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Hugo Chavez dead.
Topic Started: Mar 6 2013, 10:01 PM (523 Views)
Rob
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At the risk of sounding like a typical dumb ass American, I'm not the least bit sad.
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Steelstallions
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he was no fan of the uk
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Red Andy
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The worst you can say about Chavez is that his commitment to press freedom wasn't exactly robust, and that he believed too strongly that the enemy of his enemy was his friend (hence his dalliances with the likes of Ahmadinejad and Gaddafi).

But, he did a great deal to improve the lives of millions of Venezuelans, using the country's oil wealth to develop effective social programmes. That's why he was returned to power time and again in elections certified by international observers to be free and fair.

He had some powerful enemies, both within Venezuela and abroad, who will inevitably paint some picture of him being a murderous tyrant or crypto-Stalinist. But he leaves behind him a country that is far better off, for the vast majority of its people, than it was when he took power.
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John
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there is always two sides and the views of one are often 'misrepresented' by the other...

I have Colombian friends who will breath easier today... but in the grand scheme of world leaders who are a genuine threath to their own peoples or indeed to the stability of the world at large... he was not the worst offender.
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Pasta
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When I heard the news I didn't exactly break out into a tap dance. Where did I put those shoes.

I believe he improved the lot of his countrymen. That often takes an autocratic bully, and he was most likely that.

In his pursuit of his goals he did leave a bit of carnage behind.

1. In his nationalization of oil interests he did not pay fair value and showed disdain to those that made the original investments and provided the technology to build the industry. It was outright theft.

2. One could view his anti American rhetoric as being a useful ploy to gain domestic popular support. Create an enemy fictional or otherwise. Hitler used this well. It was wrong and counter productive and frankly offensive.

3. He was a domestic bully as well. There is no meaningful opposition allowed and he changed the Venezuelan rules to permit his extending his term. Much like Putin and other "democratically elected" despots. I view him as rather full of himself.

4. His association with the real criminals from Iran and Libya was pure idiocy and any good he might have done domestically has been completely overshadowed by his damage on the world stage.

It will be interesting to see what happens next in Venezuela. I suspect a peaceful transition to his selected heir might happen. I hope the country becomes more mainstream going forward.

I met the Venezuelan trade commssioner to Hong Kong. He used to be the head of the state owned oil company. Nice guy. We were due to have a lasagna cook off at some point. His fiance is a Chinese girl raised in Vancouver. She speaks fluent Spanish and English and is absolutely stunning. Very nice couple.
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