Shut up, shut up already

Aznar defied over 90% of his people by supporting Bushie's invasion of Iraq. He played a large role in unjust and unneeded mass murder. Chavez told it like it is which is kind of verbotten in Bushie World.

Well.

Been looking for snippets on YouTube. First impression was that Chavez was really annoying, and I kind of sympathized with the king.

Found this 3 minute clip here. Have to say that Zapatero is doing a really, really good job at not getting annoyed with Chavez's interruptions and lecturing him about respect and dialogue on an international level. Marvellous. Chavez looks like the school bully after being told off by the teacher.

Can someone give a summary of the dialogue in english for me?

littlek wrote:

Can someone give a summary of the dialogue in english for me?

Apologies for any unintelligibleness. I wrote it off the cuff (which took more than an hour).

I merely wanted, President Bachelet, to make a statement, in response to the pronouncements made by the President of Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez, regarding the ex-President of the government of Spain, Mr. Aznar, I want to express, President Hugo Chavez, that we are at an Assembly in which there are democratic governments, who represent their citizens in an Iberian-American community which has as one of it's principles respect. Respect. It's possible to be in a position ideologically antipodal, and I am not one who is close to the ideas of Aznar, but he was elected by the people of Spain, and I demand . . .

(Chavez' inaudible interruptions)

I demand . . .

(Chavez' inaudible interruptions)

(The King of Spain, "why don't you shut up?")

I demand that respect .

(Chavez continues inaudibly)

President Hugo Chavez, I believe there is an essence, and a principle in discourse, and that is that to respect, and to be respected, we must procure to not be discredited. One can radically disagree with the ideas, denounce actions, without discrediting ourselves.

(Chavez' inaudible reply)

. . . Very well. What I want to stress is that it is a good form within which to work, understand, on behalf of our nations, for our nations, that we as democratic representatives respect each other. And I petition, President Bachelet, I petition that that be a norm of conduct in a forum that represents the people, that we respect one and all, our leaders, all our governors, and ex-governors of the countries that form this community. I believe it is a good principle. And I would, fervently I would, I fervently would that that be a code of conduct because form begets actions, and it is possible to radically disagree with, and all the while having respect for others. That is a principle upon which one will then be respected by others. And I am sure that this Assembly and all Latin Americans would that all of the democratic leaders that are here today in representation of the people be respected, today and always. (applause)

It's as if he were teaching manners to a petulant child who was heretofore oblivious to the concept.

old europe, Zapatero has been great. He's no Azner. I'd be willing to bet that he and the overwhelming majority of Spaniards agree with Chavez about Azner.

Spaniards back king for telling Chavez to shut up

MADRID (Reuters) - Even Spaniards normally critical of the royal family backed King Juan Carlos on Sunday for telling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to shut up, but some voiced concerns the monarchy was getting too involved in politics.

The king's flare-up at the Ibero American summit followed days of criticism by leftist Latin American leaders of Spain's political and business influence in former colonies.

The spark came when Chavez repeatedly called Spain's former conservative prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar, a fascist.

Spain's left-leaning El Periodico de Catalunya newspaper, representing a region where anti-royal sentiment runs high, said on Sunday that Chavez's behaviour had been intolerable.

"Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say but the Monarch's fit shows just how much the Venezuelan's diatribe upset the Spanish," the newspaper said in its editorial.

Raising his hand at the fiery Venezuelan president, Juan Carlos had shouted "Why don't you shut up?"

In newspaper editorials, bars and Internet chatrooms, Spaniards said Chavez had been in the wrong.

"What the king said was completely justified, it's overdue," said bank worker Carlos Garcia, adding that he did not consider himself a supporter of either the royal family or Aznar.

...

One can radically disagree with the ideas, denounce actions, without discrediting ourselves. Calling mass murderers mass muderers is against protocol. So to hell with protocol.