[Updated at 3:53 p.m. ET] Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday he called and sent a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asking for the release of detained American hikers at the behest of actor Sean Penn.
Americans Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were released from an Iranian prison last week, after 781 days in captivity.
Chavez said he considers Penn a friend, and after the two spoke about the hikers, he agreed to add his voice directly with the Iranian president.
"If this call and message helped a little, I am glad. Even if it didn't," he said.
Fattal, Bauer and Bauer's now-fiancee, Sarah Shourd, were arrested in July 2009, with Iran saying they strayed across the unmarked border between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran. Shourd was released in 2010.
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Chavez has ruined Venezuela. Am appropriate friend for Penn.
lol...it took me a few seconds to realize what are meat curtains but I think I've got it now. Are they also called bat wings?
That'd be hilarious! Hugo Chavez has teabagged, I mean trained, Sean for quite some time.
Another tea party member creating multiple screen name.... You aren't fooling anyone. People are sick of the teabagger extremists.
While I can't say I'm a big fan of Sean Penn's politics or Hugo Chavez's leftist policies, I must say that something good came out of both of them here.
Seriously you believe for two seconds that these two whack jobs had anything to do with this. . . Cmon, really.
Anyone dumb enough to believe that traitor piece of dirt has any legitimate part in this political stunt is truly clueless.
Ahmadooshbag wouldn't know Sean Penn if he tripped over him.
You'd be surprised what these dictators like, most of them sectetly watch American media, especially movies
Actually, Sean Penn has visited Chavez. To bad we let Sean come back.
actually he does. sean penn has visited iran before, and met with top iranian government officials
wow...A bit shocked I must admit, but kudos to both for their part
Actually, bat wings are when they stretch over the mouth and touch both ears. Those are good too!
Meat curtains also known as "lunch meat"
Hugo got the Canadian oil company to pay for the geologic work, build the infrastructure, then rescinded their partnership in the name of 'Nationalism.' Hugo's nationalism is hugo chavez. It's all he's vested his country in: his further-acquisition of media control and political/judicial power. There is a lot to be gained in the propaganda market by Sean Penn. Sean's capitalizing on the situation, well.
I don't that any Chavez said did anything positive. More likely it was the million dollar random the families paid that freed the prisoners.
They both must be fans of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
Knarly!
Maybe he let him have his way while watching Fasttimes!!
As a note to all the people that say Sean Penn is an ineffectual fool he's actually been on the ground in Haiti since the earthquake running an incredibly successful relief organization called the J/P Haitian Relief Organization. He's not running it from New York or LA. He's running it from the middle of a refuge camp in Haiti. In fact, his organization was just awarded a $2.25 million grant to help move more Haitians out of the camps and into homes. A lot of stars talk a good game or maybe host a fundraiser. Penn is actually doing the work. Seriously, google what the man is doing in Haiti. Maybe most actors are overly impressed with themselves. Penn seems to have a reason to be impressed.
So I take it you got a nice set of knee pads. When you get a chance to look up, tell him we all say 'hi', buddy.
Sean Penn. Funny, funny stuff.
Yeah, Sean Penn. Funny stuff. Funny, and completely irrelevant filler. Perhaps CNN could take some time out of their busy day of entertaining us all, and perhaps report on some REAL NEWS!!! Like the OccupyWallStreet movement that is sweeping the country and setting the stage for nationwide flash mobs. Doesn't that seem like news to anyone else???
CNN is dead to me.
Ooh! All that hate oozing out of anti-Sean Penn lot.
A brilliant actor and one who is often seen helping out the less fortunate. And an American who has the gall to tell it as it is.
Irony is that these same people call all others crazy.
I think you need to watch movies starring people other than Sean Penn. As for his "altruistic" motives...spare me. He's a person of average (at best) intelligence but far Left leanings who is able to make a lot of noise because of his acting. Unfortunately.
You've GOT to be kidding me. Seriously...Sean Penn? One of the most embarrassing things about this country is that some people even REMOTELY care about what somebody of Sean Penn's "intellect" has to say. He's at least half a bubble off center, and the fact that he's "friends" with one of the true despots in the world says a lot. Non-story.