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Venezuela Chooses Chavez

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:29:03 AM EST
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The people of Venezuela have chosen Chavez:

54.4 percent of voters supported the proposal [to lift Presidential term limits], with 45.6 percent voting against it, electoral officials said late Sunday, based on preliminary results with nearly complete returns. While Mr. Chávez’s support ebbed from the 63 percent he secured in a presidential election in 2006, he remains by far Venezuela’s dominant political personality.

In theory, the Venezuelan people will be able to vote Chavez out in elections in 2013. We'll see if Chavez permits that possibility. I must admit my doubts about that. But as of today, the Venezuelan people have spoken, and they want Chavez.

Speaking for me only

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    Venezuela Chooses Chavez | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    In principle, I am opposed to term limits, (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by andgarden on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:31:39 AM EST
    even for executives. If the process was fair, then I can't really complain about the result.

    I still think Chavez is a thug, though.

    Did you think the Sandanistas... (2.00 / 1) (#5)
    by Dadler on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 12:49:14 PM EST
    ...would let themselves be voted out of power in Nicaragua?  Did you think the communists in Russia would?  Your skepticism is certainly not unfounded, I just don't see Chavez, ultimately, being that stupid.  I suppose he could be a Mugabe type, but have my doubts.  The sad truth is we could care less about Zimbabwe, but Venezuela's oil makes us care too much about Venezuela, and Chavez certainly know this.    

    Interesting (none / 0) (#6)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 12:52:52 PM EST
    I suggest you speak for yourself about what someone cares about. You do not speak for me.

    Please be more careful.

    Parent

    How sure are we... (2.00 / 1) (#7)
    by elrapido on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 01:06:17 PM EST
    of the legitimacy of the vote?

    Funny question (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 06:03:03 PM EST
    coming from a US citizen.

    Parent
    I don't know... (none / 0) (#8)
    by NDdem10 on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 02:40:31 PM EST
    ...but I don't think it's right to immediately assume that there was election tampering.  We (America, collectively) have a tendency to assume that if things don't go our way in other parts of the world that something is "wrong" with the situation.

    The people spoke.  And it was just a referendum on term limits.  It will be interesting to observe the election process when Chavez is up for re-election.

    Personally, I am against term limits in principle.  Although I understand there are instances where they may seem comforting (3 terms of Bush? Yikes!)  I think as stupid as the masses can be at times, their collective intelligence eventually realizes when a change is needed.  If we did not have term limits, I doubt Bush would have been re-elected.  

    But I think in a country that has a stable democracy, term limits impede the will of the people.  In a country without a stable democratic foundation, term limits make no difference.  A dictator would simply ignore them anyway.  At least Chavez puts it to a vote.

    Parent

    The U.S. needs to honor (none / 0) (#2)
    by MKS on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 10:35:27 AM EST
    Venezuelan sovereignty.  No Otto Reich style coup attempts....

    And (none / 0) (#3)
    by kaleidescope on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 11:05:00 AM EST
    The U.S. needs to extradite the Cuban terrorist, Luis Posada Carriles, to Venezuela.  

    Parent
    His opposition lost (none / 0) (#4)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 11:05:32 AM EST
    because the US is broke.

    Sorry folks. No neo-colonialism for today.

    The will of the people (none / 0) (#9)
    by mmc9431 on Mon Feb 16, 2009 at 04:00:03 PM EST
    I agree, if this is what Venezuela wants fine. I thought we were wrong in dealing with the Palestinian vote. We need to pratice what we preach.

    Yes Chavez is a thug. But to many in the rest of the world so was GWB and we elected him twice.

    I do hope that Obama brings a new era to dealing with South America, GWB was more than willing to write the entire continent off.

    Chavez is Caudillo for life (none / 0) (#11)
    by jeburke242 on Tue Feb 17, 2009 at 03:04:07 AM EST
    Unless he's blasted out by a coup, which is likely what will happen eventually.

    In the meantime, as always happens with guys like Hugo, he'll become less and less tolerant of dissent, more and more fearful of opposition, more paranoid, in fact.  As his ability to deliver for Venezualans is largely a function of oil prices, a prolonged slump will accelerate this processs.  

    No one should lose any slep worrying about this gangster.

    http://thepurplecenter.blogspot.com/

    Venezuela Chooses Chavez | 11 comments (11 topical)

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