Juan Carlos tells Chavez to shut up

Spaniards, normally critical of the royal family, backed King Juan Carlos yesterday for telling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to shut up, even if some voiced concerns the monarchy was getting too involved in politics.

The King's flare-up at the Ibero American summit followed days of criticism by leftist Latin American leaders of Spain's political and business influence in former colonies. The spark came when Mr Chavez repeatedly called Spain's former conservative Prime Minister, José Maria Aznar, a fascist.

Spain's left-leaning El Periodico de Catalunya newspaper, representing a region where anti-royal sentiment runs high, said yesterday that Mr Chavez's behaviour had been intolerable.

Raising his hand at the fiery Venezuelan President, King Juan Carlos had shouted "Why don't you shut up?".

In newspaper editorials, bars and internet chat rooms, Spaniards said Mr Chavez had been in the wrong.

"What the king said was completely justified, it's overdue," said bank worker Carlos Garcia, adding that he did not consider himself a supporter of either the royal family or Mr Aznar.

King Juan Carlos won the trust of Spaniards by promoting the transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 and has distanced himself from any political role.