3 Dec 2007

Chávez punched Bush in the eye, but no longer a hero!

Crimes are down, employment ratio is up, positive GDP growth that Venezuela didn’t witness in more than 20 years, he is trusted by his people, didn’t abuse the power given to him –as I know-…
Not to mention the launching of “Bolivarian Mission”
that he applied by making more than 40,000 Venezuelan soldiers involved in door-to-door anti-poverty activities, including mass vaccinations, food distribution in slum areas, and education. The program also transported thousands of poor and ill Venezuelans at cost by military cargo planes and helicopters, as a means of alleviating their domestic travel expenses.

He made his economy undefended by withdrawing from the World Bank, giving a look at the oil recourses Venezuela has… this is the best decision he made as far as I know.
Not to mention that now Venezuela has ownership of more than 6% of U.S. refinery capacity (by Citgo) that gives Chávez the power over American economy…
If Chávez, who periodically threatens to curtail oil shipments to the USA, closed Citgo's refineries, the US economy will be down within 90 days, and that is what a
prominent energy investment banker said .

But I guess his ego is getting out of control when he asked his people to vote for reelection using the silliest card that we as Arabs are used to…
“When you vote yes for Chávez, you vote NO for Bush and vice versa”
Well, the right phrase will be chavez for life! Cause as much as he keeps winning the elections he can rule as a president for decades …So much for democracy…!
Is democracy offended by this, yes it is… for a presedent to have that much power over his people for long time, having control over local media and call all opponents as agents to US, that pretty much describes a non-democratic or lets say dictatoric state.
Don’t agree? Than how about shutting down Venezuela's most-viewed television station -ringing any bells?- ;)
Not to mention that saying yes would also give him control over the central bank!! And that will give him even more power over his people that may be used against them…
Saying yes will only mean to turn Chávez into a dictator.

And a huge disappointment… not that I didn’t see that coming, but reality gives you a hard shake sometimes... doesn't it?

3 comments:

Maysaloon said...

Chavez is an interesting character. You're right in that a lot of what he has done for Venezuela has been beneficial for the bulk of Venezuelans who are poor. For Latin America, it is difficult to escape from the legacy of the Caudillo, probably because of that continents history and how it was colonised.

Just a few comments on what your conclusion though:

1. The choice really is between Chavez and those who work for the United States, simplistic but there is no other choice for poor Venezuelans.

2. The shutting down of that TV station was highly publicised, but what would any other government do for a TV station which actively took part in a coup attempt against a legitimately elected president? (Watch the documentary "The Revolution will not be televised")

I know a lot of people don't feel comfortable about him, but he seems like just what Venezuela needs. Prefer him to a Pinochet or Peron any day.

Dania said...

Shutting the TV is not justified whatsoever, he was elected by those same people… if there were nothing to put a finger on in his archive why would he get so scared of the TV station? He is elected by people who trust them… he has to take criticism or let people judge by themselves, right?

Maysaloon said...

Hi Dania,
But shutting down the TV station is justified if it took part in a coup attempt, of which there was evidence.

I agree that it's allow criticism and let people judge for themselves, but I think that is a different matter and not related to the TV station scenario.