Hugo Chavez

By Steve Huff 1/08 7:04pm

Castro and Chavez, besties forever (Getty Images)

U.S. Declares Venezuelan Diplomat “Persona non Grata”

In a development that will surely make no one nervous about the future plans of U.S. foes, the Obama administration has expelled Venezuela’s consul general in Miami over alleged discussions of cyber-attacks against the United States. Diplomat Livia Acosta Noguera was declared persona non grata by the State Department on Sunday and must return to Venezuela by Tuesday.

Acosta was targeted after the FBI began investigating statements made in a Univision documentary broadcast in December. Read More

By Nate Freeman 1/05/11 11:01pm

Diplomacy

Sean Penn or Bust! Hugo Chávez Insists on A-Listers for Ambassadors

Last week Barack Obama retired Larry Palmer of his duties as ambassador to Venezuela after President Hugo Chávez disapproved of the selection.

Why did El Jefe say adios to the longtime American diplomat? He didn’t have that Hollywood wattage, baby! When the U.S. chooses an envoy to Chávez’s personal plaything of a South American nation, Read More

By Joe Conason 4/21/09 4:56pm

Reagan Talked to Dictators, Too

Few aspects of American politics are as ridiculous and dangerous as the right-wing urge to substitute macho posturing for foreign policy. That irrepressible habit surfaces constantly now that President Obama is in the Oval Office, most recently when he shook hands with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez at the Summit of the Americas, a smiling moment Read More

By Steve Kornacki 4/21/09 12:45am

Obama Governs, Drudge Screams, Everybody Wins

An unholy alliance has emerged between Barack Obama, Hugo Chavez, Matt Drudge and Rush Limbaugh. The Fox News Channel is probably involved, too.

O.K., so they didn't all sit down at a conference table and hash out some kind of a formal agreement (at least I don't think they did), but watching this past weekend's Read More

By Matt Haber 4/06/09 11:15am

Please Kill Fee Me: The Scary Rise of Celebrity Journalism Dilettantes

How much worse can things get for journalists?

Newspapers and magazines are closing; the ones that remain grow thinner by the week as if somehow cursed; freelance budgets are being slashed and staffers accustomed to taking it easy are being forced to write like their livelihoods depend on it. (Hint: They do.) The only Read More

By Azi Paybarah 2/18/09 9:27pm

Bloomberg Gets a Hugo Chavez Question

Here’s a clip of Michael Bloomberg not talking about Hugo Chavez’s successful effort in Venezuela to get rid of term limits.

The reporter posing the question is Erin Einhorn of the Daily News.

By Matt Haber 12/01/08 9:05pm

¡Viva Sean! Penn and Pals Chat Up Chavez and Castro

It’s been a busy week for Sean Penn. In theaters, the actor is generating Oscar buzz for his starring role in Milk and on the newsstand, he wrote the cover story for The Nation. If the Mr. Penn has his way, he just might bring an end to the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

In Read More

By Azi Paybarah 10/23/08 6:51pm

Yassky Makes His Case, Barron Says Bloomberg Isn’t Like Chavez and Means It as an Insult

David Yassky spoke about his amendment to put the issue of extending term limits before the voters by creating a charter revision commission to put the issue on the ballot as early as February.

Yassky said changing term limits legislatively could “squander” public support heading into a fiscal crisis when city government will Read More

By Caroline Bankoff 10/21/08 1:32pm

Morning Memo: Sean Penn Hanging With Hugo Chavez; The Box’s Second Life; Gwyneth Paltrow Stands By Madonna

Sean Penn is in Venezuela hanging out with Hugo Chavez, who has also apparently hosted Danny Glover, Kevin Spacey and Naomi Campbell. [P6]

After much turmoil, the Box managed to get its liquor license renewed. [Eater]

Gwyneth Paltrow says she is supporting Madonna "in all the ways [she] Read More

By David Foxley 1/22/08 5:41pm

Naomi Campbell: Model, Interviewer of South American Heads of State

Who knew supermodel Naomi Campbell, a relatively new contributing editor at British GQ, would land the Latin-America beat? For her first interview, Ms. Campbell sat down with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez—but that, it now seems, was just the beginning.

Next up: a meeting with Fidel Castro, the increasingly reclusive aging Read More

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U.S. Declares Venezuelan Diplomat “Persona non Grata”

Sean Penn or Bust! Hugo Chávez Insists on A-Listers for Ambassadors

Reagan Talked to Dictators, Too

Obama Governs, Drudge Screams, Everybody Wins

Please Kill Fee Me: The Scary Rise of Celebrity Journalism Dilettantes

Bloomberg Gets a Hugo Chavez Question

¡Viva Sean! Penn and Pals Chat Up Chavez and Castro

Yassky Makes His Case, Barron Says Bloomberg Isn’t Like Chavez and Means It as an Insult

Morning Memo: Sean Penn Hanging With Hugo Chavez; The Box’s Second Life; Gwyneth Paltrow Stands By Madonna

Naomi Campbell: Model, Interviewer of South American Heads of State

Across the Wire

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Sarah Jessica Parker Cuts New Ad For Obama, Saying He's Her 'Guy'

Mayoral Candidate/Media Person Tom Allon Doesn't Want to be Boris Johnson Or Berlusconi On His Birthday