Jogging suit photo-ops continue

While paying lip service to the environment Hugo’s doing his best to enlarge his carbon footprint, and the jogging suit photo-ops continue:

Chavez pays ‘surprise’ Cuba visit

Mr Chavez has visited his friend and ally several times since his illness
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has made a surprise visit to Cuba at the invitation of its convalescing leader, Fidel Castro, Cuban state TV reports.
He was greeted at the airport by Vice-President Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque.

Mr Chavez is expected to meet Mr Castro and his younger brother Raul, who has been acting president since he underwent intestinal surgery in July.

The visit is Mr Chavez’s sixth since Fidel Castro fell ill.

The 80-year-old Cuban leader has been recovering at an undisclosed location.

Of course he is.

He and Hugo even discussed energy issues and a regional trade pact during an emotional visit. Anita Snow says so.

Anita’s today’s winner of the “No Sh*t, Sherlock” Award for Obvious Journalist Statements:
Castro a Key Influence for Chavez

Here we have the only two self-declared Communist rulers in Latin America, Hugo’s been Fidel’s Mini-Me for years now, and it’s taken her this long to realize it.

But then, she has to pimp pump up the pair so Hugo will grant her exclusive interviews:

Chavez, 52, spoke fondly of his friend during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Saturday. He brought up memories of their many conversations, recalled greeting crowds of supporters together in Venezuela and also talked about Castro while condemning as unjust the execution of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

As is customary with her, here comes the excellent Cuban healthcare system obligatory soundbite^tm

“In Cuba there is no child that isn’t in school, no sick person who isn’t tended to,” Chavez said.

Unless the child’s pulled away from school doing mandatory service in el campo, while the sick are tended in the customary way:

All the same, Hugo took her for a ride:

During the four-hour drive, Chavez abruptly broke away from his motorcade at one point, saying he wanted a glimpse of the Apure River swollen by rains – “a magic river,” he called it.

That’s the kind of reporting Associated Press Deficit Disorder gets you.