martes, 19 de marzo de 2013
Messi spoke about the new pope
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about the statement did
viernes, 15 de marzo de 2013
GOP senator reverses gay-marriage stance after son comes out
A prominent conservative senator said Thursday that he now supports gay marriage.
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told reporters from the Columbus Dispatch and other Ohio newspapers that his change of heart on the hot-button issue came two years after his son, Will, told him and his wife that he is gay.
"It allowed me to think of this issue from a new perspective, and that's of a Dad who loves his son a lot and wants him to have the same opportunities that his brother and sister would have—to have a relationship like Jane and I have had for over 26 years," Portman said.
In an interview with CNN, Portman said his son, then a freshman at Yale University, told him "that he was gay, and that it was not a choice, and that it's just part of who he is, and that he'd been that way for as long as he could remember."
The dramatic announcement comes just a week before the U.S. Supreme Court is to hear oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage, a measure Portman co-sponsored as a member of the House in 1996.
Portman was on the short list to be Mitt Romney's running mate last year. He said he informed Romney during the vetting process that he had a gay son, but that the issue was not a deal breaker for Romney.
He also told CNN that he sought guidance from former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter Mary is openly gay.
Portman said Cheney's advice to him was simple: "Follow your heart."
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told reporters from the Columbus Dispatch and other Ohio newspapers that his change of heart on the hot-button issue came two years after his son, Will, told him and his wife that he is gay.
"It allowed me to think of this issue from a new perspective, and that's of a Dad who loves his son a lot and wants him to have the same opportunities that his brother and sister would have—to have a relationship like Jane and I have had for over 26 years," Portman said.
In an interview with CNN, Portman said his son, then a freshman at Yale University, told him "that he was gay, and that it was not a choice, and that it's just part of who he is, and that he'd been that way for as long as he could remember."
The dramatic announcement comes just a week before the U.S. Supreme Court is to hear oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage, a measure Portman co-sponsored as a member of the House in 1996.
Portman was on the short list to be Mitt Romney's running mate last year. He said he informed Romney during the vetting process that he had a gay son, but that the issue was not a deal breaker for Romney.
He also told CNN that he sought guidance from former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter Mary is openly gay.
Portman said Cheney's advice to him was simple: "Follow your heart."
Michelle Obama Talks Fashion in Latest Issue of Vogue
Michelle Obama is Vogue's latest cover girl, gracing the cover of the April issue (on stands March 26th), chatting about her wardrobe, hitting the town on date night, and family life.
The first lady, 49, looked casual and confident in an asymmetrical Reed Krakoff dress with a flourish of purple at the neckline and Kimberly McDonald geode-and-diamond drop earrings. She was shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Her look is drastically different from her first appearance on the cover of the magazine in March 2009 when she leaned forward on the couch wearing a stiff smile and a hot pink Jason Wu dress.
Inside, both she and President Obama opened up about their private lives, which included their fashion choices. "I always say that women should wear whatever makes them feel good about themselves. That’s what I always try to do," said the first lady.
"I also believe that if you’re comfortable in your clothes it’s easy to connect with people and make them feel comfortable as well. In every interaction that I have with people, I always want to show them my most authentic self."
The couple also touched on how living in The White House has affected their style choices. "There is one thing that changed," said The President, who dressed in a pinstriped shirt and a striped blue tie.
"What's that?" asked Michelle Obama.
“Which is, I used to only have, like, two suits,” he said.
"Thank god," the First Lady said. "Let me tell you: This is the man who still boasts about, 'This khaki pair of pants I’ve had since I was 20.' And I’m like, 'You don’t want to brag about that.'"
The President added: 'Michelle’s like Beyoncé in that song, "Let me upgrade ya!" She upgraded me."
“The girls and I are always rooting when he wears, like, a stripe. They’re like, ‘Dad! Oh, you look so handsome. Oh, stripes! You go!’" said Michelle Obama.
The polished pair also posed for inside photos smiling and draped over each other with the President's arm on his wife's knee and her arms wrapped around his neck. A third photograph captured Michelle Obama in profile, wearing a black slim-fitting Michael Kors long-sleeve top and fishtail ball skirt. The first lady has worn Kors in the past, even posing for her first official portrait wearing a sleeveless shift dress by the designer.
When it comes to socializing, the first lady says she and the President always vowed that their two young daughters Malia and Sasha, would be their priority and that their schedules are so packed that they prefer to spend any free time they have with their daughters. "The stresses and the pressures of this job are so real that when you get a minute, you want to give that extra energy to your 14- and 11-year-old," she said.
However, now that their kids are getting older, the President confessed that he and this wife might start hitting the town more. "As I joked at a press conference, now that they want less time with us, who knows? Maybe you'll see us out in the clubs," he said.
Quality time is clearly important to the couple. While reflecting on their 20-year marriage, the president said, "There’s no doubt I’m a better man having spent time with Michelle. I would never say that Michelle’s a better woman, but I will say she’s a little more patient."
"I would say I’m a better woman," Michelle Obama said with a smile.
