Chavez offers to hug his “old friend” King Juan Carlos

Laughing it up after the “spat”. The Venezuelan leader – famous for his lengthy speeches – referred to King Juan Carlos as an “old friend” during his weekly TV address.

He said the king had invited him to his summer house on the island of Mallorca on 25 July.

BBC | Jul 21, 2008

Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez has offered a hug to King Juan Carlos of Spain – who famously told him to “shut up” during a row last year.

The left-wing president, who will visit Spain later this week, said he had already “turned the page” on the spat.

“I’d like to give the king a hug, but you know, Juan Carlos, that I am not going to shut up,” Mr Chavez said.

The incident made global headlines last November – inspiring jokes, songs and even mobile phone ringtones.

The king was provoked after Mr Chavez had called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar a “fascist” at the Ibero-American summit in Chile.

Mr Chavez went on to interrupt a speech by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, prompting the king to shout: “Why don’t you shut up?”

But the Venezuelan leader – famous for his lengthy speeches – referred to King Juan Carlos as an “old friend” during his weekly TV address.

He said the king had invited him to his summer house on the island of Mallorca on 25 July.