Venezuelan Women Swear to be “Guardians” of Chavez in Response to CNN

Merida, September 17^th, 2010 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – Over 3,000 women swore to be “guardians” of President Hugo Chavez in Caracas on Thursday.

Tania Diaz, governing party candidate for the capital district and previously minister of communications, said the aim of the activity was to support the president, the gains women have made in the last 11 years of government, to defend the upcoming electoral process, and to counter the campaign by CNN when it broadcast the documentary “Guardians of Chavez”.

The documentary attacked the government and the Bolivarian revolution, suggesting the government works with and promotes armed groups, criminals, terrorists, and paramilitary forces.

Diaz said the women provided the answer to the documentary, as they shouted, “I’m a guardian of Chavez!”

Since the government came to power women’s opportunities for development and for participation in Venezuelan society had multiplied, Diaz said.

“Only through our revolution have women achieved inclusion, dignity, and hope,” she added.

At the ceremony Chavez said, “I declare myself a feminist…when I have to hand over the presidency, I want to hand it over to woman”. However, he added, “I ask that more than being guardians of Chavez, you be ongoing guardians of the revolution”.

Chavez said “guardian” meant to be in a permanent condition of zealously and attentively caring for something that you care about more than other things, in this case, the revolution.