Chavez decides to change Venezuela's Coat of Arms

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Venezuela horse takes a left turn

Venezuela's legislators have approved proposals by left-wing President Hugo Chavez to make controversial changes to the nation's symbols.

The horse on the coat of arms will now be seen galloping, and facing, to the left rather than the right.

An eighth star will be added to Venezuela's flag to honour the province of Guayana's contribution to independence in the 19th Century.

The opposition has described the changes as a waste of public money.

"If the Venezuelan people want to interpret the direction of the horse as a political message, fair enough"

Deputy Cilia Flores

But the speaker of the National Assembly, Nicolas Maduro, insisted the reform would not have an economic impact and said it was necessary to repair "historical errors".

The changes should come into effect in the next five years.

Protest

"The horse represents this historical moment in Venezuela. We now have a free and sovereign nation, and we needed to let the horse ride loose," Deputy Cilia Flores told Union Radio.

"If the Venezuelan people want to interpret the direction of the horse as a political message, fair enough."

The coat of arms will also have an African American machete, an indigenous bow and arrow, and typical fruits and flowers added to it.

The opposition has called for a mass protest against the measures on 12 March, National Flag Day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4785492.stm

Note: the only "historical error" remedied is that of declaring 80% of Guyana (other than a small strip along the coast, most of that country has long been claimed by Venezuela as "part-and-parcel"--at least till recently, the territory was sparsely-inhabited rainforest) as a province--which will certainly tick-off Guyanese President Bharat Jagdeo.

So, chopf#ck Chavez manages to achieve:

• more money down the drain on one of his junkets
  
• gaining one more enemy
  

[Mirorgate 0]

He slipped off the media radar screen... something rediculous always puts someone back on.

Last I knew he was training the civilian populace for the "eventual" US invasion. Oh, and again spouting proof of US involvement in the '02 2 day coup. I'm still waiting on the proof to materialize. And he'll have to either a. show it to keep power or b. blame the "error" on a fall guy to keep power. vice-pres rangal maybe?

I wish he'd hurry up.... los roques islands I hear are awesome dive waters and I want to go.. but without all the rhetoric or questions from ppl that believe his rhetoric

[almaty 19]

that chopf##k...where is the hammer and sickle

[Satisfaction 1]

I would like to make a clarification: Guayana is not Guyana (or Guiana). Guyanna is a province of Venezuela.

"The Venezuelan Guayana lies in the center of the Guayana Shield and is dominated by massive table mountains known as tepuis. From these imposing mountains fall the highest waterfalls in the world, such as Angel Falls on Auyán-tepui. "

http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/ven-guayana/

I am from french Guyana and I doubt Venezuela has any interest in annexing Guyana at its border in the South. Guyana is an ex British colony (capital Georgetown). There is not much Venezuela would benefit from, except more corruption which is already in great supply internally.