That rascal Hugo Chavez! First he uses a photo op with President Obama to hawk his new a book, and now he’s on Venezuelan TV urging his citizens to buy a new Vergatario cellphone. For those not up on Spanish slang, that’s equivalent to buying a Dickarama here in the states.

From the Guardian:

Why the president chose [that name] remains unclear, but he enunciates each syllable with a grin. Some laugh, others are affronted.

Verga is slang for penis and vergatario is a newly minted word which signifies excellent but retains connotations from its root.

[…]

Chavez turned a segment of his weekly TV show into a promotion. “Has your Vergatorio arrived?” he asked his mother. “This is the first call I’ve made with my Vergatorio.”

Because the government is subsidizing the manufacturing cost, the Vergatorio is very affordable. Expect to see a Vergatorio next to pretty much every Venezuelan’s mouth once they hit the market.

“Chavez launches $15 mobile phone with a name to make his mother blush” [Guardian]

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