Weekly Political and Entertainment NewsScope

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March 12, 2007

Hugo Chavez Battles Bush for the Hearts and Minds of Latin America

President Bush's South America trip was aimed to shore up relations with democratically-elected leaders on both the left and right of the political spectrum. However, wherever he went and whatever he said was generally contrasted in the press with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, who led anti-American rallies against Bush in Argentina, and continued to harass Bush during his visits to Colombia and Guatemala.

Hugo Chavez* was born with his Sun in the heroic, dramatic sign of Leo (July 28, 1954; Sabaneta, Venezuela; time unknown). Though we don't know his birth time, his Mars is likely angular, and probably near the Midheaven. A prominent Mars explains his interest in sports as a youth, a 17-year military career, and his chosen role as an antagonist to the American "imperialists".

Chavez's Mars is found in adventurous Sagittarius, where it's given strength by the trine to Pluto, and a revolutionary edge by the quincunx to Uranus. On February 4, 1992, Chavez led an unsuccessful coup d'etat against a corrupt Venezuelan government, as transiting Chiron was exactly conjunct his Sun. Over the next few years, he staged a comeback, and was elected president on December 2, 1998 as transiting Pluto formed a trine to his Sun.

Despite numerous setbacks, Chavez managed to stay in power, and last December was solidly re-elected by two-thirds of the Venezuelan population, as transiting Pluto empowered him with an exact conjunction to his Mars. We can expect that over the coming year, as transiting Jupiter heads to his Mars, Chavez will only grow in power as the leading voice against American corporate interests in South America.
 

Astro-Journalist's Notebook: Mercury on U.S. Moon

Last Thursday, Mercury turned direct on the U.S. Moon, triggering an avalanche of major political developments. As foreseen in NewsScope's Top Five Astro-Events for March (due to transiting Uranus' concurrent quincunx to the U.S. Saturn), an American institution came under political attack, namely, the Department of Justice. Mercury was accompanied by transiting Pallas, the asteroid associated with justice and political strategists.

Thursday, the DOJ's Inspector General issued a 200-page report criticizing the FBI for abusing the Patriot Act by illegally obtaining email, telephone records, banking and credit information (all things Mercury). The Department of Justice - and more specifically, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales - was also heavily criticized last week for firing eight federal prosecutors for no apparent reason other than political gain.

As Mercury turned direct, the jury came in on the Scooter Libby trial, finding him guilty of perjury. The chattering class (Mercury rules bloggers, talking heads, and columnists) debated whether or not Bush should pardon Libby. The influence of Pallas on the U.S. Moon is apparent, since Libby is a political strategist, and his fate was being decided in the court of public opinion (U.S. Moon).

Also as previewed in this month's Astro-Events, a presidential contender chose this Mercury station to make his appearance. Newt Gingrich** (June 17, 1943; 3:03 am; Harrisburg, PA) floated an apology for his marital indiscretions on James Dobson's radio show, as he spotted an opening in the Republicans' right wing. Gingrich's Gemini Sun (ruled by Mercury) is exactly trine the U.S. Moon, favoring him for conservatives' approval.

Ralph Fiennes Caught Frolicking

British actor Ralph Fiennes, recently linked to a mile-high fling with a stewardess, was in the news again last week for skinny-dipping in a Belgian hotel pool with four women. Best known for his Oscar-nominated roles in Schindler's List and The English Patient, Fiennes seems so contained, sensitive, even sad. What could account for his recent, bodacious sexual behavior?

Ralph Fiennes was born during the winter solstice (December 22, 1962; Suffolk, UK; time unknown), with his Sun most likely in Capricorn - unless he was born before 8:16 am. Either way, his chart has a strong Saturn influence, since his emotionally intense Scorpio Moon squares Saturn. This challenging combination gives us the brooding, inhibited heaviness we see in his on-screen persona.

Fiennes was raised Catholic, and here the astrologer can readily equate Saturn to the religious authority repressing his instinctual sexual urges, as symbolized by the Scorpio Moon. Lately, however, Fiennes has been breaking away from this psychological programming under a number of awakening transits. Most notably, transiting Uranus has been opposing his natal Uranus and Pluto in Virgo, something that many born in the 1960s are now experiencing.

In Fiennes' case, he's also got his progressed Venus in late Sagittarius, where it's nearing his Sun. This Sun-Venus pairing is highly romantic, and in ancient times was said to bring one's true love. In today's world, it more often than not arouses erotic feelings, and makes the native extremely magnetic. Over the last two months, transiting Pluto has been conjunct Fiennes' progressed Venus, giving an irrepressible, perhaps compulsive urge to frolic.

* For a comparison between Hugo Chavez and Pat Robertson, see NewsScope August 30, 2005.

** Gingrich's infidelity was inevitably equated with Bill Clinton's, as Gingrich's progressed Sun at 26º08' Leo is the same as Bill Clinton's natal Sun at 26º00' Leo, with both opposing the U.S. Moon. The entire complex was activated by Mercury's station.
 
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