Reply #6: 1. I don't think of al-Jazeera as under the control of the US government.

[originalpckelly]

2. Why would they have a bias against President Chavez?

3. This looks to be the expected continuation of Chavez's consolidation of his power over Venezuela.

4. Yet another worker's revolution devolves into tyranny. One cannot centralize a workers revolution, it must be de-centralized.

5. "Venezuela depends on oil for 93 per cent of exports and nearly half its federal budget. Crude prices are now 65 per cent below their July 2008 peak." It is clear knowing that, that Venezuela's President is probably scared, because half of the budget could see a massive cut if oil prices don't rise in the future. He's used that budget to bribe off the people of Venezuela, through unsustainable programs. The statement that, "The president is explaining to the people that the world economic crisis has not affected Venezuela directly, but the slump in oil prices has." Shows Chavez's ignorance of economics. He seems to think that it won't affect Venezuela, yet it's reducing their oil revenues. Since so much of their exports/government budget is dependent upon world oil demand, the lesser oil demand due to the global recession will impact his country by that method.

6. I'm awaiting the typical flame war, though I'm glad the OP quoted an al-Jazeera story for this.