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Venezuela’s Chavez Puts Aside Animosity & Offers Aid To US
Fri. Sept. 2, 2005: Venezuelan President Hug Chavez is putting aside politics and offering planeloads of soldiers and aid workers to help American victims of Hurricane Katrina.
His offers comes almost a week after televangelist, Pat Robertson called for his assassination but later retracted the comments.
Yesterday, it was unclear whether the Bush administration was going to accept Chavez’s offer, as it battled one of the worst natural disaster the U.S. has every seen.
Chavez is offering 2,000 soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and other disaster specialists; $1 million in aid through its Citgo Petroleum Corp., and fuel to help in hard-hit areas in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
But while the Venezuelan leader, who has been at logger-heads with the Bush administration over his politics offered aid, he also took a jab at President Bush, criticizing the federal government for poor planning.
"As more information comes out now, a terrible truth is becoming evident: That government doesn't have evacuation plans," Chavez stated Wednesday night during a speech, according to wire reports.
And he dubbed the President "the king of vacations," noting that he had been at his Texas ranch and when the storm hit and didn't provide leadership.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, President Fidel Castro also pushed politics aside as the National Assembly there observed a minute of silence to honor the victims of the hurricane.
Parliament's speaker, Ricardo Alarcon, according to the BBC, described the situation as a tragedy of extraordinary dimensions, which had particularly affected African Americans, Latino workers and poor whites. – Hardbeatnews.com
http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4707&title=Top%20Stories
Venezuela‘s Chavez Offers Hurricane Aid
CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is offering planeloads of soldiers and aid workers to help American victims of Hurricane Katrina, while at the same time taking aim at the U.S. government for its handling of the crisis.
While confusion reigned in New Orleans, Chavez said the looting was to be expected under such circumstances.
He called Bush "the king of vacations" and noted he had been at his Texas ranch and when the storm hit and didn‘t provide leadership. "There were many innocent people who left in the direction of the hurricane. No one told them where they should go."
The U.S. government has yet to respond to Chavez‘s offer to send planeloads of aid, including 2,000 soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and other disaster specialists. Venezuela, the world‘s fifth largest oil exporter, also pledged $1 million in aid through its Citgo Petroleum Corp., plus fuel to help in hard-hit areas.
"He‘s trying to win a political game," Martinez said. "It‘s very astute."
"I think he‘s speaking for the gallery. He‘s bragging," Martinez said, adding that sending aid to wealthier Americans could irritate some poor Venezuelans but that in general Chavez‘s remarks seemed aimed at putting forward a sympathetic face.
Chavez‘s criticisms of the U.S. response to the disaster came two days after he met with the Rev. Jesse Jackson , who said he hoped their talks would help both sides cut down on "hostile rhetoric."
http://www.leadingthecharge.com/stories/news-0066736.html
Yesterday, it was unclear whether the Bush administration was going to accept Chavez’s offer, as it battled one of the worst natural disaster the U.S. has every seen.
Chavez is offering 2,000 soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and other disaster specialists; $1 million in aid through its Citgo Petroleum Corp., and fuel to help in hard-hit areas in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
But while the Venezuelan leader, who has been at logger-heads with the Bush administration over his politics offered aid, he also took a jab at President Bush, criticizing the federal government for poor planning.
"As more information comes out now, a terrible truth is becoming evident: That government doesn't have evacuation plans," Chavez stated Wednesday night during a speech, according to wire reports.
And he dubbed the President "the king of vacations," noting that he had been at his Texas ranch and when the storm hit and didn't provide leadership.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, President Fidel Castro also pushed politics aside as the National Assembly there observed a minute of silence to honor the victims of the hurricane.
Parliament's speaker, Ricardo Alarcon, according to the BBC, described the situation as a tragedy of extraordinary dimensions, which had particularly affected African Americans, Latino workers and poor whites. – Hardbeatnews.com
http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4707&title=Top%20Stories
Venezuela‘s Chavez Offers Hurricane Aid
CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is offering planeloads of soldiers and aid workers to help American victims of Hurricane Katrina, while at the same time taking aim at the U.S. government for its handling of the crisis.
While confusion reigned in New Orleans, Chavez said the looting was to be expected under such circumstances.
He called Bush "the king of vacations" and noted he had been at his Texas ranch and when the storm hit and didn‘t provide leadership. "There were many innocent people who left in the direction of the hurricane. No one told them where they should go."
The U.S. government has yet to respond to Chavez‘s offer to send planeloads of aid, including 2,000 soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and other disaster specialists. Venezuela, the world‘s fifth largest oil exporter, also pledged $1 million in aid through its Citgo Petroleum Corp., plus fuel to help in hard-hit areas.
"He‘s trying to win a political game," Martinez said. "It‘s very astute."
"I think he‘s speaking for the gallery. He‘s bragging," Martinez said, adding that sending aid to wealthier Americans could irritate some poor Venezuelans but that in general Chavez‘s remarks seemed aimed at putting forward a sympathetic face.
Chavez‘s criticisms of the U.S. response to the disaster came two days after he met with the Rev. Jesse Jackson , who said he hoped their talks would help both sides cut down on "hostile rhetoric."
http://www.leadingthecharge.com/stories/news-0066736.html
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But despite the increasingly desperate situation on the ground, the Bush administration has sent mixed signals about whether it will take these global well-wishers up on their offers.
President Bush indicated yesterday morning that the United States had not requested foreign help and didn't need it.
''I'm not expecting much from foreign nations because we haven't asked for it," Bush told ABC's ''Good Morning America." ''I do suspect a lot of sympathy, and perhaps some will send cash dollars. But this country is going to rise up and take care of it. You know, we love help, but we're going to take care of our own business, as well."
Hours later, however, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had spoken with the White House and decided that ''we will accept all offers of foreign assistance. Anything that can be of help to alleviate the difficult situation, the tragic situation of the people of the area affected by Hurricane Katrina will be accepted."
It would not be the first time the United States -- the world's largest humanitarian donor -- has received a helping hand from abroad.
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