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	<title>THE HOT JOINTS &#187; Venezuela</title>
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	<description>Breaking News and Opinion</description>
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		<title>Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:05:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hollywood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Celebrities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Naomi Campbell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[naomi campbell hugo chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[ 
As I was reading Humberto Fontova’s excellent piece on Big Hollywood about Castro spying on the celebrities who love him, an interesting side note caught my attention that I was unaware of.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell is allegedly dating Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. Wired has a blurb about it along with media outlets in Italy and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/naomicampbellandhugochavez.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="naomi campbell and hugo chavez" border="0" alt="naomi campbell and hugo chavez" src="http://www.thehotjoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/naomicampbellandhugochavez_thumb.jpg" width="339" height="247" /></a> </p>
<p>As I was reading Humberto Fontova’s excellent piece on <a href="http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hfontova/2010/02/12/castro-catches-useful-idiot-celebs-on-candid-camera/" target="_blank">Big Hollywood</a> about Castro spying on the celebrities who love him, an interesting side note caught my attention that I was unaware of.</p>
<p>Supermodel Naomi Campbell is allegedly dating Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. <a href="http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyond/2008/01/naomi-campbell/" target="_blank">Wired</a> has a blurb about it along with media outlets in Italy and elsewhere.</p>
<p>Campbell apparently fell for Chavez while on a trip to Venezuela with other useful idiots from Hollywood to show support for the regime.</p>
<p>I’m anxious to see how Hugo reacts the first time she tries to take his head off with a cell phone. It really is amazing to what degree Hollywood assholes have an obsession with Communism and brutal dictators.</p>
<p>The people who shill for gay marriage and abortion and who profess to be the most tolerant among us are infatuated with the least tolerant among us. Chavez has been outspoken about his dislike of gays who his henchman routinely arrest and beat. Chavez also has a disdain for Jews which he’s made no secret of.</p>
<p>Naomi Campbell has always been a little unstable kind of like her new boyfriend. But she’s clearly one sick puppy to be dating a monster like that.</p>
<p>-Chris Jones</p>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/10/31/naomi-cambell-meets-with-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Meets With Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Meets With Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/01/07/naomi-campbell-calls-hugo-chavez-a-rebel-angel/" title="Naomi Campbell Calls Hugo Chavez a &#8220;Rebel Angel&#8221;">Naomi Campbell Calls Hugo Chavez a &#8220;Rebel Angel&#8221;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/" title="Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;">Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/" title="Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels">Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/02/11/chavez-threatens-to-cutoff-oil-to-us/" title="Chavez Threatens To Cut Off Oil To U.S.">Chavez Threatens To Cut Off Oil To U.S.</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Terrorists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Columbia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corruption]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FARC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[It looks like Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez is off his meds again, because he&#8217;s talking crazy. Columbia was finally fortunate enough to kill some of the vicious FARC terrorists that they&#8217;ve been battling for years and Hugo Chavez thinks it was a &#8220;war crime.&#8221;
Although new information that Columbia has made public in the last couple [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It looks like Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez is off his meds again, because he&#8217;s talking crazy. Columbia was finally fortunate enough to kill some of the vicious FARC terrorists that they&#8217;ve been battling for years and Hugo Chavez thinks it was a &#8220;<a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080306/D8V7MANG1.html" target="_blank">war crime</a>.&#8221;</p>
<p>Although <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080305/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/colombia_farc_laptop" target="_blank">new information</a> that Columbia has made public in the last couple of days may help to explain the bizarre reaction of Venezuela&#8217;s tyrant. Columbian authorities are claiming that a laptop plucked from the remains of one of the dead terrorists shows that Hugo Chavez has been a FARC &#8220;sugar daddy&#8221; for quite some time now.</p>
<p>The documents on the laptop reveal that Chavez has been a financial backer of the group for more than a decade, and at one point gave FARC a $300 million dollar gift. The documents also reveal an ongoing plan cooked up by Chavez and the leaders of the terror group to isolate and undermine Columbia&#8217;s President and U.S. ally, Alvaro Uribe.</p>
<p>President Uribe is the first leader of Columbia in decades that&#8217;s not up to his eyeballs in corruption and is actually angry that Columbia has the highest kidnapping rate in the world. With the help of the U.S., Uribe is hoping to wipe out FARC once and for all.</p>
<p>The recovered laptop reveals detailed communications between FARC leaders and Chavez, in which multiple scenarios are laid out to hopefully get rid of President Uribe.</p>
<p>Hopefully, someone will have Hugo Chavez killed so that we can be rid of this petty dictator. If he&#8217;s allowed to live he will destroy Venezuela and live to a ripe old age just like his best friend Fidel Castro.</p>
<p><em>-Chris Jones </em></p>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/" title="Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels">Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/11/23/another-world-leader-puts-chavez-in-his-place/" title="Another World Leader Puts Chavez in his place ">Another World Leader Puts Chavez in his place </a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2009/09/21/jimmy-carter-opens-his-dumb-mouth-again/" title="Jimmy Carter Opens His Dumb Mouth Again">Jimmy Carter Opens His Dumb Mouth Again</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/07/03/american-hostages-rescued-in-columbia-return-to-us/" title="American Hostages Rescued In Columbia Return To U.S.">American Hostages Rescued In Columbia Return To U.S.</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:28:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Columbia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corruption]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FARC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[From the AP:
Venezuela and Ecuador sought Monday to make Colombia pay a high price for killing a leftist rebel leader in the Ecuadorean jungle—expelling its diplomats, ordering troops to the border and cracking down on trade across the border.
