Over-offending...

Happy birthday Hugo. It seems to celebrate you've made a reasonable decision: for the first time I can remember (please correct me if I'm wrong) Hugo Chavez has publicly - broadcast live on all radio and television outlets - apologised for one of his outbursts. Link to El Universal or view page image in English from the Daily Journal Online: page 3 image HERE.

"Responding to the call of my friend, the president of Honduras (Mel Zelaya), if I've offended the (archbishop) of Tegucigalpa I offer my apologies, that's no problem for me"

...if...IF he's offended him! What he called him was - in response to the prelate's criticism of his administration - "another imperialist clown" who repeats whatever Washington says like a "parrot." However I'm prepared to believe that this apology is a good sign (oops, maybe not) perhaps it's just Hugo realising that just because he can be popular for slagging-off Bush it doesn't make it the right thing to do and you certainly shouldn't slag off your 'friends'. Chavez's blast at the cardinal "provoked uproar in Honduras, but President Zelaya resisted calls to make a formal demand for an apology, saying that he would instead enlighten the Venezuelan leader about Rodriguez Maradiaga's record of activism on behalf of the poor and downtrodden and the prelate's solid 'anti-imperialist' credentials...that and carrying on Castro's fight...and six years is not enough (a good excuse to change the constitution!...NOT!) an article in which he also decries the US's 'perverse campaign' in Europe against Venezuela...ah well, no change then, many happy returns...birthdays that is!