Samsung Galaxy S4: First impressions
Technology reporters and enthusiasts were able to get hold of the Galaxy S4 after its launch event
A
big band, Broadway show tunes and cringe-worthy scripted fun - Samsung's
New York launch event for its new smartphone, the Galaxy S4, earned top
marks for effort.
The company predictably says it is "packed full of innovative features", but what does everyone else think? Here is a round-up of what the world's technology watchers thought of Samsung's moment in the spotlight.
Technology press
"Sure to go head-to-head with the likes of the iPhone 5 and HTC One over the coming months, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is set to benefit from a raft of immersive, engaging and performance-enhancing features that will complement the improved hardware to create an all-round impressive device."
"It's not a revolution but it's certainly an improvement. Hovering a finger above the screen means you can choose articles from each category of the special version of Flipboard, for instance, and never waste time with the ones that don't interest you."
"From our initial play, that's what has been burnt on to our retinas, for sure. Is it a major step up from the Samsung Galaxy S3? Probably not for many. But there's certainly enough that's new to promote it above being the Samsung Galaxy S3S."
"The 5in display is the belle of the ball, of course, and it looks great - we don't love the PenTile subpixel arrangement, but on such a high-res display it didn't seem to cause any problems. Viewing angles are great, colours pop on the Super AMOLED display, and the bezels on the device have been slimmed to the point where the screen feels even larger and more immersive."
"That's kind of how it feels with Samsung and the Galaxy S4. The company isn't quite at the level where fans will wait in line for the phone, but the Samsung fanboys are starting to grow as vocal - if not more so - than the Apple faithful.
"At this point, the Galaxy S4 is a runaway train, something Samsung couldn't stop even if it tried. The rest of the industry better watch out."
miércoles, 13 de marzo de 2013
Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio elected Pope Francis I
Cardinal Bergoglio is greeted on the balcony above St Peter's Square
Argentine
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has greeted crowds in Rome's St Peter's
Square after his election as the Catholic Church's new Pope.
Appearing on a balcony over the square, he asked the faithful to pray for him. Cheers erupted as he gave a blessing.The first Latin American and the first Jesuit to be pontiff, he will call himself Francis I.
An hour earlier, white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney announced the new Pope's election.
Pope Francis, 76, replaces Benedict XVI, who resigned last month at the age of 85, saying he was not strong enough to lead the Church.
There was elation on a rain-strewn St Peter's Square as the
white smoke billowed from the rusty chimney. Brollies bounced and flags
swayed as the basilica bells rang out.
The crowd swelled as Rome converged on the square, priests and pilgrims running to catch a glimpse of their new leader.
"Viva il papa!" they chanted, as they waited to learn his name. Once the crowd had been told, the chants quickly turned to: "Fran-ces-co! Fran-ces-co!"
And then, to trumpet fanfare, the balcony curtains parted and the new Pope appeared above them, to bless them - but only after he had asked them to pray with him, and for him. The people were touched, and roared their approval.
Among them was Jenny Uebbing. Originally from Denver but now living in Rome, she said her son John-Paul was one of the last babies Benedict XVI blessed before he resigned.
"We had to be here to say hello to the new papa," she told the BBC. "It's been a long Lent but now it feels like Easter has come early."
The crowd swelled as Rome converged on the square, priests and pilgrims running to catch a glimpse of their new leader.
"Viva il papa!" they chanted, as they waited to learn his name. Once the crowd had been told, the chants quickly turned to: "Fran-ces-co! Fran-ces-co!"
And then, to trumpet fanfare, the balcony curtains parted and the new Pope appeared above them, to bless them - but only after he had asked them to pray with him, and for him. The people were touched, and roared their approval.
Among them was Jenny Uebbing. Originally from Denver but now living in Rome, she said her son John-Paul was one of the last babies Benedict XVI blessed before he resigned.
"We had to be here to say hello to the new papa," she told the BBC. "It's been a long Lent but now it feels like Easter has come early."
French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran
announced his election with the Latin words "Annuntio vobis gaudium
magnum. Habemus Papam" ("I announce to you a great joy. We have a
Pope").
'Huge gift'
"Habemus Papam Franciscum," was the first tweet by the papal account @pontifex since Benedict stood down last month.The election was met with thunderous applause at the cathedral in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis' home city.
Throughout Latin America, people reacted with delight and surprise.
"It's a huge gift for all of Latin America. We waited 20 centuries. It was worth the wait," said Jose Antonio Cruz, a Franciscan friar in the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, quoted by the Associated Press.
Everyone from Canada down to Patagonia is going to feel blessed. This is an event."
Correspondents say Cardinal Bergoglio was a surprise choice and not among a small group of frontrunners before the election.
Many observers were also expecting a younger pope to be elected.
He is regarded as a conservative, but is known for his humility. He has spent almost his entire career in Argentina and often travels to work by bus.
The BBC's Marcia Carmo in Buenos Aires says Cardinal Bergoglio's sermons always had an impact in Argentina and he often stressed social inclusion and indirectly criticised governments that did not pay attention to those on the margins of society.
