Venezuela Pushes for Hemispheric Social Charter

[Say_What]

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Venezuela Pushes for Hemispheric Social Charter

CARACAS, Mar 3 (IPS) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez called for the creation of a debtor nations' club, the adoption of a Social Charter by the Organisation of American States (OAS), and the forging of a new socialist model for the 21st century during the 4th Social Debt Summit in Caracas.

”We must abandon the capitalist model of development, because it is incapable of serving as a framework to overcome the drama of poverty and inequality,” said Chávez, a former lieutenant-colonel now heading a ”Bolivarian Revolution” of peaceful political and social transformations (named for Simon Bolívar, the founding father of South American independence).

Since 1992, when he led a military uprising in Venezuela, Chávez has been a staunch critic of ”savage neoliberalism”, and after being elected president in 1999, he has tirelessly called for Latin America to establish its own model for development.

In 2001, he proposed the establishment of a Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), in opposition to ”ALCA”, the Spanish acronym for the FTAA or Free Trade Area of the Americas promoted by the United States.

At the Social Debt Summit, held Feb. 24-26, Chávez posed the question, ”If capitalism doesn't serve the purposes of democracy, then what does?” He continued, ”I have no doubts. For me, it is socialism, not the old models of socialism, but rather a new one we will invent for the 21st century.”

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/interna.asp?idnews=27709

[FloridaPat]

1. Wow. A president with a vision of the future for all the people.

Must be nice. Of course Bushco's vision is for all the people to servce forever in the army. A least the ones not donating to his corrput causes.

[Robbien]

2. Didn't Bush's lackey Lugar just propose a "Democracy" bill for OAS

which defined Democracy for OAS in capitalistic terms and which was supposed to undermine Chavez's position?

This proposal of Chavez's just highlights how much of a propaganda tool Lugar's proposed bill is.

[Say_What]

3. Lugar's Conventional Arms Threat Reduction Act (CATRA) in congress

and if congress passes this POS legislation it would make Bush Dictator of the World.

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Conventional Arms Threat Reduction Act (CATRA)

...Last night, after returning from Venezuela, I read with new comprehension when I reviewed new U.S. legislation sponsored by Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington. Washington is calling the legislation the Conventional Arms Threat Reduction Act (CATRA). The new act would create an office in the U.S. State Department for the purpose of eliminating small arms around the globe and particularly in Latin America. This ambitious move in Washington is clearly conceived - at least in part - as a response to Venezuela's recent arms purchase from Russia and other Venezuelan foreign policy.

http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_15785.shtml

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Bogota's El Tiempo ran an article earlier this week about the US trying to change the OAS charter that would facilitate the isolation of and intervention in countries perceived by the US to be undemocratic. Definetly something to watch for as the election for secretary general for the OAS is being held in Ft. Lauderdale in June. Doubt that this would fly in LatAm but with Lugar's proposal one wonders just how agressive the Bushistas will get in the near term.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1525

[chlamor]

6. Worlds Largest Small Arms Trafficker

could easily cut this trade in half overnight. That would mean Uncle Sam who deals 51% of small arms would have to give up the business. Filthy hypocrites.

Go Chavez.
Lugar is such an ass.

[David__77]

4. No such thing as a "peaceful revolution."

Chavez and the Venezuelan people should be prepared to attack with peace, but to defend with force. If there is outside aggression or internal coupmaking, they must act with violent, bloody force to defend their country.

[MasonJar]

5. These Bushistas are pure evil. When will US wake up? It is not

our business or privilege to run the planet. We are so miserable at it.