¿Por qué no te callas? - 23-Nov-07 - Generational Dynamics

Generational Dynamics Web Log for 23-Nov-07

¿Por qué no te callas?

The King of Spain's memorable putdown of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has become the most popular ringtone in Spanish history.

"Parody sweeps Bájatela" is the claim by the Bájatela mobile phone company in a ringtone ad. <font face=Arial size=-2>(Source: CNN)</font>

"Parody sweeps Bájatela" is the claim by the Bájatela mobile phone company in a ringtone ad. (Source: CNN)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has increasingly become the biggest and most obnoxious loudmouth among international leaders, often even eclipsing his pal, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. (His other pal, Cuba's Fidel Castro, has been too sick to matter for a while now.)

So at a meeting in Chile two weeks ago, when Chávez kept interrupting Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in order to call Spain's former Prime Minister José María Aznar a fascist,

Spain's King Juan Carlos spoke up and said to Chávez "¿Por qué no te callas?" which means, "Why don't you shut up?"

The King's remark has been made available as a mobile phone ringtone by several by several phone companies, and about half a million people have downloaded it to their mobile phones. In addition, the phrase has appeared on T-shirts and mugs.

Here's an English-language translation of the exchange that occurred in Chile on November 11:

"Zapatero: We are in a committee of democratic governments which represent their citizens in an Ibero American community which has respect as main principle. You can be diametrically opposed to a political idea, I don’t share former president Aznar’s ideas, but former president Aznar was chosen by Spanish people and I demand, I demand…

Chávez: Tell him to respect.

Zapatero: I demand you......., one moment….

Chávez: Tell him the same.

Zapatero: I demand that respect for one reason, moreover…..

Chávez: Tell him the same, president.

Zapatero: Of course.

Chávez: Tell him the same....

Spain’s King: Why don’t you shut up?

Bachelet: Please, don’t make a conversation, you have already had time to express your points of view, president, you have to finish,

Chávez: President Aznar may be Spanish but he is a fascist and a……

Zapatero: President Hugo Chávez, I think an essence exists, and it is that in order to respect and to be respected, we must try not to discredit. You can have different ideas, condemn conducts, but without discrediting. What I want to express is that a good way to work is to understand each other in favour of our countries, we must respect each other, and I ask – president Bachelet- that must be a rule of conduct in a summit which represents citizens, we must respect our leaders, every presidents and former presidents of all the countries that form this community.

I think it is a good principle and I strongly wish that should be a rule of conduct, because conduct gives essence to things, and you can disagree with everything respecting the rules, that is the principle in order to be respected.

I’m sure that all this committee and all Latin Americans want every democratic leaders (…) to be respected, today and tomorrow, although we have different beliefs.

(applause)

Chávez: Venezuela’s Government reserves the right to answer any attack anywhere, and in any tone.

Chávez is not used to having anyone talk back to him. He's demanded that the King Carlos apologize to him, and has made implied threats to nationalize Spanish investments in Venezuela if no apology is forthcoming.

So this amusing little spat is probably not yet over. (23-Nov-07) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 23-Nov-07 ¿Por qué no te callas?

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 23-Nov-07
¿Por qué no te callas?