The name he has taken is reminiscent of St Francis of Assisi, the 13th Century Italian reformer and patron saint of animals, who lived in poverty.
Pope Francis I
- Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 (age 76) in Buenos Aires, of Italian descent
- Ordained as a Jesuit in 1969
- Studied in Argentina and Germany
- Became Cardinal of Buenos Aires in 1998
- Seen as orthodox on sexual matters but strong on social justice
The saint was said to have been summoned by God to repair a Church in ruins.
Cardinal Bergoglio is generally thought to have come second in the last conclave in 2005, which elected Benedict XVI as Pope.The 115 cardinals involved in the 2013 election were in isolation since Tuesday afternoon, and held four inconclusive votes.
At least 77 of them, or two-thirds, would have had to vote for a single candidate for him to be elected Pope.
Before the conclave began, there appeared to be no clear choice to replace Benedict.
lunes, 11 de marzo de 2013
Abogado Criminalista de Republica Dominicana
Contamos con el mas selecto equipo de abogados listos para defenderle de inmediato Contáctenos Ahora.
WDA
Abogados presta la ayuda juridica inmediata que tanto ciudadanos
extranjeros como Dominicanos requieren ante cualquier acusacion
criminal. Ya sea acusaciones por Robo, asesinato, trafico de drogas,
violacion, violencia de genero o domenstica etc.
Lo mas oportuno es no perder tiempo y llamar inmediatamente a buenos abogados que le defiendan pues los segundos cuentan.
En
WDA Abogados sabemos bien que cuando alguien es acusado de un delito es
una experiencia aterradora ademas de peligrosa y mas en personas que
nunca han tenido contacto con el sistema de justicia penal.
La experiencia para muchos puede ser traumatica y de no ser defendido
oportunamente por abogados calificados podria ser perjudicial para el
futuro de la vida de cualquier persona.
http://www.wdalaw.com/espanol/firmaabogadoscriminalistasrepublicadominicana.php
Afortunadamente con WDA Abogados, hay una buena posibilidad de que su vida pueda volver a la normalidad tras una detencion o acusacion criminal en Republica Dominicana. Pero el tiempo es crítico. Usted necesita saber sus derechos bajo las leyes Dominicanas y actuar para protegerse de forma inmediata.
Afortunadamente con WDA Abogados, hay una buena posibilidad de que su vida pueda volver a la normalidad tras una detencion o acusacion criminal en Republica Dominicana. Pero el tiempo es crítico. Usted necesita saber sus derechos bajo las leyes Dominicanas y actuar para protegerse de forma inmediata.
No espere para conseguir ayuda llamenos de inmediato a los numeros 829-639-0007 o escribanos a nuestro email Info@wdalaw.com
La intervención oportuna, la negociación y preparación de un abogado de defensa criminal con experiencia es su mejor opción.
La intervención oportuna, la negociación y preparación de un abogado de defensa criminal con experiencia es su mejor opción.
El
Lic. Francisco Manuel Lazala Puello es clasificación como uno de los
mas importantes abogados defensores de toda Republica Dominicana y se
dedica casi exclusivamente a la defensa criminal en cualquier parte del
pais y pertenece al Estaff de juristas de WDA Abogados. Durante su
carrera como abogado de defensa penal privada, el Lic. Francisco Manuel
Lazala Puello ha defendido una amplia variedad de personas acusadas de
casos criminales multiples obteniendo en el 98% resultados
satisfactorios.
Su
experiencia en juicios, junto con un compromiso personal a sus
clientes, se combinan para ofrecer al cliente potencial la mas
competente representación legal que este requiera.
Como
abogado de defensa criminal, la filosofía de WDA Abogados se basa en
la firme creencia de que sus clientes deben estar plenamente informados
sobre todos los aspectos de su caso en la medida que el mismo avanze.
Si Tiene La Urgencia De Contactar Un Abogado Llamenos al 829-639-0007
Contáctenos Hoy
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miércoles, 6 de marzo de 2013
Hugo Chavez: Memorable moments
Hugo Chavez was not only
capable for speaking for several hours non-stop but he also used
colourful, and at times, undiplomatic language, with the United States
and its allies often the targets of his ire.
Here is a selection of Mr Chavez's most memorable moments.
The 'Devil' comes
"The Devil is right at home. The Devil, the Devil himself, is right in the house.
"And the Devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the Devil came here. Right here. [crosses himself] And it smells of sulphur still today.
"Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the Devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world."
No more sulphur
Hugo Chavez at the UN: ''It doesn't smell of sulphur here anymore''
George W Bush 'a donkey'
In a nationally televised speech in March 2006, the Venezuelan leader was not short of ways to describe President Bush:"You are ignoramus, you are a burro, Mr Danger... or to say it to you in my bad English: [switching languages] You are a donkey, Mr Danger. You are a donkey, Mr George W Bush.
"[Returning to Spanish] You are a coward, a killer, a [perpetrator of] genocide, an alcoholic, a drunk, a liar, an immoral person, Mr Danger. You are the worst, Mr Danger. The worst of this planet... A psychologically sick man, I know it."
