Orchestrating Orinoco orchidectomy...

The build-up of pressure is almost palpable: an alledged coup plot against Hugo Chavez was dismantled only yesterday: apparently the ex Minister of Defense Raúl Isaías Baduel is behind the plot: so reports Jaime López in El Mundo...of course you won't be surprised to hear that Chavez blames the US:

"Tanto el mandatario venezolano como su ministro de Exteriores, Nicolás Maduro, acusaron expresamente a EEUU de estar detrás del intento de golpe de Estado y de los planes para asesinar al presidente, como parte de un 'nuevo asalto imperialista' en la región."

...which translated says: Both the Venezuelan leader and his Foreign Minister, Nicolas Maduro, expressly (deliberately) accused the U.S. of being behind the coup attempt and the plans to assassinate the president, as part of a "new imperialist assault" in the region. More comment HERE in English (NY Times).

"Mr. Chávez has claimed at least 26 times in the last six years that there were plots to kill him, according to counts in the local media."

The above comment comes at the end of the NYT article. All this on top of the arrival of Russian bombers this week and a Russian warships and troops on the way for joint manoeuvres. Now we hear of that yesterday the US ambassador will be expelled from Venezuela - he has 72 hours to leave - in solidairty with the tit-for-tat explusions between Bolivia and the USA. "Chavez made the move in solidarity with Bolivia after his Andean ally expelled the U.S. diplomat there, accusing him of aiding violent protests. He said a new American ambassador will not be welcome in Caracas "until there's a U.S. government that respects the people of Latin America,"

All this no doubt is just smoke and mirrors to deflect attention from the decrees brought in by Chavez just over a month ago on the eve of the end of the 18-month period during which the National Assembly granted Chávez complete and exclusive power to pass laws by decree. It is feared that many of these decrees grant Chavez power he didn't get when he lost last year's referendum.

"While Chávez is here, it is the People who command, not the oligarchy".

Yes, you guessed it, Chavez said this himself missing the gob-smackingly ironic fact that he is the new oligarchy! With all this going on Red Ken will fit right in! (the interview is from a notoriously pro-Chavez site and it includes some glaring untruths - 100% literacy for instance...yes, and this years harvest breaks all records...fraternal greetings comrade! He also states - re 2002 coup attempt - "it really is much more potentially violent because America has sent killers down there to bump off Chavez",something I'm sure he has evidence of; yes, Ken?)