26/01/2009 / NORTH AFRICA - MIDDLE EAST
I made the
decision as soon as I heard that Venezuela had expelled the Israeli
ambassador. With this gesture, we wanted to thank President Chavez for his
solidarity with the Gazan population; the victims of Israeli barbarity. It's
the least we could do to show out gratitude and admiration.
Hugo Chavez
is constantly looking for weaknesses in the international system in order to position himself. By expelling the Israeli ambassador, he knew that
he'd reach a large number of people. It's the same as his national populist
politics, but on the international scene. He tries to get to those 'left
behind' by telling them what they want to hear. It was the same when he called
Bush the devil at the UN General Assembly in 2006. He always has the same
objective: to encourage the progressive forces to go against the 'evil empire'.
In the West, people don't really pay attention to him, but Chavez knows that
with what happened in Gaza,
he'll reach a lot of people in Arab countries. He's always enjoyed good
relations with very radical countries, especially Syria
and Iran.
He's trying to create for himself an image as a revolutionary leader, a bit like
Fidel Castro, who also managed to gain solid world support."
Chavez, hero of the Arab world
Go to a pro-Palestine demonstration in North Africa or the Middle East, and chances are you'll see a Hugo Chavez poster bobbing above the crowds. In Lebanon, the authorities have even named a street after him.
Chavez's anti-American ramblings have always found a ready audience in the Arab world. But since the Venezuelan leader referred to Israel's operation in Gaza as "genocide" and expelled the Jewish state's ambassador from Caracas, his popularity has soared even higher.
The opening of 'Hugo Chavez Road'
In Lebanon, where diplomatic relations with Israel have never been great, Chavez's reaction to the assault on Gaza received a particularly warm welcome. So much so that in the small town of Bireh, 45km north of Tripoli, the mayor decided to dedicate a road to the president.
A giant portrait of the South American icon has been erected at the entrance of the town.
Banners, hung the length of the road to Tripoli, read "The nation needs men like Chavez" and "Thank Chavez for expelling a Zionist ambassador from his country. When will you do the same, leaders of the Arab world?"
"Our support for him is unfailing"
Mohamad Wehbe is the mayor of Bireh.
I made the
decision as soon as I heard that Venezuela had expelled the Israeli
ambassador. With this gesture, we wanted to thank President Chavez for his
solidarity with the Gazan population; the victims of Israeli barbarity. It's
the least we could do to show out gratitude and admiration.
The people of Bireh praised the decision to name a road after Chavez. You have to remember that there are a lot of Lebanese immigrants in Venezuela, and most of them are from our region, Akkar.
Chavez is a symbol across the Arab world because he's positioned himself in our favour, while for years now the whole world has been turning a blind eye to Israel's criminal acts. He already condemned the 2006 Lebanon war that ruined our country. Our support for him is unfailing."
At a pro-Palestine demonstration in Yemen
Adeeb Qasem, an IT programmer from Sanaa, took the photos: "Yemenites respect and admire Chavez more than most Arab leaders".
"It's the same as his national populist politics, but on the international scene"
Jean Luc Crucifix has lived in Merida, in western Venezuela, for 25 years. He's director of the Programa Andes Tropicales NGO and runs the blog venezuelatina.
Hugo Chavez
is constantly looking for weaknesses in the international system in order to position himself. By expelling the Israeli ambassador, he knew that
he'd reach a large number of people. It's the same as his national populist
politics, but on the international scene. He tries to get to those 'left
behind' by telling them what they want to hear. It was the same when he called
Bush the devil at the UN General Assembly in 2006. He always has the same
objective: to encourage the progressive forces to go against the 'evil empire'.
In the West, people don't really pay attention to him, but Chavez knows that
with what happened in Gaza,
he'll reach a lot of people in Arab countries. He's always enjoyed good
relations with very radical countries, especially Syria
and Iran.
He's trying to create for himself an image as a revolutionary leader, a bit like
Fidel Castro, who also managed to gain solid world support."
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My Full Comment for the story
Submitted by Adeeb Qasem on Fri, 30/01/2009 - 22:36.Chavez is fairly popular in Yemen within the intellectual circles due to his stands against the American Foreign Policies. However, his popularity spiked lately after expelling the Israeli ambassador from his country. This story was widely reported in the Arab media. People looked up to Chavez as he was able take actions where Arab leaders failed to do so. Many frustrated by the passivity and inaction of the western world towards the Israeli crimes and aggression in Gaza, as well as the Arab leaders inability to take a united tough stand against Israel. Certainly, Chavez has become more respected and admired by many Yemenis than most of the Arab and Muslim leaders.
Adeeb Qasem
Solidarity, not populism.
Submitted by Franco Munini. (not verified) on Tue, 27/01/2009 - 22:12.I'm surprised by the opinion of Crucufix. Statements like "It's the same as his national populist politics, but on the international scene", with no further analysis, are just meant to cast a shade on the motivations of this action by Chavez. Like this one: "He's always enjoyed good relations with very radical countries, especially Syria and Iran".
What are you, Jean-Luc? Some sort of media sniper? Throwing statements like those without an explanation is just one of the ways to contribute with a very well managed corporate media disinformation campaign against Venezuela and against Hugo Chavez. Even more if "In the West, people don't really pay attention to him"... which means that people in the West are fed with the obscure, discomforting picture of a sly, cunning dictator who plays with public feelings: "Hugo Chavez is constantly looking for weaknesses in the international system in order to position himself".
Diplomacy as we know it, à la Talleyrand, full of obliquity and slipperyness is doomed to an end. At least that's what Chavez is trying to do, calling things with the proper name, not coining new names like "weaknesses in the international system" to describe manslaughter and genocide.
The expulsion of the ambassador and the breaking of diplomatic ties with Israel shows commitment and solidarity with the oppressed. Is there any head of state with enough guts to stand against Zionist domination?
Franco Munini, proud of Chavez, from Venezuela.
Unregistered user
Chavez and the Arab world!
Submitted by Krapotkin (not verified) on Tue, 27/01/2009 - 00:31.As a decent person and President of his own country, he did what every , so called World Leaders, should have done, send the Israeli Ambassadors home, as soon as Israel started to bomb the Gaza Ghetto!.
He did it the first time, when Israel aggressed Lebanon in 2006, and did it again in December 2008! That takes Courage!!!
Bravo Hugo!
Unregistered user
This man is complety crazy .
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 27/01/2009 - 02:02.This man is complety crazy . He is a dictator like so many in the world .
Unregistered user
More democracy than ever
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 28/01/2009 - 00:43.Last unregistered user is dumb and deaf ant slave of media blabla. Chavez is a liberator and Venezuela lives throuugh the most democratic period of its history. Not only 15 elections in 10 years come to proof it: all people and parties that have done all things illegal and criminal to turn him out are in the street and running - in clear and transparent elections - for some kind of public office, except the ones that fled the country to avoid justice, which never came for the others... so unregister your mind, and try to tune into truth.
Unregistered user