Obama - Here's how you deal with Chavez

Barack,

I'm Venezuelan. Well, a Venezuelan-American. Here's the deal from my point of view. Chavez announced today that he's seeking nuclear technology from Russia for "peaceful purposes." I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Venezuela is 100% powered by hydro-electric energy. In fact, one could argue that the country is probably the #1 greenest country in the world when it comes to power generation. Its series of interconnected hydro dams make Venezuela the world's largest producer of hydro-electric energy.

Mr. Obama, the simple fact is this: Hugo Chavez is losing support every day. He lost the most important election of his career last year...the election of the redrafting of the constitution. Had he won that election, he would have essentially made himself an elected dictator. But the people voted against it (some believe by huge margines, despite the "official" 51%/49% vote count). Across the country in the next couple months, Venezuela is having a country-wide vote on governors and mayors. This vote will no doubt define the rest of Chavez's life in public office. His term expires in 2012. If Chavez loses this election, which many people believe he will, he will never be able to come up from this brutal, fatal blow.

Another important thing to note here is that Chavez is dealing with a really bad national scandal right now. What some might call "briefcase-full-of-money-for-the-president-of Argentina-gate," Chavez is looking to take some of the heat off of this story. He's essentially accused of smuggling $800,000 in a briefcase to the current president of Argentina, Mrs. Kirchner, in an attempt to buy support from a major south American power. The irony that Chavez used US dollars to seal this deal is hopefully not lost on ol' Hugo, given that he regularly calls the US dollar "worthless pieces of paper."


PLEASE! Barack! If you're elected, do NOT make the same mistakes that Bush has made. The current administration's tactics have only served to fuel support for Chavez. Stand back and let the guy fade away. The people of Venezuela do not support this president any more. With his empty promises and his tales and rhetoric, from rich to poor, Venezuela is ready for this guy to leave. So...

DON'T TAKE THE BAIT!!!!!!!!!

The truth of the matter is that if Chavez were really interested in helping power his country, he should invest in modernizing his power grid. The state of the infrastructural system of power delivery is in ruins. When it rains, power lines short out and black outs regularly occur. But make no mistake...Venezuela produces MORE than enough power from its hydro-electric dams to serve the country's needs. It is a small country where most of the population live in homes that have extremely low power demands. Make no mistake about it, Venezuela's energy issues are directly related to a crumbling infrastructure. They don't need more power, they need to update the system they already have.

And if Chavez really wants to produce more power, he's got the world's largest supply of natural gas. Nuclear power is neither the best economical nor the most feasible option for them.

So...Barack...this is what you do. You say, "Hugo...you really want to have nuclear power? Ok. Then we'll make the plant for you." That way, the US has oversight over the whole thing. We can ensure it's for peaceful purposes. We look like we're willing to play ball with the guy. And having America provide this service would come at a WAY lower cost than Russia could offer. If Chavez is really interested in nuclear power for peaceful purposes, he really has no reason to refuse our offer. And obviously, he'll reject the offer simply because it was a bluff to begin with. But in addition to that, he looks like an idiot to his own people if he turns down such an offer. And you knock him down yet another notch. Then, in 2012 he'll be gone.

Please, don't further encourage this idiot. Like a snake writhing in it's last moments of life, Chavez is scrambling for ways to retain power. He looks at Iran and sees a guy like Ahmadinejad who, himself, was on his way out of popular support...UNTIL...this whole nuclear BS got Bushy all pissed and in effect, Ahmadinejad was made to look like a martyr and a hero to the Persian people...for standing up to America.

So Barack, just play ball. Play dumb. Chavez will never see it coming. And it's a win, win for us. Either A) he asks us to come build him a nuclear power plant that we get to supervise and we get the financial benefits from or B) he balks and his little PR stunt blows up in his face and further serves to discredit his horrible administration.

I know Venezuela. And I know Chavez. And this is a bunch of bullshit. So just follow my lead and all this will be over in 2012. Or even sooner. If this election next month goes overwhelmingly for the anti-Chavez movement, some believe he'll be forced out of office by his own people...which would be just lovely.

Trust me Barack...keep it real.