'Gringo go home'
In 2007 when Mr Bush visited Uruguay, Mr Chavez told an "anti-imperialist" rally in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires to send a message 65km (40 miles) across the River Plate.'The little imperial gentleman from the north must be across the river by now. Let's send him a big shout: Gringo go home'.
Don't mess with me, little girl
Condoleezza Rice and George W Bush were major targets for Hugo Chavez
In February 2006, Ms Rice described Venezuela as a menace to regional democracy and a "sidekick" of Iran.
During his weekly Sunday broadcast, Mr Chavez replied with a warning:
"Remember, little girl, I'm like the thorn tree that flowers on the plain. I waft my scent to passers-by and prick he who shakes me. Don't mess with me, Condoleezza. Don't mess with me, girl."
He blew a screen kiss to Ms Rice and jokingly referred to her as "Condolence."
Blair 'imperialist pawn'
Tony Blair also drew fire from Mr Chavez
"Don't be shameless, Mr Blair. Don't be immoral, Mr Blair. You are one of those who have no morals. You are not one who has the right to criticise anyone about the rules of the international community.
"You are an imperialist pawn who attempts to curry favour with Danger Bush-Hitler, the number one mass murderer and assassin there is on the planet.
"Go straight to hell, Mr Blair."
On Cuba
Hugo Chavez was a long-standing supporter of Cuba and its revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.Speaking alongside Mr Castro during a visit to Havana in 2005, Mr Chavez said: "[People] have asked me how I can support Fidel [Castro] if he's a dictator. But Cuba doesn't have a dictatorship - it's a revolutionary democracy."
A book for Barack Obama
Chavez presents Obama with the gift of a book
Mr Obama later said he assumed the book he was receiving was written by Mr Chavez himself.
A song for Hillary Clinton
Hugo Chavez improvises a tune dedicated to Hillary Clinton
The US Secretary of State had been touring Latin America and criticised Mr Chavez's government during a TV interview in Ecuador. She said the US was open to improving relations with Mr Chavez but that "it doesn't appear that he wants to".
Upsetting the King of Spain
Spain's King Juan Carlos tells Hugo Chavez to "shut up"
Mexican leader berated
Mr Chavez verbally blasted some fellow Latin American leaders. In 2005, he described his then Mexican counterpart, Vicente Fox, as a "puppy dog" for United States imperialism.Mr Chavez said Mr Fox had, as he put it, been left bleeding by a recent Summit of the Americas.
"It makes one sad to see the sell-out of President Fox, really it makes one sad.
"How sad that the president of a people like the Mexicans lets himself become the puppy dog of the empire."
Undiplomatic row
Mr Uribe complained to Mr Chavez about Venezuela's trade embargo on Colombia
In a private meeting over trade embargoes, Mr Chavez accused Mr Uribe of planning his assassination and threatened to walk out of the summit.
Mr Uribe shouted: "Be a man! These issues are meant to be discussed in these forums. You're brave speaking at a distance, but a coward when it comes to talking face to face."
Mr Chavez replied: "Go to hell."
'The new holocaust'
Also in 2006, Mr Chavez warned that his country would most likely sever links with Israel in protest at its military offensive in Lebanon.He said he had "no interest" in maintaining relations with Israel, which he accused of committing genocide.
"Israel has gone mad. It's attacking, doing the same thing to the Palestinian and Lebanese people that it has criticised - and with reason - [in the case of] the Holocaust. But this is a new Holocaust."
OAS chief 'quite an idiot'
In 2007 Mr Chavez called on the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Insulza, to resign after he condemned the Venezuelan government's decision not to renew a private TV station's licence."Dr Insulza is quite an idiot, a true idiot. The insipid Dr Insulza should resign from the secretariat of the OAS for daring to play that role."
In praise of Robert Mugabe
Mr Chavez hailed Robert Mugabe as a fellow anti-imperialist
In 2004, while Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe was in Venezuela for a summit of the G-15 group of developing nations, Mr Chavez praised him as a "freedom fighter" and presented him with a replica of liberator Simon Bolivar's sword.
"For you who, like Bolivar, took up arms to liberate your people. For you who, like Bolivar, are and will always be a true freedom fighter. [Mugabe] continues, alongside his people, to confront the pretensions of new imperialists."
On Halloween
In 2005, Mr Chavez issued an attack on Halloween, telling his countrymen that it had no place in Venezuelan society.He used his weekly TV and radio broadcast to caution that the observance is strictly a "gringo," or North American custom.
"What they have implanted here, which is really a gringo custom, is terrorism. They disguise children as witches and wizards, that is contrary to our culture."
Venezuelans mourn President Hugo Chavez
Chavez supporter: "He's not dead to us, because he's still the leader of this revolution"
Venezuela has announced seven days of mourning for Hugo Chavez, who has died aged 58 after 14 years as president.
Thousands of Mr Chavez's supporters took to the streets of Caracas to express their grief.Mr Chavez had been seriously ill with cancer for more than a year.
