2009-06-24 13:11:21 - Aporrea.org has reproduced an article in which President Chavez clarifies his position regarding critiques from intellectuals attending a conference organized by the Centro Internacional Miranda.

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

During the conference titled: Intellectuals, Democracy & Socialism, Spanish participant, Juan Carlos Monedero criticized what he referred to as hyper-leadership on the part of President Chavez within the Bolivarian process.

Chavez denies that he was angry or upset by this statement and replied with a critique of his own, which he says, should be respected as well. He reveals that he even reads attacks against him by his worst enemies and, when he uses the word 'enemy,' he refers to those who want to assassinate him ... clarifying that not all who disagree with him are 'the enemy.'

The President has referred to several articles appearing in Aporrea.org accusing him of not accepting

criticism, to which he replies that he has the right to criticize those who criticize him. Chavez recalls that he invited rabid right-wing Peruvian writer, Mario Vargas Llosa to debate with him and the latter refused the invitation.

Criticism is welcome, the President concludes and tells intellectuals that support the process not to be annoyed if he Chavez joined in the criticism against them.

During the conference, there were several important contributions and critiques of the process, such as that of Chilean intellectual, Marta Harnecker, who defends President Chavez' openness to criticism. However, she did criticize the process and what she calls the cult of improvisation, an abyss between marvellous ideas and being able to realize and undertake them, and the contradiction between setting up objectives and the necessary time to allow the process to mature.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
news.editor@vheadline.com

www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=81089

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