Finally, Somebody Told Hugo Chávez To Shut Up!

Filed in archive Latin Issues , Latin News on November 10, 2007

Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, asked Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez to shut the f*ck up, during a discussion between Chávez and the Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, at the closure of the XVII Cumbre Iberoamericana (the annual Ibero-American summit).

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During his second (and unexpected) intervention, Chávez called the Spanish ex-president, José María Aznar, a fascist. Of course, Zapatero rejected Chávez affirmations, when it was his turn to talk:

"President Hugo Chávez, I believe there is an essential principle to having a dialog. And that's to be respectful if you want to be respected. We shouldn't resort to insults. We can radically disagree with ideas, to denounce the ideas, the actions, without insulting."

Chávez repeatedly interrupted Zapatero, but his microphone was off. Finally, King Juan Carlos had enough of Chávez disrespect and told him to close his mouth:

"Why don't you shut up?" exclaimed the king. He was evidently very upset and left the room a little while later.

Worst of all, later, when he got the chance to answer Zapatero (using time ceded to him by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega) Chávez used a famous quote, said by Uruguay's founding father, José Artigas:

"I'm going to answer President Zapatero with a phrase from an infinite (sic) man from this land with all my affection (?!), which he (Zapatero) knows is sincere. I'm talking about José Gervasio Artigas when he said 'Telling the truth I do not offend nor do I fear'. The Venezuelan government reserves the right to respond to any aggression, anywhere, in any space and in any manner. Just that."

Right. He has the right to insult a fellow ex-president, but if anybody says he's wrong, it's an aggression. Artigas' ashes must be crying in the mausoleum.

Sources:
King of Spain Tells Chavez to 'Shut Up'
Spanish King Tells Venezuela's Chavez to 'Shut Up'
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