But Colombia quickly struck back, revealing what it said were incriminating documents seized from the rebel camp [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From the <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=D8V6CB500&amp;show_article=1&amp;catnum=0" target="_blank">AP</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Venezuela and Ecuador sought Monday to make Colombia pay a high price for killing a leftist rebel leader in the Ecuadorean jungle—expelling its diplomats, ordering troops to the border and cracking down on trade across the border.</p>
<p>But Colombia quickly struck back, revealing what it said were incriminating documents seized from the rebel camp that suggest its neighbors have been secretly supporting the leftist rebels&#8217; deadly insurgency.</p>
<p>And in a tit-for-tat move, Venezuela later displayed the laptop of a slain drug trafficker, which it said contained information implicating Colombia&#8217;s national police chief in the cocaine trade&#8230;.<a href="http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=D8V6CB500&amp;show_article=1&amp;catnum=0" target="_blank">READ THE REST</a></p></blockquote>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/" title="Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;">Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/11/23/another-world-leader-puts-chavez-in-his-place/" title="Another World Leader Puts Chavez in his place ">Another World Leader Puts Chavez in his place </a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2009/09/21/jimmy-carter-opens-his-dumb-mouth-again/" title="Jimmy Carter Opens His Dumb Mouth Again">Jimmy Carter Opens His Dumb Mouth Again</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/07/03/american-hostages-rescued-in-columbia-return-to-us/" title="American Hostages Rescued In Columbia Return To U.S.">American Hostages Rescued In Columbia Return To U.S.</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Chavez Threatens To Cut Off Oil To U.S.</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/02/11/chavez-threatens-to-cutoff-oil-to-us/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/02/11/chavez-threatens-to-cutoff-oil-to-us/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:57:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oil Imports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[President Hugo Chavez on Sunday threatened to cut off oil sales to the United States in an &#8220;economic war&#8221; if Exxon Mobil Corp. wins court judgments to seize billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets.
Exxon Mobil has gone after the assets of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA in U.S., British and Dutch courts as [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>President Hugo Chavez on Sunday <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=D8UNOD3G0&amp;show_article=1" target="_blank">threatened</a> to cut off oil sales to the United States in an &#8220;economic war&#8221; if Exxon Mobil Corp. wins court judgments to seize billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets.</p>
<p>Exxon Mobil has gone after the assets of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA in U.S., British and Dutch courts as it challenges the nationalization of a multibillion dollar oil project by Chavez&#8217;s government.</p>
<p>A British court has issued an injunction &#8220;freezing&#8221; as much as $12 billion in assets.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s likely that the Bush administration will call his bluff, because the Venezuela&#8217;s oil only accounts for around 12% of U.S. oil imports, but U.S. is Venezuela&#8217;s biggest customer by far. The only thing that keeps the Chavez dictatorship going are the countries oil exports.</p>
<p>It would be financial suicide for Chavez to cutoff his biggest customer, so this sounds like nothing more than the usual reckless, empty rhetoric we usually here from this guy.</p>
<p><em>-Chris Jones</em></p>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/" title="Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;">Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/" title="Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels">Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/01/07/naomi-campbell-calls-hugo-chavez-a-rebel-angel/" title="Naomi Campbell Calls Hugo Chavez a &#8220;Rebel Angel&#8221;">Naomi Campbell Calls Hugo Chavez a &#8220;Rebel Angel&#8221;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/chavez-loses-vote-51-49/" title="Chavez Loses Vote 51-49">Chavez Loses Vote 51-49</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Naomi Campbell Calls Hugo Chavez a &#8220;Rebel Angel&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/01/07/naomi-campbell-calls-hugo-chavez-a-rebel-angel/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/01/07/naomi-campbell-calls-hugo-chavez-a-rebel-angel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:51:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GQ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Naomi Campbell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[British supermodel Naomi Campbell has interviewed Venezuela&#8217;s President Hugo Chavez, describing him as a &#8220;rebel angel&#8221; who is unafraid to speak his mind but poses no threat to democracy.
