February 15, 2005: Deputy Secretary of State Says Chavez Government is ‘a Creeping Authoritarianism’

Robert Zoellick, the new deputy secretary of state, testifying before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, describes the Chavez government as “a creeping authoritarianism” and says that Chavez is “do[ing] away with [his] opponents,… do[ing] away with the press,… do[ing] away with the rule of law,… [and] pack[ing] the courts.” [Fox News, 2/15/2005; US Congress, 2/15/2005]