Chávez's left turn sends Venezuelans reeling

[Herman Munster]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16430368.htm

Since taking power in 1999, Chávez has taken control of much of the country's nominally independent institutions, from the courts to the electoral board, and steadily shifted his country's economy toward more state control. But he also has gained in popularity because of his social welfare programs and food subsidies, fed by windfall oil profits. He won the Dec. 3 election with 7.3 million votes, compared to 3.6 million in his first presidential victory in 1998.

However, Chávez, an avowed enemy of the Bush administration and a strong ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, has startled Venezuelans in recent days with his plan to nationalize the power and telecommunications companies, and his earlier announcement that he would shut down the RCTV television station for violating a strict media law.

Chávez also has shaken people with his admiring references to Marx, Lenin and Trotsky and his tirades against the Catholic Church hierarchy in Venezuela.

''I don't agree with communism,'' said Iván Ulloa, 33, who works in a butcher shop in the middle-class Caracas neighborhood of Colinas de Bello Monte. ``There have to be . . . who say good things and say bad things.''

Others fear that Chávez could confiscate their property, something the president has insisted he will not do despite recent government moves to take over ''idle'' factories and lands and hand them out to workers and peasants.

'I've thought about selling what I own and leaving, because I don't know if one day this man is going to wake up and decide to take Venezuelans' property,'' said Nancy Cordero, 61, a liquor store owner.

[Kagemusha]

1. It's not good if Chavez is scaring genuine neutrals, not just the angry rich

I mean, if it's people who weren't genuinely out to get him before, either out of self-interest or principle (or some mix thereof), well, that's not such a good thing for his long term viability.

OTOH that's his problem. Not mine, not America's.

[LoZoccolo]

3. Well, all his supporters will just accuse those people of self-interest.

Then we'll know their intentions and what should be done with them.

[wiggs]

7. It's hard to know from this article if there really are significant numbers of neutrals

becoming concerned. I just have no confidence that this issue is reported accurately in a short article found in the Miami Herald.

[LoZoccolo]

10. There are no neutrals. You are either with Chavez or against the people! n/t

[wiggs]

16. Sad to say that if this president is against Chavez, that's almost good enough reason

BY ITSELF to think Chavez is doing good things for his people and bad things for global corporations.

[LoZoccolo]

20. It's like I say:

Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez Chavez!

[jefferson_dem]

2. Hugo shows his true colours...and it ain't too pretty. n/t

[cdnwannabe]

4. Sounds like more anit-Chavez propoganda, instead of a real story...

and what's wrong with nationalizing power and telecommunications? I have a feeling that most of the people who voted for him wouldn't object to that...

[LoZoccolo]

5. Any bad story is anit-Chavez propoganda.

That's how you can tell.

[rumpel]

9. I also thought...

the news source...is it neutral? Miami where Castro opponents were celebrating his supposed death...

[SanCristobal]

6. That bourgeoisie liquor store owner just wants

to engage in wage slavery and sell beer in the streets. Chavez will have none of it!

VIVA CHAVEZ!

[Disturbed]

12. In a Socialist System small busines is still allowed,

isn't it?

[scarletwoman]

8. Now, what the hell motivated you to post this NOW? When our most immediate

issue is Iraq and Iran?

I guess turning the conversation to Chavez must be really important to you.

sw

[gatorboy]

11. I was thinking the same thing.

They sure come out of the woodwork when the shit hits the fan for our Great Leader. :P

[scarletwoman]

15. Yeah, really. Well, I guess they're reasonably good at what they do.

Dedicated, I'll give them that. You'd think it would get tedious after awhile. I know I find it quite tedious... ;-)

sw

[frylock]

13. an anti-chavez article in the miami herald?!

well that's a twist!

[GreenTea]

14. I find it amusing people who say they agree with Bush on Chavez.

Bush is a habitual liar, a killer, despises the poor, allows corporations more rights than individuals, believes in no government regulations or restrictions including pollution laws for corporations...Bush is also a war-monger, a true imperialist, a true fascist, torturer of people, a rich elitist, a dumb stupid ignorant man, a regressive, an intolerant asshole. Bush never takes the correct position on anything, always his agenda is for the wealthy and corporations...Bush's whole republican ideology is flawed and fucked.

Yet people agree with Bush about Chavez, his opposite....Why....Because they really don't know shit about Chavez, just what the same corporate media tells them about Chavez and what to think....These are the truly ignorant!

[jefferson_dem]

19. Cute. So to be concerned about Hugo's power-grabs means that one supports Chimpy..

...kinda like the "are you with us or with the terrorists" false-choice logic the "other side" usually offers up.

The only people i see bringing up Chimpy in a Hugo thread are those defending Hugo.

[LoZoccolo]

22. Bush* tried to kill him.

His detractors try to discredit him.

Either way it's the same thing of reducing his power for the people, and there's no difference.

[GreenTea]

23. Yes, another nice Bushism....

I recognize your hate - just be patient and pay attention more of your friends will show up.

[NotGivingUp]

26. unfortunately, there seems to be quite a few....even here at du

[bemildred]

17. They voted him in 2-to-1. How are they "reeling"?

It is true that there are elements in Venezuelan society that do not like his policies, but he is doing what the vast majority of Venezuelans want him to do. It is true that he is "consolidating power", but not by force, rather by serving the needs of his electorate.

[Bucky]

18. The Venezuelans I meet in Houston loathe Chavez. They left their homes.

These aren't nutty right wing Cubans, but solid, liberal, Bush-bashing, educated, middle class people. They've seen how he's ruining that country for the long term. This nationalization kick of his is only his latest outrage. The man is trouble on wheels.

[LoZoccolo]

21. Oh, so they are against the people of Venezuela as well? n/t

[cdnwannabe]

25. Well, I think get it....

these so-called middle class Venezuelans can afford to pick up and move to Houston - they must not have done too bad. He's doing what the people (mostly poor) voted him in to do. And again, what's the problem with nationalizing something like power???

[TahitiNut]

24. "The worst enemies of capitalism are capitalists."

I don't know who said it first, but it just keeps on being true. Venezuela, blessed with abundant resources, has failed its own people for many decades under successive corporatist/capitalist regimes. I think they're fucking lucky to have as moderate a regime as Chavez's. Justice would be if the 40-50% of the people who've been perpetually impoverished hunted them down and ripped them limb from limb.