Cha Cha Cha Chavez

JulienP · Black Bloc

Well everyone's favourite Venuzeulen has won his 3rd election with over 60% of the vote. For his supporters it's an endorsement of his policies both domestic and foreign, while also another bloody nose for George W. The detractors will say that he's centralising power in his own hands, and that he is ruining the country not saving the country through socialism. And aallying himself with the Presidents of Zimbabwe and Iran certainly does not do him any favours. Got to say I am unsure about him myself, not against the red revolution that is taking place in South America just not sure about Chavez himself.
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hannoir · Black Bloc

hmmmm not sure I'm keen on anyone aligning themselves with mugabe! but still, good for him, good for venezuala, good for anti-neoliberalism.
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JulienP · Black Bloc

I think the fact that a lot of the press in Venezula don't like him is a sign that he is not the dictator that people say he is. If he were, there would not be a free press to dislike him. Added to which, this was a free election which international observers don't (to the best of my knowledge) seem to have fund any problems with. And obviously anyone really redistributing wealth is going to have complaints against them, and those rich people losing most money are probably are also the loudest, as they are in any society. Having said all this, as I said in my previous post not happy about his international allies, and I do sometimes find his anti-imperialist rhetoric over the top. By contrast Morales in Bolivia has a very similar political outlook and yet he isn't as overkill on the whole anti-US front (although he is anti-US), and doesn't cosy up to Mugabe and co as much. There was a New Internationalist issue on Venezula, I'll have to dig it out so I can be a bit more specific on some of the stuff I've said.
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Johnny P · Black Bloc

I spoke to someone from Bolivian Solidarity and they said he was a control freak who was pushing his reforms over the heads of indigenous peoples for the purpose of re election. Apparently, when he came to London he spoke for two hours straight and then refused to answer questions. Thats quite an ego there. I would look to Bolivia for inspiration, the people are using the government to get what they want, not the other way round. BS told me there was another 100 Evo Morales lined up to replace their president, but they thought that without chavez venezuala would fall apart because he has not empowered the people to do anything for themselves, they just rely on him. Brazil is intereseting as well... we will have to wait and see where this new latin america is going. Mexico was a bit of a set back, but lots of people have said it was rigged and the prior government were not very nice (see Oaxca).
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JulienP · Black Bloc

What do you reckon on Ortega and Nicuragua? Interesting what you said about Morales and Bolivian Solidarity. I always got the impression he was a more of an everyman who wasn't a power-hungry ego-tripper which you can sometimes accuse Chavez of being.
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Johnny P · Black Bloc

Oh i wasnt really criticising him, they just made the point that they didnt depend on him for their reforms, which they thought made them stronger and more progressive than Venezuela.
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"...a society that believes in nothing is particularly frightened by people who believe in anything." Bill Durodle, Director International Centre for Security Analysis, Kings College London

JulienP · Black Bloc

An asessment opinion I'd agree with. It is more progressive to have a movement with a broader base, if you claim to speak in the name of the people you have to have the people to back you up. Having said this, I still think Chavez winning is kind of a good thing.
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steven · Black Bloc

This little piece from the evr excellent Schnews seems to sum up a few of the contradictions within Chavez's Venezuala.