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Leo Ramirez / AFP - Getty Images
The president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello speaks outside the National Assembly in Caracas on Saturday. He was elected Assembly chief on Saturday as President Hugo Chavez recovered from another cancer surgery in Cuba.
Venezuelan lawmakers re-elected a close ally of President Hugo Chavez as Assembly chief on Saturday, paving the way for him to become a caretaker president if the socialist leader does not recover from cancer surgery.
Diosdado Cabello, a combative ex-soldier, was cemented by the “Chavista”-dominated legislature as the third most powerful figure in government, behind Chavez and Vice President Nicolas Maduro.
"As a patriot ... I swear to be supremely loyal in everything I do, to defend the fatherland, its institutions, and this beautiful revolution led by our Comandante Hugo Chavez," Cabello said as he took the oath, his hand on the constitution.
Chavez was elected in 1999 and was among the first of the so-called “pink tide” of elected leftist leaders in Latin America. He allies himself with the Castro regime in Cuba, President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua and Evo Morales in Bolivia.
In the last 18 months, Chavez, 58, has undergone four surgeries in Cuba, where he is currently recovering. On Thursday, the Venezuelan government said he was suffering from a “severe” respiratory infection that hindered his breathing. The Venezuelan leader has not been seen in public for more than three weeks.
Hours before the vote to re-elect Cabello, thousands of Chavez supporters clad in red gathered, chanting: "We are all Chavez! Our comandante will be well! He will return!"
If Chavez had to step down, or died, Cabello would take over the running of the country as Assembly president and a new election would be organized within 30 days. Chavez's heir apparent, Maduro, would be the Socialist Party's candidate.
The opposition says Chavez's absence would be just the latest sign that he is no longer fit to govern. Cabello slammed their criticism.
"Get this into your heads," he shouted. "Hugo Chavez was elected president and he will continue to be president beyond Jan. 10. No one should have any doubt." His fellow Socialist Party lawmakers cheered.
The opposition, who had days before demanded details of the president’s health, sat stony-faced. One of their legislators had earlier told the session that it was not just the head of state who was ill: "The republic is sick," he said.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed reporting.
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Leave a Comment:
What a mindless loser.
what a panic they were in, if Chavez didn't show up next Thursday and be sworn in , they would have had to have a special election and Chavez's group would have lost.
Hugo has been on life support since last week and now they will pull the plug !
my condolences to sean penn, he has lost one of his hate the US crowd !
But who is the biggest "Mindless Loser," Hugo Chavez, Diosdado Cabello, or Sean Penn????
That's always the way it is with socialist/communist countries. The cult of personality (or "creature worship" as the religious call it) is always big. It was big in Nazi Germany as well. Giant posters of Mao, Lenin, Chavez, Castro, Hitler or whoever happens to be the leader of the day are always plastered everywhere. I think it was Carl Jung who said that in the absence of God, the state and its leaders take his place.
Chavez has done more for his country than most Ven. leaders.
His opposition is the corporate-class supported by our CIA .
The trolls and ignoramuses commenting here, show how easily led stupid people are.
Chavez nationalized many resources that had been stolen and colonized for years.
Chavez took back these industries and brought the wealth back into the country.
He's not a perfect man but he's certainly not who you folks have been fooled into believing thru CIA propaganda. You guys probably believe national healthcare is bad, too. HA !
Hugo is Castro's #1 student. That's all I need to know.
On another subject, why are they quoting these guys in English?
Do they really make all of their speeches in English?
gusto: Actually, I think Obama is Castro's #1 student.
As far as Sean Penn goes, there's a simple solution, elect an American as our President and then have the President nationalize all of the assets of the phony socialists in this country. Who can complain? The assets can be sold to pay down the debt. The anti-Americans like Penn and Obama will actually get what they are asking for. Plus, we can give all the socialists bonuses by giving them one-way tickets to Cuba, Venezuela, or a similar country of their choice. Now that's what I call a win-win for everyone involved. Spreading the wealth and being kind and considerate by providing instant gratification for the socialists so they don't have to work at changing the US.
Mike 259...Much as we might wish for Chavez's party to lose in a special election, given their majority in an election a short while ago, it is unlikely. If we support democracies, we need to support them even if the results of democratic elections are not what we might wish them to be.
Lee is right, Chavez took back control of his countries resources. Something that had been exploited for decades by foreign interests. Hes doing what I would do in his shoes. His country isnt the US, they need socialism. The poverty there is enormous. And capitalists, especially foreign capitalists, just take advantage of the poor.
Capitalism doesnt work when you have only a few with kings riches, who own everything and control most of the resources. While the majority are extremely poor. Thats what happening to our society right now.
