Sean Penn Defends Hugo Chavez, Asks U.S. to Lift Venezuela's Economic Sanctions
Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn is a well-known proponent of despots the world over.
On Sunday, he wrote another piece for the Huffington Post extolling the wonder that is Hugo Chavez while asking America to withdraw its recently imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela:
There has been a systemic barrage of misreporting and context-shifting within the U.S. media and espoused by many U.S. Representatives relative to Venezuela and its democratically elected President Hugo Chavez.
The American people have grown accustomed to hearing the Venezuelan president referred to as a dictator, not only by media representatives but by members of the leadership in both parties. This is a defamation, not only to President Chavez, but also to the majority of Venezuelan people, poor people who have elected him president time and time again.
Yeah, Chavez is a sweetie-pie, isn't he. If only we had presidents like him here.
But Penn wasn't done:
The United States, and indeed, all capitalist nations, engage in largely unrestricted trade with numerous nations, both secular and theocratic, traditionally associated with social and political oppression, and indeed contributors (suspected or acknowledged) to nuclear proliferation. While it is noted that Iran is such a nation, and that it is due to Venezuela's oil trade with Iran (actual or alleged) that they have been listed, it should also be noted that an entity in the state of Israel has also been named among the seven sanctioned.
Color me very unsurprised this despot-lover would figure out a way to tie Israel into this.
For those unfamiliar with this issue, Fox News Latino reported just two weeks ago:
The United States has imposed economic sanctions on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company for activities in support of Iran's energy sector.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton named seven companies for sanctions under the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) of 1996, the State Department announced on Tuesday.
The report cites Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) for delivering at least two cargoes of reformate to Iran between December 2010 and March 2011, worth approximately $50 million. Reformate is a blending component that improves the quality of gasoline.
If you hadn't guessed, this is part of the U.S. trying to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons. Florida Congressman Connie Mack issued the following press release on Feb 23:
Congressman Connie Mack (FL-14), Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, responds to public reports displaying documents signed by the Venezuela state-owned oil corporation Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and National Iranian Oil Company authorizing two cargo shipments of gasoline from Venezuela to Iran. This activity is in direct violation of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA).
Mack said: “I have repeatedly said that Venezuela is violating U.S. sanctions on Iran- now, you don’t have to take it from me. Hugo Chavez and PDVSA are actively helping Iran bypass both U.S. and international sanctions in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. These sanctions were carefully crafted as a nuclear determent strategy to protect U.S. interests and allies. If it were important to the Administration, it would act immediately.”
Obviously, the Chavez-loving Penn couldn't care less about the possibility that this despot's actions are aiding and abetting Iran.
- Noel Sheppard's blog
- Login to post comments
Comments
Penn is probably at a loss to explain why . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:21am.
. . . Venezuela -- an oil exporter at a time when oil prices are well over $100/bbl -- is an economic basket-case. So, it must be the US's fault.
Similar alibis for Chavez's seizure of privately-owned radio stations and newspapers. When Chavez claims that the US is poised to invade Venezuela at any minute, it's only logical that he must suspend the freedom of speech, the right to private property, etc.
Penn ought to move to Venezuela to show us just how great life is in Chavez's paradise. He can take Woody Harrelson and Oliver Stone with him.
Sean Penn leaves no doubt, he
Submitted by jkwtrading on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:27am.
Sean Penn leaves no doubt, he and his daddy were and still are commies.
His actions speak much louder than any claims daddy was not a commie in the House and un American activities.
The House pinned his daddy as a commie and now son shows us the full extent.
Poor Sean Penn. Most of the
Submitted by Van Halen on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:31am.
Poor Sean Penn. Most of the things he does are utter nonsense or just plain wrong. He's such an angry dope, even Madonna couldn't put up with it and got rid of him quick. What does THAT tell you?
Chavez is constantly at war
Submitted by rbosque on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:30am.
Chavez is constantly at war with the U.S., not the other way around. It's Chavez that makes the U.S. into a straw-man for his failed economic policies. Price controls have always resulted in shortages and rationing which is currently happening there. This happens when centralized economies attempt to regulate prices for political reasons. Chavez has also supported FARC terrorists in his shadow war against Columbia. In short, Chavez is just a socialist tyrant in a tin-pot nation which is why Marxists like Penn and other Hollywood idiots support him.
