Tell it like it is Hugo!

From the New York Times Chavez Calls Bush ‘the Devil’ in U.N. Speech.

“Yesterday, the devil came here,” Mr. Chávez said, alluding to Mr. Bush’s appearance before the General Assembly on Tuesday. “Right here. Right here. And it smells of sulfur still today, this table that I am now standing in front of.”

Then Mr. Chávez made the sign of the cross, brought his hands together as if in prayer and glanced toward the ceiling.

“Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.”

“I think we could call a psychiatrist to analyze yesterday’s statement by the president of the United States,” Mr. Chávez went on. “As the spokesman of imperialism, he came to share his nostrums, to try to preserve the current pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the peoples of the world.

“An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I would even propose a title: ‘The Devil’s Recipe.’ ”

Hugo Chávez is a great man and I really wish him well. I am looking forward to visiting Venezuela as soon as my Spanish reaches a reasonable proficiency.

I wish I had a video clip of this but alas I don't. But I do have this one of Chávez denouncing bush as a donkey, a liar, and many many other names. It's great to see a world leader stand up and say what he actually thinks. So refreshing given the utter bullshit we are usually fed by our leaders.

This same story has run in the UK's The Guardian but there they also mentioned that

Delegates and leaders from around the world streamed back into the chamber to hear Mr Chávez, and when he stepped down the vigorous applause lasted so long that it had to be curtailed by the chair.

The New York Times also left out the fact that Chávez seems to be very well read. The Guardian's article begins:

Brandishing a copy of Noam Chomsky's Hegemony or survive: America's quest for global dominance, the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, cemented his reputation as Washington's chief irritant yesterday with a fiery performance at the United Nations.

Enjoy — Dave.