National
Chavez announces in-depth review of relations with Spain
By m.p.
Nov 15, 2007 - 7:43 AM

The row between Venezuela and Spain reached another level on Wednesday, when the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, said he would review in depth his country’s ‘political, economic and diplomatic relations’ with Spain. Chávez told the local television station TVO that he will be ‘keeping an eye’ on all Spanish businesses in ‘to see what they are doing here.’
Those under the spotlight would likely include two major banks present in Venezuela – the Banco Santander and the BBVA – the oil company, Repsol, and Telefónica. Mapfre and the Grupo Prisa also have interests there.

It follows an outburst from the Spanish King, Juan Carlos, at the Ibero-American Summit in Chile this weekend, when the monarch said to Chávez ‘Why don’t you shut up!’ and then walked out of the room.

His words came after the Venezuelan President called the former PP Prime Minister of Spain, José María Aznar, a fascist on several occasions. The Socialist leader, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who defeated Aznar in the 2004 national poll, was also heard coming out in defence of his predecessor, saying that he deserved respect as someone chosen by the Spanish people.

El Mundo newspaper said Chávez described Aznar as a fascist again in the interview, and said it was sad that Zapatero had defended him with what he said was an ‘absurd’ excuse that he was an elected Prime Minister. ‘It means,’ he said, ‘that we cannot criticise Hitler because he was elected by the German people.’

The Spanish comment on the Chávez interview came from the Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. He said the President’s words ‘are not helping us out of this difference of opinion,’ and called for respect for Spanish businesses and institutions.

Meanwhile we now also know that the Socialist deputy, Francisco Garrido Peña, tabled a question last Monday asking the Government to respond as to whether they share the ‘aggressiveness’ shown by the King against Hugo Chávez.

The deputy claims that the actions of the Monarch have damaged the image of Spain.