Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said on Wednesday that
the global financial crisis whose epicenter is the United
States marks the beginning of a process of "de-escalation"
that "will put an end to the evil capitalist model, which
has done so much harm to the world."
Chávez added that the world is faced with "a crucial
time" as people are learning the magnitude and impact of the
crisis. "The financial architecture that viewed the planet
as a casino is cracking; what is needed is that the foundations
of this harmful capitalist system fall down."