I have often been something of a defender of Venezuela and President Hugo Chavez. Not that I find Chavez necessarily likable, but I have argued that he a.) was the legitimate, democratically elected leader of Venezuela, b.) seemed in no way a dictator (despite his penchant for many hours long speeches, a tendency of dictators), and c.) seemed overall good for most Venezuelans. I would say that a and c have not changed. But Chavez is now showing a teary-eyed fondness for some of the modern world's worst men and seems to admire dictators and terrorists.

From BBC News:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has defended jailed killer "Carlos the Jackal" and several world leaders he says are wrongly considered "bad guys".

In a speech to international socialist politicians, Mr Chavez said "Carlos", a Venezuelan, was not a terrorist but a key "revolutionary fighter".

He is serving a life sentence in France for murders committed in 1975.

Mr Chavez also hailed Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the late Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
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