Republican hopefuls get tough with Chavez, Cuba

0 Comments | AFP, December, 2007

MIAMI (AFP) — Republican presidential hopefuls on Sunday called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a dictator and vowed to maintain the US embargo against Cuba, in a debate on Univision Spanish language television.

"I ... would like to echo the words of (King) Juan Carlos, 'Por que no te callas?' 'Why don't you shut up?,'" Arizona Senator John McCain said about Chavez and the reprimand he received during a recent summit from Spain's King Juan Carlos.

Most of the candidates were critical of the leftist, anti-American Chavez, and praised the Venezuelan people for defeating his referendum a week ago on constitutional reform that would have expanded his powers.

"Chavez is acting like a dictator," former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani said in the debate that was...