Just heard on BBC - anounced by VP, who also claimed that the cancer was caused by his 'enemies'. Link will follow when.I'm not in my car. RIP. I think the man was wrong about almost evrything, but at the core was interested in helping the poor of his country.
For some people life was better under chavez for others it was worse. Venezuela has never been a paradise or anything.
It's amazing how easily people are duped by left wing strongmen proffessing a desire to help their people. Castro has been pushing the same line forever.
Say what you will about his policies or his intentions, Chavez was one of the few leaders in his region who didn't kowtow to the US, he's a bit like Ahmendinejad in that regard- and that's why he was admired by some non-venezulaeans.
Except in Chavez's and Castro's case they did actually help the poor of their countries materially and through better education. I wouldn't call them good or model leaders but their track record doesn't seem like they were just out to enrich themselves.
One of the key indicators of an Ideologue in my mind is that the truly believe that everybody on the other side of the political spectrum actually agrees with them, but are lying for personal gain. The idea that they might simply disagree about some key things. I've said before that Chavez reminded me of Huey Long - the key flaw being overconfidence in their own importance bordering on a messainic complex. You can be wrong without being pure, unadulterated evil.
They will hold a new election. Chavez was never sworn in. I've heard they claim he was sworn in while at Cuba. I don't think that will hold up under internal pressure and international scrutiny. Agreed. A lot of under-qualified folks working in high level positions at PDVSA can attest. While he works to better the lives of less fortunate he completely ****s up the allocation & management of the resources at his disposal. That can not be argued. Venezuela is not better off today financially than it was a decade ago. And that's saying a lot of bad things considering the oil booms. Majority of the country is in poverty. Those folks want to believe in Chavez. But the oligarchs that where in place before are not any better than Chavez.
