Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is spittin’ mad at Europe for daring criticize his plans to change the constitution to allow for his re-election ad nauseum. He’s calling Europeans out country by country as “cynical” and hypocritical. Venezuelan daily El Universal reports:

“Europe is the queen of cynicism. They are making a big deal because we are here proposing that the people decide on a figure that has existed in Europe for centuries,” said Chavez in his Sunday radio and TV program ¡Aló Presidente! N° 291.

Chavez was referring to the fact that “government without limit” is still valid in many a European country, among them Italy, France, Germany and Portugal.

Chavez went on with his choleric rant, attacking what he considers hypocritical Europeans who call him a “tyrant”:

“If only in Europe they consulted with the people about economic and political systems. They have kings and queens that no one elects and who are perpetuated by inheritance,” said the Venezuelan leader.

Before referring to the “campaign” mounted in Europe against his government because of the re-election issue, Chavez reminded [listeners and viewers] that it was that continent which pillaged Africa and the Americas without ever assuming responsibility for their actions.

“The European cult is offended when we remind them what they did because they still consider us barbarians,” said the president.

I find Chavez to be straight up scary and loco but I have to agree with most of that last quote, even though it doesn’t, in my opinion, have a damned thing to do with his re-election plans.

Meanwhile, Chavez’s local archenemy, Manuel Rosales (above) is challenging the president to submit the constitutional amendment to a “referendum by questions”. He says he wants to ask the Venezuelan people if they would like to have “an eternal president”. Rosales lodged the following attack on Chavez:

“Don’t you say that you have the backing of the vast majority? So why are you afraid? Are your pants falling down now in front of the people? I challenge you, don’t go off and try to scalp the thinking of Bolivar and our founding fathers.”

Them there’s fightin’ words. Somehow I don’t think Rosales is going to get his wish.

Via / El Universal