Chavez: love brings me to Guajira ... genocide of indigenous people causes pain

by Patrick J. O'Donoghue
Oct 13

During a visit to attend the First Indigenous Communal Mobile Cabinet in the Guajira region, north of Maracaibo, Venezuelan President has stated that what brings him to the region is love, "love of peoples, and love of the indigenous peoples of Venezuela."

The President says the topic of indigenous peoples and massacre of indigenous peoples cause him pain.

* "It is 514 years since an admiral called Christopher Columbus arrived on Hispaniola Island, thinking he had arrived in India ... what a mistake he made and he called us Indians ... what carried those men forward was the ambition of wealth and that was the cause of genocide."

Venezuela has changed the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Resistance Day.

The Venezuelan President Says argues that resistance is far from over, and currently, what is being employed is "moral resistance."

Chavez Frias criticizes the opposition in Venezuela, accusing the Venezuelan oligarchy of trying to manipulate his statements, for example when he said once that to be rich is bad.

It's true, the President admits, confirming that he was repeating a phrase of Jesus Christ.

"The Venezuelan oligarchy tried to fool the people by turning the phrase around, a phrase which is profoundly Christian and revolutionary because the real revolutionary does not aim to become materially rich but aims to be useful to his country and others."

Turning to the situation in Bolivia, Chavez Frias says a coup against President Evo Morales is a foot.

"If anything happens to Evo, it will be the responsibility of the US President."

President has announced that Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro will visit Bolivia on a fact-finding tour and to show Venezuela's solidarity.