Journalist suggests Hugo Chavez come out of the closet

Tue11Sep2007

Journalist suggests Hugo Chavez come out of the closet

11:55 H | Topics: Controversia - GLBT - Spain - Venezuela

A Spanish journalist and member of Spain's Royal Language Academy has written an editorial piece suggesting that, in light of rumors that Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is gay, he should come out of the closet.

Luis Maria Anson, ex-director of ABC newspaper and a well-known journalist titled his editorial -- published in top Spanish newspaper El Mundo -- "Chavez and homosexuality". As entertaining of a read as that sounds, after reading it it's clear that Anson is merely using the rumors he says are circulating in Venezuela about Chavez's private life as an excuse to ridicule him in the form of what might be viewed as a serious editorial. Blogger Andrés Duque translates the whole editorial, the last paragraph of which makes Mr. Anson's stance pretty clear:

Military leader Chávez imitates Castro the tyrant even in the unmeasured length of his speeches. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if he dedicated a few minutes of his uncontrollable verbal-diarrhea to clarify what so many people in his country are saying. This would contribute to make possible in Venezuela what has already been conquered in Spain, Holland, Denmark and other European nations: That heterosexuals are able to work at companies, without making fun or rejecting homosexuals. The problem of Chávez is not, in any case, his sexual condition but a political system that tries to impose and tries to root out any vestige of political freedom. The new military leader has already decided, as Castro has, that his rule will be for life, and – with the help of pro-Castro agents and the western world’s myopia – continues to advance every day the Soviet socialist program that he has decided to impose on Venezuela.

Anson also says that just as in the case of a president who is Jehovah's Witness or a Freemason, "the nation he governs has a right to know" if Chavez is gay.

You have to think about who this is coming from. The editorial isn't about Chavez being gay, but about Chavez as a target of ridicule for being a "dictator". This stance isn't surprising, given that ABC, the paper Anson used to run is one of the most conservative, monarchical news outlets in Spain. What's interesting is that in the guise of what begins sounding like a case for openness social justice, the piece is really just the schoolyard taunt of "you're gay!"

You can read the original editorial in Spanish at the link below.

Via / Noticias24.com