A self-proclaimed revolutionary, he was a controversial figure in Venezuela and on the world stage. A staunch critic of the US, he inspired a left-wing revival across Latin America.
Hundreds of supporters started gathering around the hospital
where the president died, and in central Caracas, to mourn Mr Chavez
together.
Many had tears in their eyes. Some hugged each other. Most gathered sombrely to share their memories of the president.
For many, it was like having lost a family member.
"A great leader has left us, a father. A man that taught us how to walk down the path of revolution," said Ali Dominguez, a student.
But In Los Palos Grandes neighbourhood, inhabited by wealthier pro-opposition people, streets were already deserted in the early evening.
People took to Twitter to express their sentiments.
"I'm not celebrating at all, I just feel we have a new opportunity to have a better future," said Sharon Fandino.
Many had tears in their eyes. Some hugged each other. Most gathered sombrely to share their memories of the president.
For many, it was like having lost a family member.
"A great leader has left us, a father. A man that taught us how to walk down the path of revolution," said Ali Dominguez, a student.
But In Los Palos Grandes neighbourhood, inhabited by wealthier pro-opposition people, streets were already deserted in the early evening.
People took to Twitter to express their sentiments.
"I'm not celebrating at all, I just feel we have a new opportunity to have a better future," said Sharon Fandino.
Latin American leaders have begun
arriving in Caracas to pay their respects - among them President
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, Jose Mujica of Uruguay and
Evo Morales of Bolivia.
Mr Chavez's body will be taken in a procession with a mounted
escort to the Military Academy in Caracas where it will lie in state
until a funeral on Friday.Military units across the country have fired a 21-gun salute in his honour.
They will fire another cannon shot each hour until he is buried, the armed forces said.
All schools and universities have been shut for the week.
Mr Chavez's illness prevented him from taking the oath of office after he was re-elected for a fourth term in October.
Announcing the president's death on Tuesday, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro called on the nation to close ranks after its leader's demise.
"Let there be no weakness, no violence. Let there be no hate. In our hearts there should only be one sentiment: Love."
Police and troops would be deployed nationwide "to guarantee the peace", he added.
A statement from the military said it would remain loyal to the vice-president and to parliament, it added, urging people to remain calm.
Crowds of supporters gathered outside the Caracas hospital where he died, chanting: "We are all Chavez!"
There were isolated reports of violence after the news, with attackers burning the tents of a group of students who had been demanding more information about Mr Chavez's condition. Nobody was injured in the incident.
Succession Vice-President Maduro will assume the presidency until an election is called within 30 days.
Vice-President Nicolas Maduro was emotional as he announced Hugo Chavez's death
Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, whom Mr Chavez defeated in October's election, called on the government to "act in strict accordance with its constitutional duties".
Mr Capriles offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family, saying "we were adversaries, but never enemies".
The opposition has yet to confirm who will be its official candidate for the presidential election, but Mr Capriles is widely expected to be chosen to stand against the vice-president.
The BBC's Irene Caselli, in Caracas, says Mr Maduro will probably win, but the question remains whether he will be able to lead Venezuela following the loss of its charismatic president.
Plot? The exact nature of Mr Chavez's cancer was never officially disclosed, leading to continuing speculation about his health, and he had not been seen in public for several months.
- 1954: Born 28 July in Sabaneta, Barinas state, the son of schoolteachers
- 1975: Graduates from Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences
- 1992: Leads doomed attempt to overthrow government of President Carlos Andres Perez, jailed for two years
- 1994: Relaunches his party as the Movement of the Fifth Republic
- 1999: Takes office after winning 1998 election
- 2002: Abortive coup. Returns to power after two days
- 2011: Reveals he is being treated for cancer
- 2012 (October): Re-elected for another six-year term
- 2012 (December): Has fourth cancer operation in Cuba
- 2013 (February): Returns to Venezuela to continue treatment
- 2013 (March): Death is announced by Venezuelan government
Last May, the former army
paratrooper said he had recovered from an unspecified cancer, after
undergoing surgery and chemotherapy in 2011 and a further operation in
February 2012.
Despite this, he had most recently won another six-year presidential term in October 2012.The vice-president has mentioned a plot against Venezuela, saying he had no doubt that Mr Chavez's cancer, first diagnosed in 2011, had been induced by foul play by Venezuela's enemies. The US promptly rejected the accusations as "absurd".
Mr Maduro said a scientific commission could one day investigate whether Mr Chavez's illness was brought about by what he called an enemy attack.
Two US diplomats had been expelled from the country for spying on Venezuela's military, he added.
Mr Chavez burst onto Venezuela's national stage in 1992 when he led a failed military coup.
After two years in prison, he returned to politics and was swept to power in a 1998 election.
A self-proclaimed socialist and revolutionary, he won enduring support among the poor and repeated election victories by using Venezuela's oil wealth to pursue socialist policies.
His government has implemented a number of "missions" or social programmes, including education and health services for all.
