Garvey's Ghost: Black Talk

Meanwhile.....

With all eyes on Haiti and the despicable turn of events that ended Aristide's term prematurely, not much is being said about the haps in Venezuela where Hugo Chavez is once again faced with outsiders attempting to oust him from office.
Just like in Haiti, the "opposition" has been getting press while they demonstrate, kill and loot the country. Venezuela however, is no Haiti. Having once tried and failed to remove Chavez via Coup, they are going the California route and attempting to recall Chavez via a ballot referendum.:

quote:
Some opposition leaders expressed disappointment with the Organization of American States, which had brokered a deal between the government and its opponents that the opposition leaders thought would lead to a recall vote. "They told us that this was the quickest path," said Antonio Ledezma, an opposition leader.

Mr. Chávez, in a fiery speech on Sunday, said his government would recognize the signatures and would permit a referendum if enough signatures were "repaired." But opponents continued to assert that the new measure was nothing more than a delaying tactic aimed at ensuring that Mr. Chávez remained in power.

Under the country's electoral guidelines, if the recall takes place after Aug. 20, Mr. Chávez's vice president could finish out his term. Opponents fear that if that happens, Mr. Chávez would rule from behind the scenes while campaigning to win the next presidential elections, in 2006.

The Bush administration, which has clashed repeatedly with Mr. Chávez, has expressed support for a recall vote. Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said, "The focus should remain on the efforts by the Venezuelan people to exercise their constitutional and democratic rights" in "a transparent and internationally monitored presidential recall referendum."

So not only are dictators the like of Saddam Hussein targets for "regime change" so are democratically elected leaders. the Bush administration is true to it's word that you're either with us or against us. Do they not realize the amount of global instability that will result from activily supporting the abrupt termination of elected officials terms? How do you create stable societies when the "opposition" can rest assured that the US will hand guns and butter and terminate any president that they don't like? What is the point of having a constitutionally determined presidential term if no one is allowed to actually fulfil their terms. Furthermore, if the short-cutting of the election cycle is democratic, why couldn't president Bush be recalled? Where is our recall provision for US presidents?

Meanwhile, African leaders, probably shook that they too will be the next leader to face armed 'opposition." are giving Aristide the run around regearding asylum.

quote:
Newly arrived in the impoverished Central African Republic, Haiti's ex-president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, on Monday blasted the rebels who ousted him from power on Sunday, saying that "in overthrowing me, they have chopped down the tree of peace, but it will grow again."

Government radio in Bangui, the republic's capital, said Mr. Aristide was being accommodated only for a few days, probably until he received permanent asylum in South Africa.

But South African officials gave mixed signals as to their willingness to take in Mr. Aristide. Domestic critics of President Thabo Mbeki, one of Mr. Aristide's few international supporters, excoriated the government for even considering it

All pomp and circumstance. No balls.

Links:
http://nytimes.com/2004/03/02/international/africa/02ARIS.html

http://nytimes.com/2004/03/02/international/americas/02VENE.html