In this 1998 video, a much slimmer and more charismatic Chávez promises to turn over presidential power in five years. Not only that but he proposes a change in which if the people are not happy with their leaders, they may remove them before their term is up. (Mel Zelaya, Raphael Correa of Ecuador, and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua also offered the same, calling it muerte cruzada.)
Chávez promises to not nationalize any media. He says he has good relations with them and that they should continue being private. He has since closed or threatened to close nearly 100 media outlets.
Chávez also promises not to nationalize any other company. He says that he wants private capitalistic companies to come to invest in Venezuela. Just last week, Chávez nationalized a Hilton Hotel because they were "cheeky" with him. Other businesses nationalized include electric utilities, cement, steel, oil services and banking.
At the end Chávez admits that Cuba is a dictatorship but that the people of a country have the right to determine their own fate and that the world has no right to interfere. Of course, he has taken the exact opposite stand regarding Honduras, calling President Micheletti a dictator and demanding that the world interfere in Honduras.
The most interesting part of this interview is how well Chávez hid his true nature. He looks and acts like a nice, sincere guy! "I'm not the devil!", he good naturally chuckles at suggestions that he would do any of these things.
Now that he has done these things and more (the latest being turning the education system into a font of propaganda and brainwashing) and consolidated his power (through control over all sectors of government), he is free to show the world what a megalomaniac he is.
Even if you don't speak Spanish, it is worth watching this video and then comparing it to a more recent one, like this for just one example.
Mel Zelaya was trying to follow in his footsteps. Believers base their opinions on what Zelaya said, or more accurately, what they found reported. "Zelaya never said xxxxx", they proclaim! Review of videos of Zelaya speeches show that he did suggest that presidential term limits would be changed and that the congress and courts might be dissolved, among many other things. Videos also show his complete disdain for the laws, the other powers of government, and the media.
Hondurans are generally non-confrontational, but they aren't stupid. They saw what was happening in Honduras and took action to stop it. They should be applauded! Instead they are facing the wrath of the 800-pound US bully and the 800-pound Chávez gorilla.
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