Venezuelan President Hugo ChĂĄvez at the United Nations General Assembly in 2006. Photo: M. Segar/Reuters/file photo.
On September 20, 2006, during the 61st General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) held in New York City, Venezuelan President Hugo ChĂĄvez showed his anti-imperialist character by saying, âYesterday, the devil came here. Yesterday, the devil was here, in this very place. This table where I have to speak still smells of sulfur.â
In this emblematic speech, Commander ChĂĄvez condemned the terrorist international policy of George W. Bush, then-president of the United States.
“Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this very rostrum, the President of the United States, whom I call ‘the devil,’ came here speaking as if he owned the world,” said Venezuelan President ChĂĄvez.
In a historic and courageous speech, Commander ChĂĄvez condemned the hegemony of the United States against America and the world. This warlike country has filled many countries with misery and war.
During those days, the US army was in full swing with its scorched earth operation in Iraq and Afghanistan based on the excuse of the war on terror and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq that were never found.
After over two decades of military invasion and occupation in Afghanistan, the United States abruptly and disorderly abandoned the country in 2021, leaving a trail of hundreds of thousands of direct deaths and evidencing the decline of the United States.
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At least 4.5 million people have died as a consequence of military invasions and occupations led by the United States in the region since the 9/11 attacks, according to research from the Costs of War project at Brown Universityâs Watson Institute. The Cost of War project conservatively estimated up to 3.6 million indirect deaths from the so-called war on terror. According to the study, that number adds to the 906,000 to 937,000 killed as a direct consequence of the wars across Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Somalia.
“A psychiatrist would be useful to analyze yesterday’s speech by the President of the United States. As the spokesman for imperialism, he came to give his recipes to try to keep the current scheme of domination, exploitation, and plundering of the peoples of the world. It would be good for an Alfred Hitchcock film. I would even propose a title: ‘The Devil’s Recipe,'” he said.
Eighteen years after this historic speech, it remains relevant and encourages us to continue condemning crimes against humanity promoted by the United States government and those countries self-styled as the so-called West.
Comandante ChĂĄvez’s speech is among the most resonating speeches by a head of state attending the UN General Assembly.
(Con el Mazo Dando) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
