VOA常速英语2007年-Venezuela's Chavez Remains Magnet for Controver

By Michael Bowman
Washington
27 November 2007

Weeks after being told to "shut up" by the King of Spain, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is now engaged in a bitter, highly-personalized war of words with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington, the dual¹ spats² come as Venezuelans prepare to vote on constitutional reforms that, if approved, would allow Mr. Chavez to rule indefinitely.

Adherence³ to protocol⁴ and verbal restraint were hard to find at the close of the Ibero-American summit in Santiago, Chile earlier this month. President Chavez repeatedly blasted Spain's former prime minister as a "fascist⁵". An irate⁶ King Juan Carlos responded with words that have become famous the world over.

He said, "Why don't you shut up?"

Mr. Chavez later demanded an apology, and said relations with Spain would be put on hold.

But just as that controversy⁷ was beginning to fade, another erupted late last week when Colombia terminated Mr. Chavez' role as mediator⁸ with the country's main leftist rebel group. President Alvaro Uribe accused the Venezuelan leader of interference, saying Mr. Chavez spoke⁹ with the head of Colombia's armed forces without Mr. Uribe's consent.

An angry President Chavez was quick to respond. He said he was putting relations with Colombia in the freezer because he had lost confidence in everyone there. He said he did not believe the Colombian government wants peace with the rebels. He said Colombia deserved another president, one with dignity.

Mr. Chavez went on to accuse his Colombian counterpart of being a pawn¹⁰ of U.S. imperialism¹¹.

Mr. Uribe had words of his own for Mr. Chavez.

"You, with your insults and lack of valid¹² arguments, are hurting the dignity of the Venezuelans you represent," he said. He said Colombia needs a mediator with terrorists, "not one who legitimizes terrorism.".

Mr. Uribe accused Mr. Chavez of manufacturing diplomatic rows for his own purposes, of labeling other leaders as agents of imperialism while pursuing his own expansionist policies through heavy-handed use of oil revenue.

Such highly-personalized attacks between heads of state are rare on the world stage, except where Mr. Chavez is concerned. Last year, the Venezuelan leader made headlines at the United Nations by calling President Bush "the devil".

Analyst¹³ Michael Shifter of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue says, with Venezuela's massive oil reserves at his disposal, Mr. Chavez sees no need to temper his words.

"He clearly feels on top of the world with oil prices what they are," he said. "But there are some limits on how far he can go. I think he is encountering some soft spots, both domestically and internationally, because of his tremendous ambition and appetites perhaps going too far. And I think this could begin to plant the seeds of what could be the decay of his rule."

Sunday, Venezuelans will vote on constitutional reforms that would eliminate presidential term limits, redefine private property, and grant the state sweeping¹⁴ emergency powers, among other measures. For months, polls predicted the reforms would be approved, but the most recent survey shows public opinion swinging against the initiative.

The head of Venezuela's opposition¹⁵ Social Christian¹⁶ Party [COPEI], Luis Ignacio Planas, says it is no coincidence that President Chavez has come to verbal blows with Colombia and other nations in the lead-up to the constitutional referendum.

He says that Mr. Chavez is picking fights with Colombia, Spain, Chile, Saudi Arabia, and with the whole world, because his electoral proposals lack popular support, so he is trying to generate imaginary enemies.

President Chavez responds that, far from being ashamed of his words, he is proud to stand up and challenge his enemies.

For years, the Venezuelan leader has tried to steer¹⁷ Latin America away from closer ties with the United States, urging the region to form its own trading blocs¹⁸ and cooperative efforts. As an incentive¹⁹, he has bought portions of some nations' foreign debts, bankrolled transnational development projects, and provided oil to some nations at preferential prices.

Analyst Michael Shifter says there is no doubt that Mr. Chavez' influence in the region has grown.

"Most other governments in Latin America indulge Chavez because he has resources and he is prepared to spend them," he said. "And he also has some constituencies in some Latin American countries that are critical of the United States. But I do think that these confrontations²⁰ with Spain and with President Uribe will not be lost on other presidents in Latin America."

A one-time paratrooper and coup²¹ plotter, Mr. Chavez was first elected in 1998. He has been reelected several times since and survived a recall referendum. His program of "21st Century Socialism" promises to promote a more egalitarian society within a democratic framework.

1 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

2 spats   

n.口角( spat的名词复数 )；小争吵；鞋罩；鞋套v.spit的过去式和过去分词( spat的第三人称单数 )；口角；小争吵；鞋罩

参考例句：

• Gasoline is a solvent liquid that removes grease spats. 汽油是一种能脱去油迹的有溶解能力的液体。 来自辞典例句
• Then spats took a catnap, and the bird looked out for dogs. 然后斯派茨小睡了一会儿。小鸟为它站岗放哨，防止狗跑过来。 来自互联网

3 adherence   

n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着

参考例句：

• He was well known for his adherence to the rules.他因遵循这些规定而出名。
• The teacher demanded adherence to the rules.老师要求学生们遵守纪律。

4 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

5 fascist   

adj.法西斯主义的；法西斯党的；n.法西斯主义者，法西斯分子

参考例句：

• The strikers were roughed up by the fascist cops.罢工工人遭到法西斯警察的殴打。
• They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship.他们成功推翻了法西斯独裁统治。

6 irate   

adj.发怒的，生气

参考例句：

• The irate animal made for us,coming at a full jump.那头发怒的动物以最快的速度向我们冲过来。
• We have received some irate phone calls from customers.我们接到顾客打来的一些愤怒的电话

7 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

8 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

11 imperialism   

n.帝国主义，帝国主义政策

参考例句：

• They held the imperialism in contempt.他们鄙视帝国主义。
• Imperialism has not been able to subjugate China.帝国主义不能征服中国。

12 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

13 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

14 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

15 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

16 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

17 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

18 blocs   

n.集团，联盟( bloc的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The division of Europe into warring blocs produces ever-increasing centrifugal stress. 把欧洲分为作战集团产生了越来越大的离心效果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policy of the two blocs was played out. 把世界分为两个集团的政策已经过时了。 来自辞典例句

19 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

20 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

21 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。