MULTI-CITY PROTESTS CALL FOR 'NO MORE CHAVEZ'

COLOMBIANS PROTEST IN STREETS OVER
VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ ACTIONS

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Several thousand people marched in the streets of Colombia's major cities on Friday to protest against what they criticize as meddling by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as tensions rise between the Andean neighbors. Opponents of Venezuelan President held protests against the leftist leader in cities across Latin America, in an effort coordinated through Twitter, Facebook and a Web site titled "No More Chavez!. "Chanting "No More Chavez" and waving Colombian flags, the marches snaked through Bogota. They were accompanied by smaller protests on Friday in other cities after organizers called for demonstrations in North America and Europe through the Internet social networks Facebook and Twitter.

Chavez, a Cuba ally who urges socialist revolution to counter U.S. influence, says allowing the U.S. military more access to Colombian bases for anti-drug and counter-guerrilla missions is a threat to Venezuela and South America. However, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and U.S. officials say the plan does not include using the bases to attack other nations. In Bogota and other cities, protesters carried banners demanding Chavez respect Colombian sovereignty. "Chavez has to know that Latin America doesn't belong to him," said one protest organizer. "We're protesting with our Colombian brothers because we know what we have in Venezuela is a tyranny, a dictatorship disguised as a democracy," added a Venezuelan man marching in Bogota. Some people were protesting due to Chavez's growing authoritarianism, while others said he should stop meddling in other countries' affairs.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

An ideal king thoroughly trained by culture and devotional service with the martial spirit makes a perfect king. Such a personal monarchy is far better than the so-called democracy of no training and responsibility. The thieves and rogues of modern democracy seek election by misrepresentation of votes, and the successful rogues and thieves devour the mass of population. One trained monarch is far better than hundreds of useless ministerial rogues, and it is hinted herein that by abolition of a monarchical regime like that of Mahārāja Parīksit, the mass of people become open to many attacks of the age of Kali.

Srila A.C. BV Swami Prabhupada:
"El Srimad Bhagavatam - Comentario en Canto 1 - Cap. 18 - Verso 43"

Being fourth-class men, śūdras are not very intelligent. Since the population is fallen in these democratic days, they can only elect a person in their category, but a government cannot run very well when it is run by śūdras.

Srila A.C. BV Swami Prabhupada:
"El Srimad Bhagavatam - Comentario en Canto 4 - Cap. 14 - Verso 17"