Venezuela

Hugo Chavez has become one of those controversial figures that brings out strong reactions in many. Personally I have considered him a good thing for Venezuela but have been concerned by his choice of friends, some of his rhetoric, and what could be interpreted as an excessive hunger for power.

First of all, no one has been able to convince me that he is a dictator. Every election in Venezuela under Hugo Chavez has been democratic and fair according to all impartial observers. What ever the controversy over Chavez and his policies, it has all been done within the law and within a democratic system. This alone belies the claims that he is a dictator.

Second, there is no question that Venezuela, like much of South and Central America, needs to address the poverty and sharp economic divisions it suffers. Hugo Chavez is doing that. Needless to say, this pisses off many wealthy people around the world who hate to see poor people get uppity. But many of his programs are simply the right thing to do, the fair thing to do and the smart thing to do for the stability of his nation. Sharp economic divisions and high poverty lead to instability.

Simply put, Hugo Chavez is the democratically elected leader of Venezuela and has been overall good for Venezuela.

But...

As with Ecuador and Bolivia, my overall sympathy for left wing leaders who are helping correct economic disparities is a bit hindered by two things. First, I am not fundamentally a socialist and I know that if the socialist reforms of these leaders go too far, the economies of their nations could be ruined. Second, some of their rhetoric DOES make me wonder if their desire for power could lead to dictatorship. Understand that on this second front I worry about the USA under Bush as well. Excessive concentration of power in the hands of one person is not good.

Venezuela is one of Bush's favorite bugbears. I am surprised we haven't heard some form of domino theory focused on Venezuela and Bolivia as the new Vietnam and Laos in the war against Communism.

Hugo Chavez is quite intentionally riding a wave of anti-Bush/anti-American sentiment to achieve political power. He may well fit the definition of Demagogue as the Greeks originally envisioned it. I have heard mixed things about him regarding Jews and don't know where the truth lies. Certainly his tendency to favor anyone who is anti-American, Iran's theocracy included, seems as misguided as the Republican policy of supporting Afghan extremists, including people who became part of al-Qaeda, against the Soviets, Saddam Hussein against Iran, and any petty dictator who gives us lip service against anyone we don't like.

But there are things we don't hear about Venezuela that tell a different story from what Bush tells us.

Venezuela has had several elections, including a no-confidence vote against Chavez, in Venezuela since Chavez won the presidency. Chavez and his supporters have been gaining in support as time goes by and each and every election has been declared fair by every respectable international agency that has monitored them. I have heard no credible claims of election fraud.

I have heard some accusations of censorship and met a man who seems to feel he is a victim of such censorship. I cannot judge that. But it is clear that Venezuela does have an active opposition that seems to operate without the kind of oppression we see in places like Colombia or in Chile under Pinochet or Peru under Fujimori, people we LIKED and supported. Venezuela seems at least as democratic and free as the majority of nations that America has actively supported.