CONDOLEEZA RICE AS THE UGLY AMERICAN IN LATIN AMERICA

The BBC reports today on Condoleeza Rice calling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's actions "undemocratic" in shutting down independent TV station RCTV in Caracas.

"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has criticised President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela for refusing to renew the licence of an opposition TV channel.

"Ms Rice said the closure of Radio Caracas TV (RCTV) was "undemocratic" and called for the Organization of American States (OAS) to investigate . . ."

"The showdown between the US and Venezuela came at the OAS meeting in Panama, which was supposed to focus on environment and development issues."

"Freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience are not a thorn in the side of government," Ms Rice told OAS officials."

"Disagreeing with your government is not unpatriotic and most certainly should not be a crime in any country, especially a democracy," she said."

The Venezuelan Ambassador was not about to let this go unchallenged. He called the United States and Rice "hypocrites" for criticizing Hugo Chavez while at the same time operating Guantanamo, using torture on prisoners and after allowing the abuses at Abu Ghraib.