Campbell was granted an audience with the outspoken left-wing leader as part of her new brief as contributing editor for British men&#8217;s lifestyle magazine GQ, interviewing leading [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>British supermodel Naomi Campbell <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=080107000621.3kf843g8&amp;show_article=1" target="_blank">has interviewed</a> Venezuela&#8217;s President Hugo Chavez, describing him as a &#8220;rebel angel&#8221; who is unafraid to speak his mind but poses no threat to democracy.</p>
<p>Campbell was granted an audience with the outspoken left-wing leader as part of her new brief as contributing editor for British men&#8217;s lifestyle magazine GQ, interviewing leading figures from politics, sport and entertainment.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I&#8217;d always heard Hugo Chavez was a people&#8217;s president and I wanted to see if that was true&#8230; I didn&#8217;t want to judge Chavez, or probe him for his political views, even though he gave them freely,&#8221; she wrote.</p></blockquote>
<p>She said the Venezuelan people also seemed happier than her last visit 10 years ago for a Sports Illustrated magazine photo shoot.</p>
<p>The outspoken Chavez gave his views on a politics, human rights, as well as pop music, fashion, and the British royal family.</p>
<p>He said Cuba&#8217;s Fidel Castro is the most stylish leader in the world.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;His uniform is impeccable. His boots are polished. His beard is elegant&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>For some reason celebrities have this obsession with visiting Hugo Chavez. I suspect Chavez didn&#8217;t realize he was being interviewed by the world&#8217;s most dangerous supermodel.</p>
<p>If he had been made aware of her tendency to use her cell phone as a deadly weapon, he probably would have thought the interview request was another attempt by the CIA to supposedly kill him.</p>
<p>I especially like the part about Fidel Castro being the most fashionable leader. I would call that scraggly beard he wears many things, but &#8220;elegant&#8221; is certainly not one of them.</p>
<p><em>-Chris Jones</em></p>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/10/31/naomi-cambell-meets-with-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Meets With Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Meets With Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/" title="Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;">Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/" title="Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels">Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/02/11/chavez-threatens-to-cutoff-oil-to-us/" title="Chavez Threatens To Cut Off Oil To U.S.">Chavez Threatens To Cut Off Oil To U.S.</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Former Chavez Defense Minister Writes Op-Ed in NY Times</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/former-chavez-defense-minister-writes-op-ed-in-ny-times/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/former-chavez-defense-minister-writes-op-ed-in-ny-times/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:38:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Op-Ed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Raul Isaias Baduel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Socialism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[One of Hugo Chavez&#8217;s closest aids recently quit his post as Defense Minister and has become an outspoken critic of Chavez and his policies. He has written an interesting Op-Ed in the NY Times, called &#8220;Why I Parted Ways With Chavez.&#8221;
ON Dec. 17, 1982, three of my fellow officers in the Venezuelan Army and I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of Hugo Chavez&#8217;s closest aids recently quit his post as Defense Minister and has become an outspoken critic of Chavez and his policies. He has written an interesting Op-Ed in the NY Times, called &#8220;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/opinion/01baduel.html?bl=&amp;ei=5087&amp;en=891f7f26514c44ff&amp;ex=1196830800&amp;pagewanted=print" target="_blank">Why I Parted Ways With Chavez</a>.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote><p>ON Dec. 17, 1982, three of my fellow officers in the Venezuelan Army and I swore our allegiance to the Bolivarian Revolutionary Army 2000. We considered ourselves to be at the birth of a movement that would turn a critical eye on Venezuela’s troubled social and political system — and formulate proposals to improve it. One of the officers with me was Hugo Chávez, the current president of Venezuela, whom I have known since I entered the military academy 35 years ago.</p>
<p>Hugo Chávez and I worked together for many years. I supported him through thick and thin, serving as his defense minister. But now, having recently retired, I find myself with the moral and ethical obligation as a citizen to express my opposition to the changes to the Constitution that President Chávez and the National Assembly have presented for approval by the voters tomorrow.</p>
