Thread: Mexico, Venezuela, say relations not broken following Chavez

Woops, I'm sorry I deleted that satire ! Maybe I'll write one again another day.

Looking forward to it LegalUSCitizen!!

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/miami/15664.html

Gov't issues warning to Venezuela
BY IOAN GRILLO /Associated Press
El Universal
Sábado 12 de noviembre de 2005
Miami Herald, página 1

The Mexican government said Friday that Venezuela must give a satisfactory explanation for President Hugo Chávez's biting criticism of Vicente Fox, or it will take "appropriate steps." On Wednesday, Chávez accused Fox of acting like a "puppy" of the United States for so staunchly supporting the U.S.-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA, during the Americas summit in Argentina last week. During two days of diplomatic sparring, the Venezuelan government has refused to apologize.
"We demand a satisfactory explanation," Presidential spokesman Rubén Aguilar told a news conference. "If this doesn't happen, we will take appropriate steps." He did not elaborate.

A diplomatic dispute with Cuba in 2004 led Mexico to expel the Cuban ambassador and withdraw its own emissary to Havana, a freeze that lasted for several months. Venezuela is a close ally of Cuba.

Aguilar said that Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez was going to discuss the situation with his Venezuelan counterpart, Ali RodrÃÂ*guez, later Friday.

In an interview with W Radio Friday morning, Derbez said both he and Fox were "prepared to close this chapter rapidly, but within the canons (of diplomacy) and with what would be adequate solutions for both nations." A satisfactory response from Venezuela would include an explanation of "the motivation behind Chávez's words," Derbez said.

Venezuela's foreign ministry said Friday it considered the dispute resolved and that Venezuela hoped to maintain healthy relations with Mexico.

Venezuela "reiterates its willingness to maintain the best relations with all the countries of the world and, in particular, with those of Latin America, of which Mexico is an integral and inseparable part," the statement said.

On Thursday, Derbez called in Venezuelan Ambassador to Mexico Vladimir Villegas to explain Chávez's remarks.

"The explanations offered by Ambassador Villegas were unsatisfactory," the department said afterward in a news release.

But the Venezuelan government's statement asserted that during a meeting between Mexican and Venezuelan diplomats Thursday, the Mexican government did not ask for an explanation.

In his remarks Wednesday, Chávez said, "It makes me sad that a heroic nation like Mexico has a president that kneels before the empire and then comes out knocking those who defend the dignity of our communities." "How sad that the president of a great country like Mexico allowed himself to be the puppy of the (U.S.) empire," Chávez said.

In Venezuela on Thursday, a member of Chávez's government continued to defend his comments.

"President Chávez simply responded to an aggression of which he was the victim," Vice President José Vicente Rangel said.

Fox "shouldn't have expected anything different," added Foreign Minister RodrÃÂ*guez.

The dispute with Chávez arose just as Argentina and Mexico had declared resolved a similar rift caused by an exchange of harsh words between Fox and Argentine President Nestor Kirchner.

At the Americas summit, Fox emerged as a staunch supporter of the FTAA, which aims to create the world's largest free trade zone stretching from Alaska to Argentina.

At the same time, the Mexican president accused Kirchner of neglecting his responsibility as summit host to seek consensus on restarting the trade talks because he was too concerned about his domestic public image. Kirchner responded by telling Fox to mind his own business.

Diplomats from Mexico and Argentina issued a statement Wednesday saying that relations were still intact and that "mature democracies" could have disagreements without their friendships falling apart.

Associated Press writers Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City and Christopher Toothaker in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

I think MEXICO needs to Pipe Down, Get Real, Stay Within Their Borders, and take Political Siesta!!

I loved the comment about "mature democracies" can have disagreements without their friendships falling apart. I'm sure Argentina wrote it and told Mexico to sign it or look more stupid than they already do.

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/miami/15675.html

Still no apology from Venezuela after remarks

Associated Press
El Universal
November 13, 2005

The foreign secretaries of Mexico and Venezuela had a friendly telephone conversation Saturday, as Mexico still seeks an explanation for Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez stinging criticism of Mexican counterpart Vicente Fox.
In a statement, the Foreign Relations Secretariat praised the "progress that has been made" in its relations with Venezuela after Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez had a "cordial and productive" talk with Ali RodrÃÂ*guez, the foreign secretary of Venezuela. But Chávez's government apparently offered no apology for his comments.

On Wednesday, the Venezuelan president accused Fox of acting like a "puppy" of the United States for so staunchly supporting the U.S.-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA, during the Americas summit in Argentina last week.

During several days of diplomatic sparring, the Venezuelan government has refused to apologize.

"We demand a satisfactory explanation," Mexico's presidential spokesman, Rubén Aguilar told a news conference Friday. "If this doesn't happen, we will take appropriate steps." He did not elaborate.

A diplomatic dispute with Cuba in 2004 led Mexico to expel the Cuban ambassador and withdraw its own emissary to Havana, a freeze that lasted for several months. Venezuela is a close ally of Cuba.

In his remarks Wednesday, Chávez said, "It makes me sad that a heroic nation like Mexico has a president that kneels before the empire and then comes out knocking those who defend the dignity of our communities."

"How sad that the president of a great country like Mexico allowed himself to be the puppy of the (U.S.) empire," Chávez said.

The dispute with Chávez arose just as Argentina and Mexico had declared resolved a similar rift caused by an exchange of harsh words between Fox and Argentine President Nestor Kirchner.

At the Americas summit, Fox emerged as a staunch supporter of the FTAA, which aims to create the world's largest free trade zone stretching from Alaska to Argentina.

At the same time, the Mexican president accused Kirchner of neglecting his responsibility as summit host to seek consensus on restarting the trade talks because he was too concerned about his domestic public image. Kirchner responded by telling Fox to mind his own business.