Negroponte: Chavez A Threat To Democracy

Chavez a threat to democracy, US intelligence chief says

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Chavez..._01302007.html

Published: Tuesday January 30, 2007

Washington - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez exports a form of "radical populism" throughout Latin America that poses a threat to democracy, the top US intelligence official said Tuesday. John Negroponte, during hearings on his nomination to become deputy secretary of state, warned that frustration in Latin America about the lack of prosperity under democratic governments could further fuel the populism advocated by Chavez.

US-Venezuelan relations have suffered during Chavez's presidency. Chavez has travelled the world lambasting what he considers American imperialism and in September called US President George W Bush "the devil."

Washington has objected to Chavez's crackdown on free media and civil rights groups, and says democratic institutions under his rule have been marginalized. Chavez is expected to be granted powers this week to issue decrees without parliamentary approval - a move that has been criticized by Venezuelan opposition parties as a step towards totalitarianism.

"His behaviour is threatening to democracies in the region," Negroponte told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Chavez's populist style has caught on in countries like Bolivia and Ecuador, which have elected presidents that have bypassed trade negotiations with Washington in favour of working out deals with US rivals like China.

"One of the trends that we need to be concerned about is a kind of a frustration among some of the populations of Latin America that democracy is not necessarily delivering the kinds of results that people had hoped for," Negroponte said.

"I think countries like Bolivia, among others, have been under the influence of Mr Chavez, who's been trying to export his kind of radical populism."

A career diplomat, Negroponte served as US ambassador to Honduras and Mexico as well as to the United Nations and Iraq. He has been serving as Bush's intelligence czar. His nomination to return to the State Department under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to be approved by the Senate.

Looks like we may shift our focus from Iran to Chavez. Although, "they" are bold enough to go after both at the same time.

to quote Pee Wee Herman...."Connect the dots, La LaLa La La".

I don't understand why Chavez would do that (assuming this info isn't distorted or there's context to it). I thought Chavez was a man of the people and the majority loved him.

The article is pure disinformation.

Further more, it doesn't mention anything about what the people think, but simply that the "opposing" party says its a step towards full "totalitarianism"


"It is not an escalation, it is an augmentation." Sound familiar?

"We know the WMD's are located somewhere north, south, east, and west of Tikrit". How about that one?

"The planes hit the towers, the towers fell down!" hehehe

Here...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gold9472

Washington - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez exports a form of "radical populism" throughout Latin America that poses a threat to democracy, the top US intelligence official said Tuesday. John Negroponte, during hearings on his nomination to become deputy secretary of state, warned that frustration in Latin America about the lack of prosperity under democratic governments could further fuel the populism advocated by Chavez.

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Populism

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Populism is a political philosophy or rhetorical style that appeals to the common people to unite and change societal structures ruled by an entrenched, self-serving or corrupt elite. [1] Most scholarship on populism since 1980 has discussed it as a rhetorical style that can be used to promote a variety of political ideologies.[2] Leaders of populist movements in recent decades have claimed to be on both the left and the right of the political spectrum, while some populists claim to be neither "left wing," "centrist" nor "right wing."[3]

Leaders of populist movements have variously promised to stand up to corporate power, remove "corrupt" elites, fight for the "poor people of the country", and "put people first." Populism incorporates anti-regime politics, and sometimes espouses, especially among the right wing varieties, nationalism, jingoism, racism or religious fundamentalism.[4] Often they employ dichotomous rhetoric, and claim to represent the majority of the people. Many populists appeal to a specific region of a country or to a specific social class, such as the working class, middle class, or farmers or simply "the poor".

That's crazy.

So I guess Radical Populism means rule for the benefit of citizens that the citizens really, really, fervently like. Yeah, what a horrible concept huh, Negroponte....

Words are fun...

Pop·u·lism –noun

1. the political philosophy of the People's party.

2. (lowercase) any of various, often antiestablishment or anti-intellectual political movements or philosophies that offer unorthodox solutions or policies and appeal to the common person rather than according with traditional party or partisan ideologies.

3. (lowercase) grass-roots democracy; working-class activism; egalitarianism. (Gold9472: I didn't red egalitarianism cause I don't know what it means.)

4. (lowercase) representation or extolling of the common person, the working class, the underdog, etc.: populism in the arts.

Wow are you guys way off.....remember the huge oil reserves in Colombia and Venezuela?
They do.