Chavez tells US: Go to hell, gringos!

CARACAS – President Hugo Chavez told US officials to “Go to hell, gringos!” and called US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice “missy” on his weekly radio and TV show, lashing out at Washington for what he called unacceptable meddling in Venezuelan affairs.

Sunday’s comments by the fiery leftist were in response to Washington’s criticism of a measure to grant Chavez broad lawmaking powers. The National Assembly, which is controlled by the president’s allies, is expected to give final approval this week to an “enabling law” that gives Chavez the authority to pass laws by decree for an 18-month period.On Friday, US State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Chavez’s plans under the law “have caused us some concern.”Chavez rejected Casey’s statement in his broadcast, saying: “Go to hell, gringos! Go home!” He also attacked US actions in the Middle East.”What does the empire want? Condoleezza said it.How are you? You’ve forgotten me, missy …Condoleezza said it clearly, it’s about creating a new geopolitical map in the Middle East”, Chavez said.In typical style, Chavez spoke for hours Sunday during his first appearance on the weekly program in five months.He extolled the ideals of socialist thinker Karl Marx, sent his best wishes to the ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, his close ally and friend who has been sidelined since intestinal surgery last summer.Other comments ranged from watching dancing Brazilian girls wearing string bikinis at a recent presidential summit to Washington’s alleged role in the hanging of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.”They took out Saddam Hussein and they hung him, for good or worse.It’s not up to me to judge any government, but that gentleman was the president of that country.”Holding up a newspaper with a photograph of him gazing at a string bikini-clad Brazilian dancing samba during a summit last week in Rio de Janeiro, Chavez laughed and said: “I didn’t know where to look …It was truly a thing of beauty.”Chavez, who was re-elected by a wide margin last month, has said he will enact sweeping reforms to remake Venezuela into a socialist state.Among his plans are nationalising the main telecommunications company, CANTV, and the electricity and natural gas sectors.He said Sunday his government will not pay the market value for CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela, or CANTV, but rather will take into account debts to workers, pensions and other obligations, including a “technological debt” to the state.Nampa-APThe National Assembly, which is controlled by the president’s allies, is expected to give final approval this week to an “enabling law” that gives Chavez the authority to pass laws by decree for an 18-month period.On Friday, US State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Chavez’s plans under the law “have caused us some concern.”Chavez rejected Casey’s statement in his broadcast, saying: “Go to hell, gringos! Go home!” He also attacked US actions in the Middle East.”What does the empire want? Condoleezza said it.How are you? You’ve forgotten me, missy …Condoleezza said it clearly, it’s about creating a new geopolitical map in the Middle East”, Chavez said.In typical style, Chavez spoke for hours Sunday during his first appearance on the weekly program in five months.He extolled the ideals of socialist thinker Karl Marx, sent his best wishes to the ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, his close ally and friend who has been sidelined since intestinal surgery last summer.Other comments ranged from watching dancing Brazilian girls wearing string bikinis at a recent presidential summit to Washington’s alleged role in the hanging of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.”They took out Saddam Hussein and they hung him, for good or worse.It’s not up to me to judge any government, but that gentleman was the president of that country.”Holding up a newspaper with a photograph of him gazing at a string bikini-clad Brazilian dancing samba during a summit last week in Rio de Janeiro, Chavez laughed and said: “I didn’t know where to look …It was truly a thing of beauty.”Chavez, who was re-elected by a wide margin last month, has said he will enact sweeping reforms to remake Venezuela into a socialist state.Among his plans are nationalising the main telecommunications company, CANTV, and the electricity and natural gas sectors.He said Sunday his government will not pay the market value for CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela, or CANTV, but rather will take into account debts to workers, pensions and other obligations, including a “technological debt” to the state.Nampa-AP