John D. McKinnon and Matt Moffett, staff reporters for the Wall Street Journal, wrote an article Bush, Chavez Exchange Jabs At Start of Americas Summit (subscription required).
With anti-Bush banners festooning the bleachers and the crowd chanting "Fascist Bush, You're The Terrorist," Mr. Chavez called "the North American empire...weakened." He said leftist groups had come to Mar Del Plata to "bury" the trade initiative and "the next thing we're going to bury is capitalism." He also touted the economic partnership of Latin American nations that he has proposed, in which Venezuela would take a prominent role.
Chavez is once again flouting his strength within the region. Unfortunately, his bellicose behavior toward other nation states and toward capitalism is doing his country and the region more harm than good. But with oil at high prices, Venezuela remains comparatively rich. And that allows Chavez to do what he does.
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