The King of Spain earns the respect and admiration of your humble scribe:
Spain’s King Juan Carlos told Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to “shut up” as the Ibero-American summit drew to a close in Santiago, Chile. The outburst came after Mr Chavez called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar a “fascist”.
Mr Chavez then interrupted Spanish PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s calls for him to be more diplomatic, prompting the king’s outburst…
Mr Chavez called Mr Aznar, a close ally of US President George W Bush, a fascist, adding “fascists are not human. A snake is more human.” Mr Zapatero said: “Former President Aznar was democratically elected by the Spanish people and was a legitimate representative of the Spanish people.”
Mr Chavez repeatedly tried to interrupt, despite his microphone being turned off. The king leaned forward and said: “Why don’t you shut up?”
According to reports, the king used a familiar term normally used only for close acquaintances – or children.
You know? I don’t think they’re that close.
“used only for close acquaintances – or -children…”
Or domestic animals.
[...] wrote an interesting post today on Hail to the king, babyHere’s a quick [...]
P.s. Juan Carlos is reputedly a nice guy if you are not rude to him, according to a letter to the editor I read in a motorcycle magazine years ago.
It seems that the writer of the letter was touring in Spain on his motorcycle and suffered a flat tire. While he was pondering his situation and working up the gumption to solve the problem, a bunch of scary-looking uniformed guys on motorcycles rode up and stopped.
One of them, who was somewhat differently clad than the rest, walked up and asked if he could assist a fellow motorcyclist.
Yup, it was Juan Carlos, the King of Spain, who got his hands dirty helping a stranger with a flat tire.
Juan Carlos is one of those kings who make republics look bad.
Good to read this. The King and PM suffered some serious loss of face last week with a disastrous visit to Ceuta, one of those little islands off the coast of Morocco that still belongs to Spain. The FM, especially, is on the outs after that one. Ceuta and Melilla, despite being Spanish possessions, are currently targets for “liberation” by AQ. Strangely, “our American ally,” the King of Morocco, is in total agreement with AQ on this point. Small wonder the King of Spain is a bit “tetchy.”
Zane,
Ceuta and Melilla are two cities in continental Africa, not islands. Ceuta has been in Spanish hands since the XV century, Melilla since 1556. Much like Gibraltar, on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, has been in British hands since 1704.
It was the first time in eighty some years that a Spanish King visited the cities.
Diego, you’re correct. I guess I tend to think of them as islands because of their isolated positions. In Morocco, though, the visit was spun as the occupying lord come to visit. Didn’t make the King look good, didn’t make the PM look strong on Spanish interests, and didn’t make the FM look like he had a clue. Glad to see them team up on Chavez.
Justthisguy …what a great story about Juan Carlos and his fellow bikers. I love it that he told that self-infatuated Chavez to shut up, in terms specialized for rude children and clueless idiots. Classy guy… sometimes anyway. No one is, all the time.
Marianne Matthews
We can all stiff Chavez by boycotting CITGO.
Just saw that one about the bikers..
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE3D71339F937A35756C0A963958260
Umm, Max, may have been a different story and different occasion. Details were different. Maybe he’s helped a fellow biker more than once?
I think he’s proved that the Bourbons can both learn, and forget, and I’ll drink to him in Bourbon, next time some is present.
After reading max’s linked article again, I think that Juan C. is the kind of king we used to have before Jerry Pournelle’s ancestors came across the channel with Bill the Bastard.
Restricting the Succession to the heirs of the body of Electress Sophie of Hanover was a desperate stopgap measure to avoid used-up Stuart genes, and popery.