Oh, So Hugo Chavez Didn't Tolerate Political Opposition?

[kpete]

just saying.................

[el_bryanto]

1. What a great argument

The United States is guilty of political oppression so Hugo Chavez must be innocent of political oppression.

Bryant

[kpete]

4. you misunderstand

el_byanto,

I lived in Venezuela as a kid. I know who Simone Bolivar is and I know the difference between a revolutionary and a dictator.

What I learned mostly (I was 10-14 years old) was that Venezuelans were exploited by Americans and Europeans. The country has vast natural resources and yet its citizens were poor, really poor. I realized way back then (1/2 a century ago) that it would be better for the Venezuelans to rule their own country and control their own resources. I still believe that to this day.

Whether or not Chavez brought more/less democracy to Venezuela is a battle that my relatives in that Country have argued. Those who were well off hate him (dead or alive), those less well-off think of him as a Heroic Figure, like Bolivar.

What and who do i believe?

Well, I certainly did not mean to say that Venezuelan oppression and USA oppression are the SAME. I have not lived in South America for decades.

But, I have lived in the USA for the last 40 years and I have witnessed Oppression and the bloody faces of an American look like the bloody faces of a Venezuelan to me.


for what it is worth,
I rarely commment
but, I wanted to clarify

so, peace, kpete

[Catherina]

6. You just rock n/t

[sabrina 1]

11. Hi Catherina!

[Catherina]

15. Hi my dear dear Sabrina!

It's wonderful to see you. I sent you a PM a few minutes ago. Chavez' passing has me all choked up. There really walked a great man. RIP dear Commandante. Hasta la viktoria siempre

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xio7e2_globovision-en-vivo_news?start=27#.UTeB7TDXh8E

[sabrina 1]

16. Me too, Catherina, and apparently millions and millions of people around the world,

especially though, in his own country and all over South America.

I am so sad that he could not finish the great work he started for the people, one of the things that differentiated him from many Western Leaders, he put the people FIRST.

Wonderful to see you also

[Catherina]

17. I'm sad about that too

but what reassures me is that he educated his people and they know what kind of dirty tricks to expect and guard against. The neos aren't going to have an easy time with their tricks. I feel blessed to have even lived in the same time as such a great man. I can't believe he's really gone so I can only imagine the pain of the Venezuelans who love him so much.

This is where we're really going to have to keep a close eye on the real situation in Venezuela because you know... you just know the parasites have plans to put the people back in their place. :hugs:

[woo me with science]

7. +1000000

[TeeYiYi]

9. k+r ...nt

TYY

[The Magistrate]

2. And The Contrast With Uribe's Colombia, Ma'am, Is Quite Instructive

Soldiers and police and para-military death-squads, with Uribe hand in glove with the leadership of the latter, torturing and killing thousands of people suspected of being opponents of the regime or the economic order, while it is hard to total even so much as two dozen jailings in Venezuela on political grounds.

[jsr]

10. Perfect example.

Thanks.

[RZM]

3. You couldn't use a real picture? n/t

[Starry Messenger]

5. k&r

[truebluegreen]

8. k&r

[me b zola]

12. K&R

[jsr]

13. Like this

[Dawson Leery]

14. After the election, he invited his opponent over for lunch.