President Hugo Chavez said Sunday he would like to hug King Juan Carlos when he visits Spain this week, as the two move beyond a spat last year when the monarch told the Venezuelan leader to "shut up."

Chavez said in his weekly radio talk show "Alo Presidente" that the visit with Juan Carlos comes after an invitation extended by the king.

"The king has invited us," Chavez told his radio audience.

Then, addressing his remarks to the monarch, Chavez added: "I'd like to give you a hug ... but Juan Carlos, you know I won't shut up."

The Spanish king triggered a brief diplomatic spat last year when he told Chavez, "Why don't you shut up," during the Ibero-American summit in Santiago, Chile, after Chavez interrupted Spanish Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero several times during a speech.

Chavez was invited to Spain by Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos, and his meeting with Juan Carlos is aimed at mending diplomatic fences, although Chavez recently said he had already "turned the page" on the incident.

Chavez has been invited to Juan Carlos' summer home in Palma de Mallorca, Spain on July 25, said his aides were "trying to find the time" to include the visit during his tour of Europe this week.

Source: Associated Press

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My partner thinks that Chavez is wonderful. Each to their own. His family is in venezuela, and he says that he is good for the poorer people. I just think he's an idiot.

Life has recently become much more difficult for Venezuelan Immigrants, that is why he wants to hug the king. God, the man frustrates me so much!!!!!!!!

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What annoys me is, does this man know what hunger is or worry about where the next family wage comes from? I doubt it, his pockets & stomach are full, so he & his family are fine !!

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However much we may think Chavez a bufoon (and his family enriched by his power) he has done more for the poor of Venezula with his Bolivarian Revolution than most leaders have for their citizens: it is the middle class that he has destroyed.

Considering the oil revenue this country earns, why are so many poor, if this man is so good to them ? He obviously is not as are his family, a friend of mine has had to leave the country he has strived so hard to help the most needy driven out by this man & he followers, yet he does nothing for those living in less than disgusting conditions but professes to help them ?

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Believe me, I am no apologist for Chavez, but the poorest of the poor, especially the large indigenous community, have seen a huge increase in their living standards under his reign. Yes, many have had to flee - especially the educated - as I said in my previous post, it is the middle class who have been destroyed by this Socialist dictator.

From the Guardian this February Why the Barrios still love Hugo

While Venezuela retains many of the features of the pre-revolutionary era, including bureaucracy and corruption, independent surveys show that incomes for the working class and poor majority have risen by a staggering 130% in real terms (see chart here)

But the changes in people's lives involve more than just improvements in material living standards. While on a visit to the town of Naiguata on the Caribbean coast, I happened upon one of the 2,000 new clinics which are providing top-quality healthcare to Venezuela's poor majority

I don't think this mans an idiot or a buffoon. After all you don't get to leading a country like Venezuela by being nice. No on the contrary he knows exactly what he's about.
I don't like him, but to be fair most of what I know about him comes from the media, so maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt. But one thing I do know, "give a starving man a piece of bread and he will follow you give him a loaf and and he'll call you king". Is this the Chavez secret in the shanty towns?

I believe it most certainly is.
By systematically destroying the middle classes he has effectively destroyed the primary foundation of "the opposition".
Whilst he may have spent millions on the poor - it is very little in comparison to what is required.
One example - in caracas there are millions living in squalid conditions in the Barrios and on the streets.
One of his great programs built 12000 one and two bedroom homes - big deal.
He uses his oil wealth to curry favour with other central american countries, donating millions of dollars in exchange for political clout. At the same time, the streets of the capital are covered in filth, crime is at an all time high and families are starving.

He is against freedom of speech, last year closing down the most outspoken of the countries broadcasters - RCTV - amid huge protests and outcry from international journalist organisations.
His main base of power is from the poor, uneducated and needy and he feeds them promise after promise of reforms whilst attempting to reform the constitution to service his own lust for unlimited power.
the two latest attempts thankfully failed when he lost the referendum and later his own military backers warned against him overturning the result.

One of his first acts when he was re-elected was to shut off power and water to the barrios - they were being illegally siphoned so make your own mind up about that one.
He also sent the military and police forces downtown to clear away all the street vendors - most of which have no other means of income - and these were his top supporters!

His targeted attacks and criticism of "the middle class" are actually directed at anyone educated and intelligent enough to see through his so-called Bolivarian revolution - of which there couldnt be a more hypocritical title.

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He's just the lastest in a long line of Nutters and Crazies who have ruled the world since time began.
I just hope against all hope that they can see what he's doing eventually. My partner's poorer side of the family love him.
The ones who have a little bit of cash can't even take their money out of the bank.
His mother was made to work until 67 years of age .... as a NURSE! She was shattered. One day, when she wen to work, they called her into the office and said. You're retired, as of now. Off she went home!

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The phrase of "Self Serving" comes to mind when I read about this type of person..they use the socially disadvantaged...who are gulible.. as a vehicle to get where they want to be (power wise)..these "Leaders" may not be clever academically..but they have a Phd in manipulating the masses for their own ends.