Nairobi — Few politicians dare answer Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez when he opens full throttle his vocal twin-carburettor. He might equally turn to a backup and additional vitriolic language.

Things turned out differently at the Ibero-America summit in Santiago, Chile, over a week ago. Leaders of former Spanish and Portuguese colonies met with Spanish and Portuguese-Iberian-counterparts to review current relations.

That's because colonial economic, cultural and political ties remain entangled for some good and sometime dubious reasons. In gathering as Ibero-America summit, some former colonisers tend to suffer from "when we ruled" syndrome and the colonised, paranoia: "They are at it again!"

Mr Chavez alleged former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Anzar supported a 2002 failed coup against him. Therefore, he is a "fascist." In the audience sat Spain's King Juan Carlos and Mr Anzar's successor and Mr Anzar's ideological opposite, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapartero.

Mr Zapartero waited for his turn to speak and defended his predecessor. Mr Chavez, who had fully utilised his allotted time, wouldn't take that, although he and Mr Zapartero share socialist ideas, albeit of different hue. He continued interrupting, prompting royal fury: "Why don't you shut up?" from King Juan Carlos

Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega, an admirer, ceded some of his allotted time to Mr Chavez. The Venezuelan dismissed the king as a hereditary ruler and himself an elected one. Presumably, that entitles him to "speak the truth to kings, to imperialists, to Bush," US President George W. By then, Mr Ortega's swipe at Spain for alleged interference in his country's affairs had prompted the king to walk out.

Opponents of Mr Chavez ate the king's five-word sentence with relish. Finally, somebody had publicly humiliated Mr Chavez. Even at the gathering, listeners applauded Mr Zapartero's etiquette in responding to motor-mouthed Mr Chavez.

But, Mr Chavez's supporters, like him, thought the king lowered his dignity, displaying 500 years of Spanish arrogance.

Coward, liar, immoral

Mr Chavez's insults of leaders are legendary. Some examples: In Mr Chavez's language, Mr Bush mutates-the Devil, terrorist, unholy, drunk, Hitler, ignoramus, coward, liar, immoral, Mr Danger, a donkey-ironically a very useful animal-et cetera.

Really, other words to describe Mr Bush and his policies accurately, convincingly and persuasively, exist. Similarly, Mexican President Vicente Fox deserves a more apt description than a US "puppy." Calling US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a "little girl," even contemptuously, is silly; so is labelling the Organisation of American States Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza "a true idiot."

Mr Chavez reserves best attributes to himself and friends. He has compared himself with Christ, referring to the latter's speech in the Book of Luke. If he stops talking, he has said, "All stones in South America would cry." He considers himself a latter day Simon Bolivar, a liberator of South Americans and beyond. He bestowed the honour to his friend, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, presumably for Africa. Luckily, Mr Mugabe's language benefits from occasional linguistic laundry.

The Venezuelan has some good ideas. He validly stands up to the United States and wealthy nations. At the summit, he hated its theme. He also suggested South American nations stop investing heavily in US Treasury bonds and put that cash in a proposed Bank of the South.

Mid-week, he said he planned to ask members of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries, OPEC, to sell oil at reduced prices to poverty-stricken countries, which would help.

These ideas are worthy of consideration but ended up buried under Mr Chavez's foul language. "President Hugo Chavez," Mr Zapartero told him, "I think there is an essential principle to dialogue, and that is, to respect and be respected, we should be careful not to fall into insults." Even a five-year-old would appreciate that.