http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Parenti/GoodThings_Venezuela.html
the site above here's a happy checklist of wonderful things Hugo has done, all on the surface, seemingly beneficial.....lest we forget the protection provided by the mafiosi....

did not chavez takes control of television and radio stations??? to HELLO?? Shut down opposition, yeah he's a really great guy, and fuck socialism for the 20th century......
(http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/05/25/hugo_chavez_tv/)



love when a university professor in a tunnel, tells the world how great assholes are.......

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2976631.ece
here's 100,000 folks who ain't buyin' stock in Chavez as supreme ruler.....

I see you have watched The Revolution Will not be Televised
http://www.videosift.com/video/The-revolution-will-not-be-televised
In that documentary it becomes pretty clear that the media in Venezuela had a big role in launching the coup against Chavez. There is still free media and television in Venezuela, Chavez just took a few propaganda channels off the TV and replaced them with public service.
It's mostly the rich students who are protesting at the moment.
Whether or not you support Chavez, there is a democratic process going on and he is not a dictator.

I love how the Chavez supporters always turn the actuality of an event into a falsehood, oh he's not suppressing free press he's circumventing propaganda channels! Those are not educated citizens protesting, they are rich students who are whining and thus should STFU! Close to 100,000 rich students? Excuse me?

Have you read the actual legislation about to be voted on? It basically says that Chavez is the only ruler possible for Venezuela. Indefinite re-election of president, with terms increased from 6 to 7 years.

He has founded two public militia groups in addition to the country’s regular National Reserve: the Francisco de Miranda Front (FFM) in 2003 and the Territorial Guard in 2005. As of mid-2006, the FFM had around 10,000 members and the National Reserve and Territorial Guard together were around 2 million strong. Combined, this “people’s army” is officially meant to defend against such unlikely events as an attempted invasion by the United States, which Chávez claims is imminent. Critics say the groups are being used to suppress internal dissent.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely, Chavez is no different then Putin in rallying popular support as he dismantles the democratic process in Venezuela for his own needs. Ask yourself what is funding his welfare benefits right now?

Democracy means being able to question the motivations and interests of those in power, doing away with them is not democratic, already previous supporters of Chavez have defected, and he called them all traitors...

I agree that Chavez is far from an ideal leader. But he has made a lot of progress for poor Venezuelans. I think I prefer him over a US free market puppet like we have seen so much of in South America.
The democratic process still seems to be functioning. Like the video says, he wants to make it possible for indefinite reelections like is already common in many other countries. Why do away with a leader if the people still want him.
Chavez has let the protest continue and hasn't attacked or silenced protesters as much as Putin has.

Well the Reform vote was defeated and am glad for it. Chavez has done some great things for the poor and am glad he actually put the questions to vote rather then implementing it as de facto socialist revolution.

However am still uneasy over his militia forces, I hope he doesn't usurp the power in underhand ways. As it's bad enough living in a world that is quickly regressing towards 'managed' democratic rule.

Now if only Putin would lose.

Chavez lost, but I guess democracy won.

Putin won...

Ill upvote not only for the video but for the comments. Cybr and Farhad bring up really good points on both sides and its important that more people look at it and pay more attention to whats going on.

Up-vote for Farhad's pwnership of this post.

I hope that the next ruler of that country doesn't hate us so much (see France, yay). I would honestly pay 2-3$ more per gallon [of gasoline] to stop buying Chavez' oil. Yeah, I'm saying I'd pay 6$ a gallon to not buy it. If the US stopped buying Venezuelan oil, it'd decimate their economy. I wonder if Chavez recognizes that fact. Essentially I DON'T want that, of course, but I would like them to respect their investors a little more, thanks. We fund a great deal of their livelihood and yet Chavez openly opposes us and he would do so militarily if he had the means. I hope the Venezuelan people choose a new leader that is more supportive of individual rights as well as a foreign policy that doesn't oppose its greatest assets. I want to support the Venezuelan people and they've chosen to oust Hugo. WTG! If there are any Venezuelans in the sift who think I'm getting this whole thing all wrong, speak up. I would love to hear your perspective... I'm only getting that of what I see and read.

And on Putin... God help us. The man is not only an inch from reviving a radical reversal in Russian political operation; since his election, he looks like he's siding with Iran. With Russia's weapons... that's very very very bad news.

I'm a big fan of Chavez.
For a good run down of my reasons for liking him, please refer to Greg Palasts wonderful book "Armed Madhouse".
What I really love is the way Americans only care about "dictators" if they happen run their country in a way that doesn't suit their needs. I mean heaven forbid that the US should have a problem with Robert Mugabe or Omar al-Bashir.
Oh yea that's right, their countries don't happen to contain US oil fields.

This video isn't about Robert Mugabe or Omar al-Bashir... but thanks for the delightful stereotype anyway.

Chavez, though imperfect, is 100% better than any person that the United States would like to see take his place.

This is less a "good guy/bad guy" situation than it is a "pretty good guy/really bad guys" thing.

The rich in Venezuela want to privatize everything. You can bet that if they get in power, there will be no maybe about their dictatorial powers, and they will be brutal, and they will be the darling of every right-winger in American media.

Regarding Chavez's growing militarism, that is a direct reaction to U.S. policy, both open and covert.

The television stations were shut down because they were openly advocating the overthrow of the government.

How many seconds do you think that would last in the USA?

Doc_M: So you put your precious investments over the welfare of the Venezuelan people, eh Doc_M? You've confirmed one of my long-standing suspicions about you. You would also make all of us pay $6 per gallon gas so that you could get your way with your little investments. You must be conservative, because selfishness and cruelty are your signatures.

Fade, my response to you was a little rudely worded. I apologize. I should have simply said "not all Americans are as apathetic to situations in those and other countries as you might think." Personally for example, I don't give a crap about oil except in a larger economic sense. I care much more about religious and personal freedom than that. Dictatorships tend to not allow much of either in many cases.

Hang on, rougy, did you think I was saying I had money in oil?
ooohhhhhh, If that's so, then that explains the anger at least.
I think you misunderstood me when I said "investments." I meant that America is buying their oil. We're customers and they treat us poorly nonetheless. That has little to do with the welfare of their citizens and everything to do with their business and diplomatic actions...which have been less than favorable lately. If you thought I meant that I have any monetary or otherwise investment in oil, I don't. Paying $6 a gallon would cost me $6 a gallon like it would you. However, I am quite entertained by being accused of being an oil tycoon if that is in fact what you thought. lol. I promise my last name is not Warbucks.

Farhad, when media organizations collaborate with a military coup, shutting them down is what you are supposed to do.

we want their oil
chavez nationalized the oil industry.
thus, chavez is an evil bastard