The King and Chavez: Chavez reaching the deep end

In yet an astounding display on how far the goading of Chavez can go the King of Spain asked him to shut up:
"¿Por qué no te callas?" with the familiar 'tu' included.

Short video version below and the longer version which shows the desperate efforts of Zapatero trying to beg Chavez for some civility here. You will notice how bloated Chavez is while Zapatero remains trim and fit. An additional interesting little piece data, no?




(update: CNN has now a video with some dubbing. However what is good in that Video is that it shows that at the moment Chavez was making a fool of himself, there was yet another hugely successful student protest in Caracas.)

Before I go on to what happened let me tell the reader the possible reason of the whole distasteful scene: A Chavez who is getting used not having any one interrupting him at home, ever, thinks he can do the same abroad. He already did so at the Santiago summit earlier this week when he went 21 minutes above the allotted 5 for EACH HEAD OF STATE HAD according to protocol. But there is something else: as years go by Chavez has more and more trouble being the star of any summit he attends. People are getting justifiably weary of his ever repetitive speeches. Thus Chavez, seeing his poll numbers heading South and seeing his summit influence waning is just taking matters in his own hands as he thinks it is his right. Crazy people all share the same pathology: rules do not apply to them and Chavez is getting everyday closer to become certifiable.

The exchange came because Chavez, for some obscure reason, has decided to campaign against former Prime Minister of Spain Aznar. Probably with the new constitution Chavez is preparing to seize a few Spanish assets in Venezuela and is thus getting ready. Perhaps Chavez is just bonkers. So now he is saying that Aznar told him in private this or that and as such Aznar is a racist and fascist. That might be, BUT......

1) Aznar was elected in a parliamentary system. Twice.

2) At a time where Chavez is trying to remains in office forever, Aznar, with polls largely in his favor, decided that two terms were enough for a prime minster and presided over the election of his successor who turned out to be the opposition.

3) Chavez is ill placed to mention racism and fascism when his government has presided over all sorts of human rights violations such as the Tascon list (duly reported in Spain by the way where it has been quite shocking for all sides). Chavez might want to start by demonstrating that he is less fascist than Aznar.

So the poor King of Spain, who every year has to deal with Chavez tantrums, who is not cherishing the idea of having him for a few more years ahead, asked him how come he could never shut up his big and vulgar mouth. The news in Spain at 4 PM gave in Google news Spain page 389 links.

As usual not only Chavez miscalculates (though a few silly lefties will undoubtedly share yet another insult to the powers that be) but demonstrates that he has no clue on how democracy works. Bringing Zapatero to defend Aznar, of whom it is well known that he deeply despises, is quite a feat. Bringing the normally composed figure of the King of Spain who plays a very symbolic but crucial role in the Iberoamerican summit in bringing together ex-colonies and the mother land past centuries of antagonism is another feat. Refusing to listen when Zapatero tries to explain that democracy requires dialogue and participation of both sides simply reflects the petty tyrant that Chavez; in camera, for the whole world to see.

Finally I would like to remind folks that Chavez gets intensely angry when any visitor to Venezuela makes observations on the country management to the point that the new constitution will bring provisions to allow to either muzzle these critics or the peopel who are seen with them in Venezuela. And yet he has no qualm in grossly insulting whomever he wants whenever he wants. In all truth, it only shows he is losing his marbles and that he is losing control of the Venezuelan situation.

UPDATE: the view from Barcepundit in Spain, from someone anti Zaptero but who finds today words of praise.

And welcome Instapundit readers.

ADDED LATER: In longer videos and on TV news at the end of his speech Zapatero asks President Bachelet (who is of course the moderator of the Iberoamerican summit) that from then on it is the official policy of these summits to engage the mutual respect of its participants. Zapatero gets an ovation. That is, for those who might not still get it, the King and Zapatero said aloud what 90% at least were thinking quietly.

And it also made the nightly news in France. Mon Dieu!

-The end-