Venezuela: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Visit Raises Controversy

Iran's President, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, arrived in Venezuela on Sunday January 8, 2012, in his first stop in a tour that will continue to Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador. His visit has sparked strong reactions on social networks, where users are questioning whether his presence might be of some benefit for the nation.

On Twitter, some criticize Ahmadinejad's presence and the welcoming he received by the Venezuelan government. Luis Carlos Díaz (@LuisCarlos) [es] writes:

Dice mucho del Ministerio de la Mujer su no-pronunciamiento sobre la visita de Ahmadineyad

Its non-pronouncement about Ahmadineyad's visit says a lot about the Women's Ministry.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, image by Flick user Parmida Rahimi (CC BY 2.0)

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, image by Flick user Parmida Rahimi (CC BY 2.0)

Blogger Carlos Bauza (@CarlosBauza) [es] suggests that Ahmadinejad's visit might have influence over the upcoming Venezuelan presidential elections, while Garcilaso Pumar (@garcilasop) [es] tweets:

Mahmud Ahmadinejad es un tirano retrogrado, asesino y misógino. Chávez es un imbécil que le ilusiona ser todo eso. #Coneldebidorespeto

Mahmud Ahmadinejad is a retrograde tyrant, murderer and misogynist. Chávez is a fool who is excited about being all that. #withallduerespect

Others are using the hashtag #FueraAhmadinejadDeVzla to demand Iran's President leave the country. User @PericoRipeado24, for example, criticizes Ahmadinejad's sense of justice:

#FueraAhmadinejadDeVzla Porque tu justicia se ve en la horca, cuando tu pueblo roba es para comer

#OutAhmadinejadfromVzla Because your justice is done by hanging, when your people only steal to eat.

Meanwhile, netizens who support President Chávez tweeted welcoming Ahmadinejad:

@BasemTajeldine: Merece un reconocimiento la valentía d Ahmadineyad al visitar Vzla, Cuba, Nicarg y Ecu, antes “patio trasero” d USA, hoy paises soberanos

Ahmadinejad's courage to visit Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Ecuador deserves recognition, yesterday [these countries were] the “backyard” of USA, today [they are] sovereign countries.

@JustoBustamante: BIENVENIDO MAHMUD AHMADINEJAD PRESIDENTE REPÚBLICA ISLAMICA DE IRÁN Lider de la Revolución Iraní. LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS VENEZOLANOS te saludan

Welcome Mahmud Ahmadinejad President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Leader of the Iranian Revolution. Venezuelans Revolutionaries salute you.

@CarlosRFrancoM: Camarada Mahmud Ahmadinejad bienvenido a la tierra de Bolívar, patria libre, soberana y socialista… ¡Que chillen los escuálidos!

Comrade Mahmud Ahmadinejad welcome to the land of Bolivar, free country, sovereign and socialist… Let the squalid [opposition] shriek!

This is Ahmadinejad's fifth visit to Caracas. After joking about “big atomic bombs“, his visit ended on Monday January 9, with the signing of a series of bilateral agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding of technological cooperation for training in nanoscience and nanotechnology and the exchange of teachers in this field.

Start the conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.