Hugo Chavez. Who is he?

[Touchdown]

Poll question: Hugo Chavez. Who is he?

I've read over the last year about Chavez being a tyrant, a thug, an Autocrat, and a Castroist. Then, this morning, I read about his calling a real tyrant (Mugabe of Zimbabwe) a hero. So I read these two articles...

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16255

http://www.inthesetimes.com/issue/26/01/feature3.shtml

...and I've come away with two VERY conflicting stories about him. Who's right here? He seems to be doing a good job for his people, but he's generally hated up here in the States, and by the middle class in Caracas (we all know what the plutocrats think of him).

opinions anybody?

[zx22778a]

1. He was fairly elected by a majority of the voters.

You can hardly call him a dictator.

[IrateCitizen]

2. Is there an option for all of the first four???

I'd characterize him as a populist autocrat who has a genuine concern for the plight of the poor. I believe he is a democratically-elected leader who is full of faults -- but he is also significantly better than the gang of rich white men who would be ruling the country if he was deposed.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

3. Well said

Kudos

:toast:

[ret5hd]

5. and kudos to you, too, ChavezSpeakstheTruth...

and JudiLyn, and AP, and Tinoire, for the EXCELLENT work you do refuting the propaganda spouted by the few paid operatives we have here re: venezuela, haiti, etc.

[Touchdown]

4. More options added.

Sorry if you already voted.

[AP]

7. He has devolved a great deal of government power to...

...neighborhood governments.

That's not autocratic. It pushes power farther from the oligopoly, though. So, from the far right, it looks like lost power. But it really is democratic, and it contradicts the calim that he's autocratic.

[oc2002]

6. Chavez is a man of the people.

The problem is that the 'white' minority control 90% of the countries wealth, media, newspapers and spin machine of Venezuela so they can frame Chavez as they wish. Chavez is faced with a very grim situation, no wonder he called Bush an 'ass hole'.

[Touchdown]

8. Kick for more insights

:kick:

[seemslikeadream]

9. President Chavez Venezuela's starting pitcher?

President Chavez (left) was Venezuela's starting pitcher, before moving to first base after giving up four runs in four innings. Nevertheless, he was praised as a "tremendous" batter and "phenomenal" pitcher by the Cuban leader.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/528376.stm

;)

[ButterflyBlood]

10. I considered him a good guy until he supported Mugabe

now fuck him.