On Nov. 12, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez asked whether the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, knew of and supported the 2002 coup against Chávez.
The questions come after Juan Carlos defensively ordered Chávez to “shut up” during a Nov. 10 session of the Ibero-American summit, in which Chávez called former Spanish President José Maria Aznar a fascist for supporting the 2002 coup. Chavez claimed that a Spanish diplomat came to the presidential palace during the two-day coup and met with coup leader, Pedro Carmona.
Accustomed to sugarcoated criticisms, and unassuming formalities, the diplomats and heads of state in the imperialist countries are often taken aback by Chávez’s unapologetic confrontational style. Spain’s fascist dictator Francisco Franco handpicked Juan Carlos I as his successor prior to his death.