We should continue to impose an economic boycott. Propping up a tyrant like that does no one any good.
Sean Penn is a typical
Submitted by kbworkman on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:53am.
Sean Penn is a typical liberal hypocrite.
His mind is obviously so messed up that he can't get back in contact with reality.
Venezuela is an economic disaster for the people at the bottom of the feeding chain.
Penn doesn't know what the real world is like. He is a typical limousine liberal.
Show him a good time and he will prostitute himself for your cause.
I don't know why anyone would want him though. I don't know why anyone is interesting in the the bile he is spewing.
Give away all you own Sean and then see if you see things the same from the bottom.
As if.
Isn't that precious?
Submitted by notinstl on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:56am.
A guy that pretends for a living, making nice with a latin despot and pretending he is important and pretending that anyone outside of that room gives a $hit about him..
On the topic of rich liberal hypocrits
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:59am.
Apparently U2 is looking to move their recording studios out of Ireland to avoid taxes! There are some protests planned for the next concert in Ireland.
Really Bono, in the words of your hero President Obama, how much is enough?
Apparently for celebs there is never enough, for us peons, what have is to much.
Sean Fonda?
Submitted by okie-pastor on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 12:18pm.
Sean Fonda?
Ignorant
Submitted by iveseenitall on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 12:28pm.
Penn, of course, is just one of many ignorant "liberals" with money and a microphone. Obama, Glover, Sheen, Moore, our Congress---the list is endless. Useful idiots. All we can do is continue to fight wherever,whenever, however possible. [Never,Never trust a "liberal" (progressive)]
P.S. Over the weekend I met a woman who has a son in Iraq. She said one of his first duty assignments was to be a bodyguard for Penn when he was there. It made her sick to her stomach. It made me sick to hear it.
Isn't Sean Penn an actor?
Submitted by Dave81 on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 1:00pm.
Did he stay in a Holiday Inn last night? Cause I can't figure out why this actor is suddenly qualified to judge foreign policy. It's like when James Cameron was giving advice on how to fix the oil spill. He, being a movie director, MUST have more knowledge and experience than the people whose career it is to fix problems like these...
I missed the meeting
Submitted by spepper on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 1:10pm.
I missed the meeting that announced actors as experts on just about anything, so long as they've spent a minimum of 6 weeks on making a movie about any given topic-- foreign policy, environment, etc.
I couldn't help but also notice that Sean Penn is "still here"-- he apparently is refusing the invitation to move to Venezuela--
Well, Penn DID buy a Caracas condo...
Submitted by SickofLibs on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 1:21pm.
it's the pretty robin's-egg blue one in the middle.
Insert scene from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 1:22pm.
...Spicoli and Chavez come rolling out of a smoke filled van, blasted out of their everloving minds. Spicoli remarks, "I'm So Stoned!!!" while wacking himself in the forhead with his shoe...
Move on Sean...you are
Submitted by AngryInOhio on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 2:06pm.
Move on Sean...you are irrelevant.
Penn
Submitted by jessieH on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 3:08pm.
Penn is not the first traitor to this country. He's a nobody with a mouth.
The time is nigh...
Submitted by Rackie on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 3:21pm.
for Sean and Hugo to go play a game of "hide and go screw youself".
Any of these libs that defend a dictator,,
Submitted by NJRightWinger12 on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 6:18pm.
while bad-mouthing our country, esp a Republican president, should either be deported to said country, or turned away when he returns from his visit to his Communist paradise and have his passport taken away! They dont like it-DONT DO IT!
Just now got a chance to
Submitted by amyshulk on Thu, 06/09/2011 - 12:51am.
Just now got a chance to watch yesterdays Morning Joe - Congressman Connie Mack was on and he was AWESOME against Ed Rendell's "You would support a penny per financial transaction to increase revenue" Mack said NO!!! he only thing he forgot? To tell Ed: "It would start out at a penny, with promises to never be increased - just like with income taxes, right?" Or Social Security - widows and orphans morphed into pay up or else, and EVERYONE collects!!!
Ronald Reagan