Based on the article, “Chavez Insults Colombian Minister”
BBC News; 26 October 2009
Written by Olivia Franken
Colombia’s Defense Minister, Gabriel Silva, made comments recently about Venezuela’s failure to eliminate international drug routes that pass through Venezuela. In response, Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s president, commented on his weekly television program, Alo Presidente, that he thought Colombia’s Defense Minister was “mentally retarded.”
Initially one would think that comments as inappropriate as this are commonplace when hearing about Chavez and that’s just who he is. However, this leads me to an even greater question: how is Chavez so successful when he defies all public diplomacy rules. Despite the fact that these frequently public comments are brash, radical and largely unfounded, Chavez has held the presidency for a decade and looks very comfortable with where he is at as President of Venezuela.
In the United States, President Obama is attacked and looses support because he wants to speak to children in schools. Yet, when Chavez calls someone “mentally retarded” on public television, it gets written off as routine. If any other president had said those words, they would be getting protests from a variety of groups internationally.
Chavez is a colorful character in the international stage and is known specifically for his blunt, irrational comments. While many people dismiss his crazy tirades, he has numerous followers that believe he speaks the gospel truth and is the only politician willing to do so. This gives Chavez enough influence within his country and in the international community to be heard and to stay in power. However, his internal support has been dwindling over the years according to the Pew Global Attitudes survey and it may turn out his blunt commentaries work against him in the long run.
Still, it is evident that Chavez’s outlandish comments are what make him well known. For a politician, it is better to be known for something, sometimes anything, than to be a part of the great unknown and unheard of. If Chavez were to fall of the international radar, he would lose much of his influence in the international community, especially because many of his allies turn up due to his anti-American sentiments. It is true Chavez’s image has worked thus far but only time can tell if his good fortune will continue.
Olivia Franken is a graduate student in the Public Diplomacy program at Syracuse University. As part of the program, she is a candidate for an MS in Public Relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an MA in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.