Hugo Chavez , His Corrupt Family and FARC: Or, What A Hypocrite Am I!

Hypocrites abound, in the global political arena, but there is nothing more despisable than a righteous hypocrite. Yeah, those leaders who, in highly colourful and confrontational language, criticize the U.S. for its imperialistic, capitalistic, jingoistic tendencies, when all the while they exhibit those exact same characteristics. Hugo "the Red" Chavez, champion of the poor, (yeah, right!), is as corrupt as they get, and it seems to run in the family.

Let's take a look at that family. Talk about nepotism. We have:

1. Papa Chavez, or Hugo de los Reyes Chavez aka "El Maestro", who has been governor of the State of Barinas (where the Chavez family hails from) for 10 years.

2. Brother, Argenis Chavez is the secretary of state of Barinas. Some speculate he is the one who actually runs Barinas ever since Papa Chavez was debilitated by a stroke.

3. Brother, Anibal Chavez happens to be the mayor of Sabaneta, the small town in Barinas where Hugo and his brothers were born.

4. Brother, Adelis Chavez works for Banco Sofitasa. A bank? So what, you might say, but this bank conveniently handles all the state government's needs.

5. Brother, Narciso Chavez is apparently also involved in the Barinas political scene, but not in any public capacity. I'm sure that will eventually change.

6. Brother, Adan Chavez is Hugo's minister of education.

Now, because of Papa Chavez's condition since his stroke, he obviously has to be replaced. Trouble is, the one brother they figured would succeed "El Maestro" as governor, is embroiled in allegations of corruption, as are some of the other brothers, save Adan, who everyone predicts will be the most likely to win the coveted prize during the upcoming November elections. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

However, It seems the natives are finally getting restless over there, with respect to how the Chavez brothers are handling things:

Barinas residents have become fed up with what they see as the heavy-handed and arrogant ways of the Chavez family, analysts and average citizens alike say. One example that rankles widely: The governor and his wife travel in a caravan of SUVs with a police escort that halts all traffic to let them pass .

Governor Chavez spent millions of dollars to build a sugar refinery that has yet to open, and millions more for a new soccer stadium that remains unfinished, a year after it was inaugurated for the America's Cup tournament, analysts said. Gehard Cartay, who was Barinas' governor 1993-96, said the state government spends its money in secret and no longer seeks public bids for big infrastructure projects. Even Governor Chávez's salary is hidden, he added. 'They are not the same poor family as before,'' Cartay said. ``It's hard to hide wealth in a small state like Barinas.''

Ah yes, now isn't that typical of leftist leaders. Gain power, and the allure of money becomes all too captivating.

A Congressman from Barinas, Wilmer Azuaje, who broke with Chavez's political party, has said,

"The president says that revolutionaries have to tell the truth. If you don't denounce corruption, you are an accomplice.''

"...he has launched his campaign for governor by accusing the elder Chavez and two of the president's brothers of using public funds to buy ranches in Barinas and using straw men to hide the purchases.

He has accused the governor and Argenis and Narciso Chavez of secretly buying up to 17 ranches in Barinas. He notes that records on one of the ranches, La Malagueña, list the longtime watchman at La Chavera as having paid $400,000 to buy it.

Hugo's Mama, Elena Frias de Chavez, noted for her bling and reputed love affair with a little nip and tuck, had this to say about the accusations,

''It's all about envy. [snip]These people are uneducated. They want to pull us down to their level. They are pitiful lowlifes. They're not used to a single family holding such power.''

Well, that doesn't sound very socialist to me.

Hugo's ex-wife, Marisabel Rodriguez, who divorced the man in 2003, also claims government corruption:

"There has been much injustice, much corruption going on in the government. They encourage you to report corruption, but if you do, they cut your head off."

She should know:

Rodriguez, who has a daughter with the Socialist leader, said she is so opposed to Chavez's reforms and the pervasive corruption in Venezuela that she is seriously considering running for office. As a result, she said its government has leveled death threats at her. "There have absolutely been death threats against me, ordering me to keep quiet, to behave," she said.

Then we have the latest with the Chavez/FARC connection. Considered by most nations in the world to be a terrorist organization, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC, is a communist revolutionary guerrilla group that has held Colombia hostage to its filthy tactics since the 60s. 20 to 30% of its guerilleros happen to be children under the age of 18! FARC garners its financial resources through kidnapping ransoms (some have been in captivity for up to 10 years), extortion and drug trafficking. And now, it turns out, Chavez and his buddy Rafael Correa (President of Ecuador) , oh staunch denouncers of U.S. imperialism, have been aiding and abetting FARC. Though Venezuela and Ecuador have categorically denied any such activity, it appears they have. Surprise, surprise! Documents found on FARC rebel computers, according to Interpol (the international police,) are absolutely authentic and not doctored, in any way, by the Colombian government, as Chavez and Correa have insisted.

Chavez called President George W. Bush "the Devil" back in 2006, at a UN General Assembly, and went on to denounce U.S. imperialism; I guess that makes him a devil too!