Hi! Since Ray sent a message about Venezuela, I am forwarding this one fram another list:
----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 12:07 AM Subject: Bush administration on Chavez--in plain English > News story with the Bush administration's comments about Hugo Chavez coming back as President (I've translated their statements into English). > > <U.S. Advises Chavez to Respect Democracy > By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS> > > translation: US advises Chavez to start taking orders from Washington > > > > > <WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration, which expressed no regret when the Venezuelan military ousted the country's elected president last week, advised Hugo Chavez on Sunday to make good use of a second chance to govern. > > <``We do hope that Chavez recognizes that the whole world is watching> > > trans: We reserve the right to mount another coup attempt > > < and that he takes advantage of this opportunity to right his own ship, which has been moving, frankly, in the wrong direction for quite a long time,'' said Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser.> > > trans: Time to stop trying to take steps that might improve the lot of the poor, or weaken the hold of elites. > > <She said Chavez ``needs to respect constitutional processes'' during this tumultuous period in Venezuela, the No. 3 supplier of oil to the United States and the world's fourth biggest exporter.> > > trans: While we were happy to see the coup masters try to round up members of the elected government and illegally abolish the national assembly just yesterday, we will hound you if you try to do practically anything without the express written permission of the Bush administration. Especially fool with world oil prices. > > > <<``I hope that Hugo Chavez takes the message that his people sent him, that his own policies are not working for the Venezuela people, that he's dealt with him in a high-handed fashion,'' Rice said on NBC's ``Meet the Press.''>> > > trans: pretty impressive how much chaos we can cause when provoked, isn't it Hugo? > > <Rice said she hopes Chavez ``understands this is a time for national reflection, that he recognizes it's time for him to reflect on how Venezuela got to where it is.''> > > trans: Start hiring our economists. > > <<At the time Chavez was ousted, the White House put the blame on Chavez because of attempts to violently put down a demonstration. Bush's spokesman said the Venezuelan government ``suppressed what was a peaceful demonstration of the people.>> > > trans: Rich people were trying to overthrow the government--and they have rights! > > << ... It led very quickly to a combustible situation in which Chavez resigned.''>> > > trans: Our first effort to throw together a coup worked even better than we anticipated. > > <<But Chavez's family, supporters and former government officials insisted he never resigned as president, as the interim president, Pedro Carmona, and Venezuela's high command claimed. > > Chavez had befriended Cuban President Fidel Castro and turned up in Iraq and Libya -- all countries on the State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism. In February, Secretary of State Colin Powell said it was ``strange'' that Chavez would see fit to visit such countries.>> > > trans: He was put on the list of 'axis of evil' leaders to be removed. > > <<Chavez also angered Washington with his strong opposition to the U.S. war in Afghanistan. > > ``This is no time for a witch hunt,'' Rice said. ``This is a time for national reconciliation in Venezuela.''>> > > trans: Give the coup masters important posts in your government, Hugo, or watch your back. Better still, do both. > > > Steven Sherman > >