But his opponents accused him of mishandling the economy and taking the country towards dictatorship. Inequality has been reduced but growth overall has been lower than in some other Latin American economies.
Internationally, he was a staunch critic of US "imperialism" and accused Washington of backing a failed coup against him in 2002.
The US described the death as a "challenging time", reaffirming what it described as its support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with Caracas.
Analysts say Mr Chavez's death could alter the political balance in Latin America - dealing a blow to leftist states while favouring more centrist countries.
There could also be an economic impact given that Venezuela sells oil at below market prices to some neighbouring countries, especially in the Caribbean.
martes, 5 de marzo de 2013
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez dies aged 58
James Robbins looks back at the life of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
A tough and charismatic leader, Hugo Chavez divided opinion both at home and abroad.
To his many supporters he was the reforming president whose
idiosyncratic brand of socialism defeated the political elite and gave
hope to the poorest Venezuelans.His strident criticism of the United States won him many friends among the "pink tide" of political leaders in Latin America and he effectively used his country's vast oil reserves to boost Venezuela's international clout.
Hugo Chavez: was elected four times as president
Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias was born on 28 Jul 1954 in the Venezuelan state of Barinas, one of seven children. His parents were both school teachers and the family lived in relative poverty.
He attended the Daniel O'Leary High School in the city of Barinas before going to the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences in the capital, Caracas where, he later said, he found his true vocation.
He also found time to play baseball and to study the lives of the 19th Century South American revolutionary leader Simon Bolivar and the Marxist Che Guevara.
He graduated with honours in 1975 but had already begun to form the political ideas that he would later put into practice as president, including the belief that the military had a duty to step in if a civilian government was deemed to have failed to protect the poorest in society.
Coup He was posted to one of the many counter-insurgency units that were tackling the various Marxist groups bent on overthrowing the presidency of Carlos Andres Perez but he saw very little action, spending his time reading a great deal of left-wing literature.
In 1981 he was assigned to teach at the military academy where he had been a student and found himself in a position to indoctrinate the next generation of army officers with his political ideas.
A cheering crowd greets Hugo Chavez on his release from military jail
He busied himself by making contact with local tribes in the area, something that would influence his own policies towards indigenous people when he finally came to power.
In February 1992 he led an attempt to overthrow the government of President Perez amid growing anger at economic austerity measures that had led to widespread protests.
The revolt by members of the Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement claimed 18 lives and left 60 injured before Colonel Chavez gave himself up.
Revolution He was languishing in a military jail when his associates tried again to seize power nine months later.
That second coup attempt in November 1992 was crushed as well, but only after the rebels had captured a TV station and broadcast a videotape of Chavez announcing the fall of the government.
He spent two years in prison before relaunching his party as the Movement of the Fifth Republic making the transition from soldier to politician.
With an eye to wider opinion he spent time canvassing a number of political leaders in Latin America finding strong support and friendship from Cuba's revolutionary president, Fidel Castro.
Victory parade for the new president and his wife
Unlike most of its neighbours, Venezuela had enjoyed an unbroken period of democratic government since 1958, but the two main parties, which had alternated in power, stood accused of presiding over a corrupt system and squandering the country's vast oil wealth.
Hugo Chavez promised "revolutionary" social policies, and constantly abused the "predatory oligarchs" of the establishment as corrupt servants of international capital.
Never missing an opportunity to address the nation, he once described oil executives as living in "luxury chalets where they perform orgies, drinking whisky".
Media star He quickly gained widespread support, not just from the poorest in Venezuelan society but also from a middle class which had seen its standards of living eroded by economic mismanagement. It was these middle class votes that were instrumental in propelling Chavez into power with 56% of the vote.
Despite the revolutionary rhetoric he employed during the campaign his first government set out on a relatively moderate path appointing a number of conservative figures to political positions.
He ran the economy largely according to guidelines set down by the International Monetary Fund and made a positive effort to encourage investment from global corporations.
He also began a programme of social reform, investing in the country's crumbling infrastructure and setting up free medical care and subsidised food for the poor.
His policies were not popular with everyone
In 1999 he proposed setting up a new constitutional assembly, gaining overwhelming support for the idea in a public referendum, itself an unheard of feature in Venezuelan politics.
In subsequent elections to the new body, Chavez supporters won 95% of the seats and set about drafting a new constitution which was approved by an overwhelming majority of the population.
One stipulation of the new order was that presidential elections should be held in 2000 which Chavez duly won with 59% of the vote.
Coup However, he soon faced opposition both from outside and inside Venezuela. Relations with Washington reached a low when he accused it of "fighting terror with terror" during the war in Afghanistan after the attacks on the US on 11 September 2001.
Opposition inside the country came from middle class groups who had seen their political power eroded by Chavez and who accused him of steering the country towards a one-party state.
In early 2002 the whole country was embroiled in a general strike and Chavez was pushed from office on 12 April after attempting to take control of the country's oil industry.
But, just two days later, after his supporters - mainly Venezuela's poor - took the streets, he was back in the presidential palace.
Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez: The best of friends
He brought forward proposals that would allow him to stand for the presidency indefinitely, a measure that was approved in a referendum by 54% of those voting.
He also created economic and political ties with newly elected left-wing leaders in other South American countries including Daniel Ortega, who came to power in Nicaragua in 2007.
Relations with the US remained strained. While Chavez congratulated US President Barack Obama on his election victory in November 2008, he strongly condemned western military action in Libya in 2011.
Obsession "I am not Obama's enemy but it's difficult not to see imperialism in Washington," he told the BBC. "Those who don't see it, don't want to see it, like the ostrich."
At home, his much-vaunted economic reforms were running out of steam. Domestic support for his "Bolivarian" socialism was being sorely tested by economic recession and inflation soared to 30% eroding the savings of the middle classes.
Hugo Chavez started as a reforming president, intent on addressing the inequalities in Venezuelan society giving food, medical care and, above all, a political voice to the poor.
Venezuela today has the fairest income distribution in Latin America.
But Chavez failed to implement a long-term solution for the country's economic problems. Violent crime rose during his time in office, while government corruption continued.
Chavez was convinced that his destiny was to rule Venezuela and be a regional leader who could counteract US influence in Latin America.
The tensions inherent in that conviction were identified by Colombian Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who met and travelled with Chavez before he took office for the first time.
It was like talking to two contrary men, Garcia Marquez wrote.
"One to whom inveterate luck has granted the the chance to save his country. The other, an illusionist, who could go down in history as just another despot."
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez dies aged 58
Vice-president Nicolas Maduro was emotional as he announced Hugo Chavez's death
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has died aged 58, after 14 years in power.
Mr Chavez had been seriously ill with cancer for more than a
year, undergoing several operations in Cuba, and had not been seen in
public for several months.Vice-President Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on Tuesday, flanked by political and military leaders.
The government said Mr Chavez's body would lie in state until Friday, when his funeral would be held. Seven days of mourning were also declared.
According to the constitution, the President of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, will take over as interim president until an election can be held.
Military loyal In Tuesday evening's emotional address, a tearful Vice-President Maduro said Mr Chavez had passed away "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".
"We have received the toughest and tragic information that... Comandante President Hugo Chavez died today at 4:25 pm," Mr Maduro said.
Earlier, he said the Venezuelan leader had a severe respiratory infection and had entered "his most difficult hours".
The death of Hugo Chavez, the vanguard of what he called "21st
Century Socialism", sends ripples not just through the Venezuelan
people, but across Latin America and beyond.
In particular, the impact of his loss will be felt most keenly in Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador, his closest allies in the region.
The updates on his health in recent days had seemingly been aimed at preparing the Venezuelan people for the worst, with each bulletin more serious than the last.
Now Mr Chavez will take on iconic status as his revolution looks for a route forward without him, the man it was designed by and constructed around.
But his millions of followers in Venezuela will take some comfort from the fact that it wasn't the failed coup in 2002, nor the repeated efforts at the ballot box, but rather ill health - or for many of his devotees, the hand of God - that took Mr Chavez away from them.
In particular, the impact of his loss will be felt most keenly in Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador, his closest allies in the region.
The updates on his health in recent days had seemingly been aimed at preparing the Venezuelan people for the worst, with each bulletin more serious than the last.
Now Mr Chavez will take on iconic status as his revolution looks for a route forward without him, the man it was designed by and constructed around.
But his millions of followers in Venezuela will take some comfort from the fact that it wasn't the failed coup in 2002, nor the repeated efforts at the ballot box, but rather ill health - or for many of his devotees, the hand of God - that took Mr Chavez away from them.
He spoke of a plot against
Venezuela, saying he had no doubt that Mr Chavez's cancer, first
diagnosed in 2011, had been induced by foul play by Venezuela's enemies -
the US promptly rejected the accusations as "absurd".
He said a scientific commission could one day investigate
whether Mr Chavez's illness was brought about by what he called an enemy
attack.Struggling to hold back tears, Mr Maduro called on the nation to close ranks after their leader's demise.
He said the government had deployed the armed forces and police nationwide "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".
Earlier, he said he had expelled two US diplomats from the country for spying on Venezuela's military.
A statement by the military said it would protect the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. It would remain loyal to the vice-president and to parliament, it added, urging people to remain calm.
Political shift The US described the death as a "challenging time", reaffirming what it described as its support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with Caracas.
- 1954: Born 28 July in Sabaneta, Barinas state, the son of schoolteachers
- 1975: Graduated from Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences
- 1977: Becomes involved in revolutionary movements within the armed forces
- 1981: Returns to the military academy as a teacher
- 1992: Leads doomed attempt to overthrow government of President Carlos Andres Perez, jailed for two years
- 1994: Relaunches his party as the Movement of the Fifth Republic
- 1999: Takes office after winning 1998 election
- 2002: Abortive coup. Returns to power after two days
- 2011: Reveals he is being treated for cancer
- 2012 (October): Re-elected for another six-year term
- 2012 (December): Has fourth cancer operation in Cuba
- 2013 (February): Returns to Venezuela to continue treatment
"As Venezuela begins a new
chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies
that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for
human rights," said a statement from the White House.
