have a chance to visit a Latin American version of Lenin’s Tomb.

Oh well, there’s always Fidel . . . .

It appears that the reports that Hugo Chavez was making a “slow and steady” recovery may have been . . . overstated.

The Venezuelan government announced yesterday that their Communist Leftist President has suffered fresh setbacks in his recovery.  According to Information Minister Ernesto Villegas:

“Today there is a worsening of his respiratory function, related to his depressed immune system. There is now a new, severe infection.  The commander-president remains clinging to Christ and to life, conscious of the difficulties he is facing, and complying strictly with the program designed by his medical team.”

The Venezuelan government has previously indicated on multiple occasions that Chavez is “fighting for his life”.  This latest report doesn’t seem to be good news for the Chavez “home team” on that score.

Yes, Chavez is a born survivor.  But with each new report, I’m increasingly getting the feeling that he’s nearing the end of his time here on earth.

Been a bit since I’ve posted anything about our “good friend” and Communist leftist extraordinaire Hugo Chavez.  So I thought today would be a good day to do that.

Chavez’s Vice-Dictator President, Nicolas Maduro, continues to publicly claim that Chavez is making a “difficult and slow recovery”.  As they have for weeks, Chavez opponents are questioning the veracity of those claims. And Spanish newspaper ABC has added fuel to the fire by reporting that Chavez’s cancer has “spread to a lung” and that Chavez has been “moved to an island compound in the Caribbean”.  (ABC did not identify their sources.)

(Author’s note:  the linked ABC article is in Spanish.  My Spanish is so rudimentary as to be virtually nonexistent, but I’m pretty sure this is the correct article – I recognize “medicos”, “isla”, and “células cancerígenas”, and I’m pretty sure that “tumoración pulmonar” translates as “pulmonary tumor”.)

Predictably, Maduro has castigated Chavez opponents, ABC, and a Colombian media network (Caracol) for “spreading lies” about Chavez’s condition.  However, Maduro hasn’t been particularly consistent himself regarding Chavez’s condition, either.  Two days ago, Maduro indicated publicly that Chavez was “fighting for his life”.   And he’s made that same “fighting for his life” statement about Chavez previously.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Hugo.  It appears to be preparing to toll for thee.

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Update:  I found a web service to translate the ABC newspaper article.  That’s indeed the correct one.  It specifically claims the new tumor is aggressive and now involves 35% of Chavez’s left lung.  It further claims Chavez’s immune system is severely degraded; that Chavez also has abdominal metastatic lesions; that Chavez is receiving palliative care; and that he was moved to allow his family to be with him and react on short notice.

If any of that is accurate, that’s not good news for Hugo.  If all of it is accurate, well . . . .

According to Reuters, Hugo Chavez has returned to Venezuela.

He returned yesterday.  He is now hospitalized at a military hospital in Caracas.

Chavez’s supporters are overjoyed at his return.  However, that might be a bit premature on their part.

Chavez is still in grave condition.  There appears to be no timetable for his returning to duty as President of Venezuela. It’s unknown when – or even if – he will be released from the hospital. Indeed, there is some speculation that Chavez may have returned to effect an orderly transition of power.

No one knows at this point. But since controlling information is much more difficult in Venezuela than in Cuba, I’m guessing we’ll know more soon.

Perhaps it would be a good idea for Hugo to get his personal affairs in order – just in case.

Photos and updated information regarding the condition of Hugo Chavez were released recently.

Bottom line:  Generalissimo Hugo Chavez is still. . . . breathing.

He can smile, too.  And his daughters visited him recently.

But he’s also still in Cuba.  He’s still hospitalized there, in grave condition, 69 days after his fourth cancer surgery.  And he’s still unable to speak – because he’s breathing through a tracheal tube.

Don’t even ask if he’s able to perform his duties as President of Venezuela.

Oh, Hugo?  That noise you hear in the background is only the chant of the ever-circling family skeletal.  I think you’ll be meeting them soon enough.

The only real questions IMO are when you’ll meet them – and whether you’ll ever see your homeland again before you do.

At least that’s what his older brother Adan says.  He also says Hugo is “improving daily”.  And he says rumors to the contrary are being spread by “necrophiliac opposition” as part of an anti-Chavez conspiracy.

Adan, amigo – I do not think that word means what you think it means.  At least, not in this context.  Wondering if someone who appears to have vanished for over a month after their third fourth cancer surgery in 18 months might be in a coma is hardly an “excessive preoccupation with death”; it’s a reasonable question.  And, frankly, at this point I’ll need a little more than your word before I’ll believe your brother is “not in a coma” and is “improving daily”.

Maybe Adan is telling the truth – well, except for that part about the necrophiliac opposition, which is obviously bull.  But it’s interesting that Hugo Chavez – a bona fide lover of the limelight – has not been seen or heard from since his last cancer surgery over a month ago (Dec 11).  No photos.  No recorded statements.  No written statements. No interviews – either with Hugo or his doctors.  Nada.

All we’ve heard are statements that Hugo Chavez is “doing well” by people who have a vested interest in his remaining in power.

Sorry, but not being heard from for over a month rather argues against him “doing well” or “improving” a helluva lot.  If Hugo Chavez is “doing well” and “improving daily”, why haven’t we heard squat from him?

I also find it curious that a reported friend of Hugo Chavez – Argentine President Cristina Fernandez – recently went to visit him.  She was questioned by reporters afterwards.  Perhaps significantly, Fernandez did not indicate she had actually seen or met with Hugo Chavez during her trip to see him.  She also did not confirm Adan Chavez’s statements, indicating that she felt Hugo’s condition was a family matter and that she felt it would be “inappropriate” for her to comment.

Somehow, that sounds more to me like a deliberate sidestep of the question than a true concern for the Chavez family’s privacy.  But I guess I could be wrong.

In any case:  whether Hugo Chavez is in a coma or not, it’s obvious he’s incommunicado and incapacitated.  Whether he recovers is the proverbial “$64 question”.

Based on what’s known of his medical history, I wouldn’t give good odds on his survival.  But, like a cockroach Hugo Chavez is a natural survivor.  He might well survive this surgery, too.

But I don’t think he’s going to be around terribly long if he does.