From the Free Liberal via Norman Singleton at LRC:
“On September 20, 2006, Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez spoke to the General Assembly of the United Nations, calling U.S. president George Bush a “devil.” Crossing himself, his face revealing a hint of smile, Chavez said, “This table from where I speak still smells like sulfur.”
On Trinidad television, a news reporter sought reactions from the people of Venezuela. An elderly woman in Caracas said to the reporter, “Chavez is correct to call the US imperialist, but it was very rude to call Bush a devil. Chavez himself has not been perfect.” …
The next day … some Cuban army officers who worked for the government of Venezuela knocked on the door of Matilda’s house. “You have committed defamation of the character of the president, a violation of the law,” they told her.”I did not mean any offense,” she replied.
The Cubans looked at her beautiful green front lawn. “This looks like a golf course,” they said.
“No. I play croquet on the lawn, not golf.”
“If we say it is a golf course, then that is what it is,” said one of the Cuban officers.
“So what?” asked Matilda.
“The law requires all golf courses in Venezuela to be confiscated, and the land given to the poor. You have 24 hours to vacate, otherwise we will put you in prison.”