Debt has been this country's strength since 1968; albeit a muscle bound deadbeat kind of strength. No society has benefited so much from such a position and yet its not enough for the highest income bracket of the most dominant nation; they have the power through media to perpetuate a myth that that common citizen here has to empty their pockets to 'pay it down'. In one day alone the equivalent of this nation's debt was given away to foreign and domestic banks and corporations; what else could have been done with $16 trillion, right?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/traceygreenstein/2011/09/20/the-feds-16-trillion-bailouts-under-reported/
Thats what socialism is in the United States, its reinforced by both parties. Socialism for the rich; not the working class. Take a look in the mirror before criticizing or rooting for destroying what another country has for once.
This is another case where you 'stick your head up the cow's a$$' and don't just 'take the butcher's word for it'.
Venezuela with Chavez has become very socialized which is good for the Venezuelan. Venezuela is our 14th largest trading partner, oil is only part of what we buy from them, and we should use diplomacy to get along regardless of their politics. Look what we've done to Cuba for over 50 years and I still can't figure out how we benefited from that failure.
I think they should freeze the dead body like they did with DisneyOr mummify him.This way they can worship Hugito forever.This thing in Venezuela is the biggest farce in a very long time.If the Stalinsts in Venezuela and their buddies the Iranian and hezbollah terrorist weren´t all over latin America and working with the narco terrorists in Northern Mexico, it might prove some black humor comic relief!
The best cancer care in the World is in the United States, but Chavez would rather die than go to the 'Great Satan' for treatment.
Perhaps he will get what he deserves.
Let's face it, with his condition Mr. Chavez is in no condition to run a small town let alone a country. This cult of the personality thing must stop. If Chavez was a real leader that cared about his country, rather than his selfish need for power, he would simply resign his position with dignity. Metastasized cancer. That is his illness. Even if he gets through this stay in the hospital, he will require multiple daily doses of powerful debilitating medications to remain alive. Drugs that will render him useless as a decision maker etc..The people of Venezuela deserve better, a lot better.
I am boycotting everything Sean Penn stars or is associated with.
... in the name of millions who have suffered under Chavez and with the moral support of the Sean Penns of the world, including victims such as Maria Lourdes Afiuni, the Venezuelan judge who for daring to defy the wishes of the Chavistas was and is still in prison, who has also been raped in prison (for which she aborted), ... in the name of all Chavez's victims people should boycott all works associated with Sean Penn, and others like him.
Another dirt bag. Chavez will pay for his evil ways and this temporary pawn will face his fate as well. Their hateful ways of treating people and doing business will end. The blindness lost sheep that follow them suck up to them because the government now pays their bills and continues to control the poor and uneducated. A beautiful and oil rich nation overrun with crime and corruption. So many educated people including the most Miss Universe's..... it's a shame to see how Cuba fell and now Venezuela. Morales in Bolivia didn't do much for his country either. As far as Sean Penn, he needs to study up on Chavez and the history of Venezuela. I think he'd change his mind if he truly knew what's happened there.
And you, of course, along with all the other bloggers who share your opinion, do know what's happened there. You read it on the internet.
OK you two, Jose and Think Wise (although I doubt the second), so you're allowed your freedom to deal with or admire who you like but Sean Penn isn't? Seems like yall have to rethink the nation and world you live in. I don't boycott actors because I don't like their views, I don't watch their movies because they suck.
As for Hugo Chavez, he's definitely despicable. I don't like him at all. Nor do I like Morales. Their policies are horrible for the peoples of their nations. I boycott Citgo, owned by Venezula.
That said, I like Daniel Ortega. I firmly believe he wants to do the best possible for the people of Nicaragua. Back when he was leading the rebellion, before his first term as President of that nation, he begged the US for help and we turned him down flat. So he turned to the next place for help and got it. This was a failure by Ronald Reagan, or should I say Nancy, since she basically ran the White House while that senile fool was President. Instead, we supported a worse human being, Manuel Noriega, in Panama. He was truely evil. And we continued to support him until he started screwing around with the Canal. Then we tossed him in the pokey inasmuch as we no longer had any use for him.
If you don't know the facts, keep your fingers off the keyboard. As for boycotting Penn, I'm sure he's not gonna miss your pissy little amount to buy or rent one of his movies. I like him as an actor, don't much care for him as a human, and I watch his movies.
This is not a simple matter of respecting the political views of artists - which is naturally a given in the discourse of democracy. But with regard to the political and human rights abuses in Venezuela - repeatedly pointed out by Human Rights Watch and other human rights groups - one should not forget that Sean Penn utilizes his notoriety as a celebrity to lend moral political support to Chavez and as such it is fair for those taking an opposing moral stance to boycott him.
Glad to see you know so much.
Jackieboy.
I was married to a woman from Chenandega Nicaragua who would slit your throat over what you praised about Ortega.