<p>The proposal, which would abolish presidential term limits and expand presidential powers, is nothing less than an attempt to establish a socialist state in Venezuela. As our Catholic bishops have already made clear, a socialist state is contrary to the beliefs of Simón Bolívar, the South American liberation hero, and it is also contrary to human nature and the Christian view of society, because it grants the state absolute control over the people it governs.</p></blockquote>
<p>Click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/opinion/01baduel.html?bl=&amp;ei=5087&amp;en=891f7f26514c44ff&amp;ex=1196830800&amp;pagewanted=print" target="_blank">HERE</a> if you want to read the rest.</p>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/chavez-loses-vote-51-49/" title="Chavez Loses Vote 51-49">Chavez Loses Vote 51-49</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/chavez-vote-to-close-to-call/" title="Chavez Vote To Close To Call">Chavez Vote To Close To Call</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/no-mas-chavez/" title="No Mas Chavez?">No Mas Chavez?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/10/21/the-best-cases-against-barack-obama/" title="The Best Cases Against Barack Obama">The Best Cases Against Barack Obama</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Chavez Loses Vote 51-49</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/chavez-loses-vote-51-49/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/chavez-loses-vote-51-49/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:19:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Socialism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Voting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/03/chavez-loses-vote-51-49/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[President Hugo Chavez said Monday he may have been too ambitious in asking voters to let him stand indefinitely for re-election and endorse a huge leap to a socialist state.
Chavez told reporters at the presidential palace that the outcome of Sunday&#8217;s balloting had taught him that &#8220;Venezuelan democracy is maturing.&#8221; His respect for the verdict, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>President Hugo Chavez said Monday he may have been <a href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071203/D8TA109G1.html" target="_blank">too ambitious</a> in asking voters to let him stand indefinitely for re-election and endorse a huge leap to a socialist state.</p>
<p>Chavez told reporters at the presidential palace that the outcome of Sunday&#8217;s balloting had taught him that &#8220;Venezuelan democracy is maturing.&#8221; His respect for the verdict, he asserted, proves he is a true democratic leader.</p>
<blockquote><p> &#8220;I understand and accept that the proposal I made was quite profound and intense,&#8221; he said after voters narrowly rejected the sweeping constitutional reforms by 51 percent to 49 percent.</p></blockquote>
<p>The defeated reform package would have created new types of communal property, let Chavez handpick local leaders under a redrawn political map and suspended civil liberties during extended states of emergency. Without the overhaul, Chavez will be barred from running again in 2012.</p>
<blockquote><p> &#8220;This reform was about democracy or totalitarian socialism, and democracy won,&#8221; said opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez said.</p></blockquote>
<h3>Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/chavez-vote-to-close-to-call/" title="Chavez Vote To Close To Call">Chavez Vote To Close To Call</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/no-mas-chavez/" title="No Mas Chavez?">No Mas Chavez?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2010/02/12/naomi-campbell-is-dating-hugo-chavez/" title="Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez">Naomi Campbell Is Dating Hugo Chavez</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/06/chavez-calls-the-killing-of-farc-rebels-by-columbia-a-war-crime/" title="Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;">Chavez Calls The Killing Of FARC Rebels By Columbia A &#8216;War Crime&#8217;</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/2008/03/03/columbia-says-chavez-is-funding-farc-rebels/" title="Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels">Columbia Says Chavez Is Funding FARC Rebels</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Chavez Vote To Close To Call</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/chavez-vote-to-close-to-call/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/chavez-vote-to-close-to-call/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Dec 2007 04:36:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Socialism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Voting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/chavez-vote-to-close-to-call/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[From VOA News:
Hours after polls closed in Venezuela&#8217;s constitutional referendum Sunday, both the government and its opponents say the vote is too close to call.
No official results have been released on the fate of the constitutional changes sought by President Hugo Chavez.