In Argentina, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner suspended all activities after the death was announced. Both she and her late husband, Nestor Kirchner, were close friends of the firebrand Venezuelan leader.
In Peru, Congress held a minute of silence in his honour. Bolivia's President Evo Morales said he was leaving immediately for Caracas.
The governments of Chile and Ecuador also released official notes of condolence to Venezuela.
The Ecuadorian government said it felt the loss as its own, and hoped its neighbours could carry on Mr Chavez's revolution.
Analysts say Mr Chavez's death could alter the political balance in Latin America - dealing a blow to leftist states while favouring more centrist countries.
There could also be an economic impact given that Venezuela sells oil at below market prices to some neighbouring countries, especially in the Caribbean.
UK Foreign Minister William Hague said he was "saddened" to learn of the death, saying Mr Chavez had left a "lasting impression" on Venezuela.
The UK Foreign Office issued a travel advisory warning visitors to Venezuela: "This is a sensitive moment for the country. You are strongly advised to avoid any public gatherings."
One of the most visible, vocal and controversial leaders in Latin America, Hugo Chavez won the presidency in 1998 and had most recently won another six-year presidential term in October 2012.
His government has implemented a number of "missions" or social programmes, including education and health services for all. But poverty and unemployment are still widespread, despite the country's oil wealth.
Mr Chavez was renowned for his flamboyant public speaking style, which he put to use in his weekly live TV programme, Alo Presidente (Hello President), in which he talked about his political ideas, interviews guests and sings and dances.
Last May, the former army paratrooper said he had recovered from an unspecified cancer, after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy in 2011 and a further operation in February 2012.
However, in December, he announced he needed further cancer surgery in Cuba, and named Mr Maduro as his preferred successor should the need arise.
Mr Chavez remained out of public view, finally returning to Venezuela in February.
viernes, 1 de marzo de 2013
White House meeting ends with no deal on budget cuts
US President Barack Obama: "Washington didn't make it easy at a time when businesses have began to get some traction"
US political leaders have left last-ditch talks at the White House without a deal to avoid steep budget cuts.
President Barack Obama blamed Republicans' refusal to allow
any tax rises for the negotiations' failure, calling the sweeping $85bn
(£56bn) in cuts "unnecessary" and "inexcusable".With Congress adjourned for the weekend, the cuts are due to be written into the budget by the end of Friday.
The IMF has warned the cuts could slow global economic growth.
Analysis in the US suggests the nation's economic output, or Gross Domestic Product (GDP), could grow by just 1.4% in 2013 unless the cuts are delayed or replaced. US GDP grew by 2.2% in 2012.
Mr Obama warned the economy would suffer because of the failure to reach a deal.
"We shouldn't be making a series of dumb, arbitrary cuts to
things that businesses depend on and workers depend on," he said after
Friday's meeting."Not everyone will feel the pain of these cuts right away. The pain, though, will be real."
The president attacked congressional Republicans for "refusing to budge" on closing any tax loopholes, arguing they were protecting tax breaks for the "well-off and well-connected".
Mr Obama said he believed a sufficient number of lawmakers were willing to make a deal, even if their leaders were not.
"There's a caucus of common sense," he said. "It's just a silent group right now."
"The American people know that Washington has a spending problem," Mr Boehner said as he left the White House on Friday.
"Let's make it clear that the president got his tax hikes on 1 January. The discussion about revenue, in my view, is over. It's about taking on the spending problem."
The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says the cuts are meant to hurt, as they were designed two years ago to be so brutally painful that politicians would be forced to agree on a better way of balancing the books.
The cuts are split roughly evenly between military and domestic programmes, but effects will be felt over time rather than immediately.
Budget bills from both parties were defeated in the Senate on Thursday.
The Star Wars president
Mr Obama inadvertently offered the beleaguered Washington press corps a moment of levity on Friday.Mocking the Washington "conventional wisdom" that he had the power to force Republicans to negotiate, he said:
"Most people agree I'm presenting a fair deal. The fact that they don't take it means that I should somehow, you know, do a Jedi mind meld with these folks and convince them to do what's right."
Washington wags quickly noted Mr Obama had violated the prime directive of nerddom, conflating Star Wars and Star Trek: Jedis have a "mind trick", while Star Trek Vulcans employ a "mind meld".
A Democratic plan proposing
nearly $30bn in future cuts in defence spending and a minimum tax rate
on incomes exceeding $1m was blocked by Republicans on Thursday.
The cuts are scheduled to be signed into the federal budget
by President Obama by 23:59 local time on Friday (04:59 GMT on
Saturday).But now attention will also turn to the next congressional challenge - a possible shutdown of the US government if no funding bill is passed in the next month.
On 27 March a temporary federal budget that has kept the federal government running since 2012 is due to expire.
House Republicans have said they will vote on a bill next week to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year, on 30 September, but keep in place some automatic cuts taking effect on Friday.
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