She had to flee the Sandanistas just to finish her education.
Or be forced to work for pennies until she died.
Dang, thought they were talking about Sean Penn in the headline.
Can anyone say NORTH KOREA? The adulation of this clown Chavez reminds me of the mindless robots in N. Korea praising their "dear leader". I hope Chavez rots in Cuba.
"That's always the way it is with socialist/communist countries. The cult of personality (or "creature worship" as the religious call it) is always big. It was big in Nazi Germany as well. Giant posters of Mao, Lenin, Chavez, Castro, Hitler or whoever happens to be the leader of the day are always plastered everywhere. I think it was Carl Jung who said that in the absence of God, the state and its leaders take his place."
Forgot Ronald Raygun, JFK, MLK, Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, et al.? Lotsa Airports, towns, schools, and buildings named after them too. Socialists everyone of them, right?
The children of Venezuela will suffer.
I have been there, and have seen enough.
The US is not far behind.
The re-election of the "interim" president is a farce.
Just like the re-election of the so called leader we have in Washington.
Does anyone believe these guys make their speeches in English?
Requiring quotation marks.
Comandante Hugo Chaves is a slug.
I hope he pulls through. Despite all his rhetoric toward the west, I think hes done right by his people. And I cant fault him for that. Too bad all countries didnt show more loyalty to their own. Especially ours. And besides, he is only giving back what many have thrown at him first. Because hes a socialist, hes been vilified by our leaders and others. Long before he ever said anything bad about the US. When he took back control of his countries resources, the corporations and countries involved called him every name under the sun. For taking back HIS resources that were being exploited.
I like the guy. I like anyone who stands up to thieves and bullies.
In other words you like the government wiping your A$$$$.
Maduro is doing whatever necessary to delay Chavez's swearing-in. He knows that Chavez's party,without his leadership, could go adrift.
I am sure obama is praying for Chavez's speedy recovery. In what faith.. we still do not know.. but I know obam is concerned.
When all you Dumba$$es that tout for Chavez having taken back his country's resources and nationalized some of the industries realize he gives the control of these things to Political Cronies or Cousins or Nephews generally to party loyals and it doesn't matter if they can do the job or not, they have been loyal. Chavez and His Cronies never go to sleep at night without having all of their needs met and hunger is a strange condition to them. The little people get a few perks to keep them quiet and dangle the carrot in front of them that things are getting better. The reality is, He is a Despot Dictator raping his country and people for his benefit, his battle cry is ViVa Chavez. Hugo takes care of Hugo. The Peoples of Venezuela need to rise up and take back their democracy, it's either that or figure on living out their days under some TinHorn Chavez Flunkie as Dictator for the Rest of Their Days.
Venezuela going from the frying pan to the kettle in nothing flat. Nothing new here in that part of the world.
May Hugo and Fidel keeping lighting those killer Cuban stogies, as you know they're cancer free.
Don't blame the people of Venezuela most are just like our Democrats, not smart enough to feed themselves without government assistance.
Let's face it, with his condition Mr. Chavez is in no condition to run a small town let alone a country. This cult of the personality thing must stop. If Chavez was a real leader that cared about his country, rather than his selfish need for power, he would simply resign his position with dignity. Metastasized cancer. That is his illness. Even if he gets through this stay in the hospital, he will require multiple daily doses of powerful debilitating medications to remain alive. Drugs that will render him useless as a decision maker etc..The people of Venezuela deserve better, a lot better.
In the above picture, they all look so happy. The guy on the left looks downright scared to death.
These are frightened people in a country run by a Gastapo-like military police society. There are so many poor living the "ranchitos" that outline every city, that socialism works just fine for them. They don't care about education and the economy. They just want water and food.
As an American military man, I am unable to return to Venezuela to see my relatives because of the Chavez-regime. Before people blame the US approach to Venezuela (like Cuba), you all really need to understand the plight of the people and the attrocities the Chavez regime has brought down on these people.
Chavez is another pathetic dictator.He won't be around much longer due to his cancer but the people still will not be allowed to vote for a new president.The guy's on his deathbed and naming his successor already.
As a Venezuelan... Chavez is the worse thing that happened to Venezuela... all you that think that nationalizing brings more for the people are so wrong. What it does bring is more wealth to the leaders, who in turn give money away to those who do not want to work, to keep their power. For those who want to work and make a name for themselves, they have a really hard time. Socialism is a system in which only the lazy benefit and since they don't care the state of poverty and mediocre conditions they live in, they have no desire to even try it on their own. If Chavez is so good for the Venezuelan people, why do so many leave the country, and so many more who want to leave and can't? Why is the crime and murder victims so high? Why is the Constitution ignored over and over again? It is terrible to think that my kids will never get to see the Venezuela I knew growing up. It wasn't perfect, but it was good!