Late Sunday, Vice President Jorge Rodriguez said election workers were still counting ballots five [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From <a href="http://voanews.com/english/2007-12-03-voa2.cfm" target="_blank">VOA News</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Hours after polls closed in Venezuela&#8217;s constitutional referendum Sunday, both the government and its opponents say the vote is too close to call.</p>
<p>No official results have been released on the fate of the constitutional changes sought by President Hugo Chavez.</p>
<p>Late Sunday, Vice President Jorge Rodriguez said election workers were still counting ballots five hours after voting was to have ended.</p></blockquote>
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		<title>No Mas Chavez?</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/no-mas-chavez/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/no-mas-chavez/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:48:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Socialism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Voting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/12/02/no-mas-chavez/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
President Hugo Chavez would take on expanded powers and have a shot at being president for life under constitutional changes being considered by Venezuelans Sunday in a vote that raised tensions in South America&#8217;s top oil exporter.
Chavez maintains that in order to turn Venezuela into a socialist state he needs indefinite rule. One can only [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.thehotjoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/chavez0920.jpg" title="chavez0920.jpg"><img src="http://www.thehotjoints.com/wp-content/imagescaler/5d96887ae107af49acdc4937eec1c490.jpg" alt="chavez0920.jpg" width="160" height="107" imagescaler="http://www.thehotjoints.com/wp-content/imagescaler/e17a6776da050456c7bbd5a940916a9e.jpg" title="No Mas Chavez?" /></a></p>
<p>President Hugo Chavez would take on <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=D8T9EQU80&amp;show_article=1" target="_blank">expanded powers</a> and have a shot at being president for life under constitutional changes being considered by Venezuelans Sunday in a vote that raised tensions in South America&#8217;s top oil exporter.</p>
<p>Chavez maintains that in order to turn Venezuela into a socialist state he needs indefinite rule. One can only hope that Venezuelans will take a look at Cuba before they decide that&#8217;s the really the direction they want to go.</p>
<p>The reforms would also grant Chavez control over the Central Bank, allow his government to detain citizens without charge during a state of emergency, and empower him to redraw the country&#8217;s political map and handpick provincial and municipal leaders.</p>
<p>However, I have a feeling that Chavez is going to rule Venezuela for as long as <em>he</em> wants to regardless of the outcome of today&#8217;s vote. Whether or not the outcome of the vote will be fair or honest is debatable, but one thing seems to be clear.</p>
<p>No matter how many times socialism proves to be a disaster, countries in Latin America always get suckered into another socialist revolution by another charismatic dictator.</p>
<p>Chavez has warned opponents he will not tolerate attempts to stir up violence, and threatened to cut off oil exports to the U.S. if Washington interferes. His country is a major supplier to the United States, which in turn is the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan oil.</p>
<p>Considering that the only thing keeping Chavez in power is the money from oil exports, it&#8217;s laughable to think he would refuse to sell to his biggest buyer.</p>
<p>Pollster Luis Vicente Leon said tracking polls by his firm Datanalisis in the past week show the vote is too close to predict. Which side wins will depend largely on turnout among Chavez&#8217;s supporters and opponents.</p>
<p>About 100 electoral observers from 39 countries in Latin America, Europe and the United States were are on hand, plus hundreds of Venezuelan observers.</p>
<p><em>-Chris Jones</em><em> </em></p>
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		<title>Chavez Dillusional: &#8220;CNN may be instigating my murder&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/11/28/chavez-dillusional-cnn-may-be-instigating-my-murder/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thehotjoints.com/2007/11/28/chavez-dillusional-cnn-may-be-instigating-my-murder/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:48:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Jones</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Funny]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CNN]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hugo Chavez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Murder]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[ Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday CNN may have been instigating his murder when the U.S. TV network showed a photograph of him with a label underneath that read &#8220;Who killed him?&#8221;
The caption appeared to be a production mistake &#8212; confusing a Chavez news item with one on the death of a football [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday CNN may have been <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071128/ts_nm/venezuela_referendum_cnn_dc_1&amp;printer=1;_ylt=AvNeOC3yNER.LurmfO4SiJ5g.3QA" target="_blank">instigating his murder</a> when the U.S. TV network showed a photograph of him with a label underneath that read &#8220;Who killed him?&#8221;</p>
<p>The caption appeared to be a production mistake &#8212; confusing a Chavez news item with one on the death of a football star. The anchor said &#8220;take the image down&#8221; when he realized.</p>
<p>But Chavez called for a probe in an interview on state television, where he repeatedly reviewed a tape of the broadcast, questioning why the unconnected photograph and wording were left on screen for several seconds.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I want the state prosecutor to look into bringing a suit against CNN for instigating murder in Venezuela,&#8221; he said. &#8220;&#8230; undoubtedly it is part of the psychological warfare.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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