President Hugo Chavez in an interview defended his country's political system and highlighted that "no country is more democratic than Venezuela," even though some sectors claim that he has established a dictatorship
In an interview published on Monday by the BBC World News and BBC Mundo networks, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez addressed a wide array of topics, from his relations with the United States to the independence of the Judiciary. The Venezuelan leader defended vehemently his model.
"There's no dictatorship here. I have been elected three times. And when the rich elite overthrew me in a coup, people brought me back to power. I am a democrat. I have the legitimacy that most people have given to me. This is democratic socialism in democracy," said Chavez when asked if Venezuela has a real democracy, Efe reported.
Chavez added that there is judicial independence in Venezuela and argued that the imprisonment of Judge MarÃa Afiuni, who is in jail for having granted conditional release to Eligio Cedeño, a banker accused of corruption, is "a case where one power has acted in total autonomy. The Judiciary has condemned a former judge."
| ... and of course Libya ... |
On the critical reports issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Chavez said that this entity is a "manipulated commission" which "has supported coups."
Guess it all depends on your definition of democracy. I'm pretty slender, too. And handsome. And a really good lover. And I might add that nobody dances the tango like I do. |