Chavez: 'No reason to honor Columbus'

[MIKE BURN]

Quote:

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Chavez: 'No reason to honor Columbus'



Venezuelan president says 1492 voyage led to genocide



Saturday, October 11, 2003 Posted: 9:11 PM EDT (0111 GMT)



CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged Latin Americans on Saturday not to celebrate Columbus Day, saying the explorer's expedition to the Americas in 1492 triggered a 150-year "genocide" of native Indians by foreign conquerors who behaved "worse than Hitler."



"Christopher Columbus was the spearhead of the biggest invasion and genocide ever seen in the history of humanity," the populist president said at a meeting of representatives of Indian peoples from across the continent.



Columbus Day, October 12, is celebrated as a holiday in the United States and several Latin American nations, but Chavez said it should be remembered as the "Day of Indian Resistance."



"We Venezuelans, we Latin Americans, have no reason to honor Columbus," he said.



The Venezuelan leader said Spanish, Portuguese and other foreign conquerors had massacred South America's Indian inhabitants at an average rate of roughly "one every 10 minutes." He described Spanish conquistadors like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, as "worse than Hitler."



He said even the continent's geographical names, like America and Venezuela, were imposed by foreigners.



Chavez's opponents, who are seeking a referendum to try to vote him out of office, say his self-styled "revolution" in the world's No. 5 oil exporter is aimed at installing an anti-U.S. system like the one in Cuba. Chavez says his brand of left-wing nationalism will make Venezuela more independent.



The Venezuelan leader hailed as heroes Indian chiefs who had fought the Europeans, such as Guaicaipuro, who resisted the Spanish founders of Caracas, and Sioux chief Sitting Bull, who defeated U.S. Gen. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.



"Long live Sitting Bull!" Chavez declared, drawing applause from his audience, many of whom wore traditional native clothes and headdresses.

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[debbie mannas]

we dont have a day celebrating the arrival of the first British guy in India. Not sure who he was, I know I learnt about it heh.



As someone from two ex-colonial cultures, I don't see why they should have columbus' day either. And i know many from Britain would likely agree.

[NumberOneWorld]

agreed.... no reason to celebrate colonial dictatorship... anyway, he didn't discover america... it's all a smoke screen... america has been vsited since ancient times by the people from across the great waters...

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[Rev9Volts]

send a letter to prez bush telling him we should add some more holidays for the other discoveries.

[debbie mannas]

like some holidays for when they "discover" osama and saddam?

[DreamTone7]

Nah.....but maybe a 9/11 day.

[Rev9Volts]

hey we will take all 3!!! and