Cindy Sheehan went to Caracas, Venezuela to put her thumb in the eye of the Bush administration. She was leading the World Social Forum,  a far—left "alternative" to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, to cavort with fellow leftists.

Less well known was that her trip was sponsored by the Venezuelan foreign ministry. The price of that was obligatory praise of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, who's rapidly plunging in the opinion polls for his incompetence and corruption.

'I admire President Chavez for his strength to resist the United States,' she said. 

Sheehan, who knows nothing of Venezuela, was easy to persuade to say that Chavez was her hero. But by paying formal obeisance to her paymaster, she showed she'll say just about anything if the price is right. Apparently, the price isn't very high, either.

It turns out not everyone is amused. Venezuela's Spanish—language news bulletin boards are aflame over the Sheehan appearance and I—love—Chavez statements. These local Venezuelans have taken to posting ugly pictures of her and condemning her almost as badly as they condemn another U.S. zero, former President Jimmy Carter, who knowingly certified fraud in Venezuela's 2004 recall referendum.

It's only Thursday and already they've had a bellyful of these leftists in Caracas  — even condemning their garbage, their mess and their telltale marijuana odor. 

But there's an extra—special particular rage at the vile mercenary nature of Sheehan. Along with most Latin Americans, most Venezuelans did not support the Iraq war, which is one reason why Sheehan's pro—Chavez statements are such a noxious wake up call.

Even if you can't read Spanish, there are plenty of pictures and signs of local Venezuelan fury here.

A.M. Mora y Leon 01 26 05