# Did Michael Moore and Hugo Chavez drink a bottle of tequila together? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 27, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330 "2009-10-27T18:53:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330/1 "2009-10-27T18:53:02Z")
Well, technically [the claim by Michael Moore](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/world/americas/26venez.html?_r=1) is that they drank a bottle and a half of tequila. The short version of what happened is that Michael Moore appeared in some TV show and claimed that at the Venice Film festival Michael Moore met with Hugo Chavez and after drinking the bottle and a half of tequila he helped Chavez write his UN speech. I have not seen the video, but my guess is that Moore was trying to be funny, however Chavez supporters are having none of it. They are incensed, and are [calling Moore a liar](http://www.chavezcode.com/2009/10/lies-of-michael-moore-about-hugo-chavez.html), and asking for a retraction. They point out, correctly, that tequila is more of a Mexican thing, rum is more appropriate for Venezuela. They further point out that Chavez is a non-drinker, and of course they point out that Chavez is far too brilliant to need Moore’s help writing a speech. I would also add that as far as I know Moore does not speak Spanish, so his ability to help write a speech in Spanish might be a little limited. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330/2 "2009-10-27T19:03:13Z")
> [@lalenin](#): > > Well, technically [the claim by Michael Moore](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/world/americas/26venez.html?_r=1) is that they drank a bottle and a half of tequila. > > The short version of what happened is that Michael Moore appeared in some TV show and claimed that at the Venice Film festival Michael Moore met with Hugo Chavez and after drinking the bottle and a half of tequila he helped Chavez write his UN speech. > > I have not seen the video, but my guess is that Moore was trying to be funny, however Chavez supporters are having none of it. They are incensed, and are [calling Moore a liar](http://www.chavezcode.com/2009/10/lies-of-michael-moore-about-hugo-chavez.html), and asking for a retraction. > > They point out, correctly, that tequila is more of a Mexican thing, rum is more appropriate for Venezuela. They further point out that Chavez is a non-drinker, and of course they point out that Chavez is far too brilliant to need Moore’s help writing a speech. > > I would also add that as far as I know Moore does not speak Spanish, so his ability to help write a speech in Spanish might be a little limited. I saw the interview and am inclined to believe Michael Moore, though I assume he exaggerated the story a bit for comic effect. I would also point out that not everyone who enjoys getting squirted on tequila is from Mexico. Just like not everyone who is from a rum producing country only drinks rum. Fidel Castro’s favorite hootch was reportedly good scotch… ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330/3 "2009-10-27T20:35:08Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I saw the interview and am inclined to believe Michael Moore, though I assume he exaggerated the story a bit for comic effect. > > I would also point out that not everyone who enjoys getting squirted on tequila is from Mexico. Just like not everyone who is from a rum producing country only drinks rum. Fidel Castro’s favorite hootch was reportedly good scotch… Maybe so, I always thought that Fidel was a rum guy, although his recently defected ex-daughter in law has video tapes of Fidel drinking wine. Are you dismissing the Venezuelan claim that Chavez does not drink at all? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330/4 "2009-10-27T20:59:40Z")
> [@lalenin](#): > > Maybe so, I always thought that Fidel was a rum guy, although his recently defected ex-daughter in law has video tapes of Fidel drinking wine. :mad: You take back that counterrevolutionary slander! ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330/5 "2009-10-29T04:10:16Z")
I guess Hugo Chavez’ supporters don’t want to be associated with the likes of Michael Moore. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-michael-moore-and-hugo-chavez-drink-a-bottle-of-tequila-together/515330/6 "2009-11-08T03:48:52Z")
If those two split a bottle and a half of tequila it might help to explain the relative insanity exhibited by each of them.