Originally posted by YIAWETA
I tend to look at all things that the U.S. media will actually divulge as being ramped up or proped up situations. Much like the CIA putting Saddam in power , I believe there's a great likelihood that Chavez is unknowingly another such character. Think about the stories which surfaced this past week on the desire to open trade with Cuba again in exchange for oil drilling rights. That along with Venezuela's production would create a new mammoth source of oil. Don't take anything from the American media at face value. Chavez will be a target, sooner rather than later.

Originally posted by msnevil
So much ignorence. So little Knowledge to go around.

Of course, The US news is only going to focus on either The Extreme positive\Negitive. That comes out from other Nations. (The rest is not news worthy.)

Chavez is "Not" the only leader in South America. But he is the most Vocal agianst the US. And guess who gets reported. (And then gets the backlash.)

Brazil has a marxist type leader, As well as uruguay\Bolivia. And you don't Hear much about them do you?

Chavez`s main successes have not been radical changes to the Economic or social situation here in Venezuela. One theme on which seemingly everyone can agree is the heightened level of public participation in the political processes of Venezuela. In every café, at every Metro station, in every street, you can hear people talking about the political situation in Venezuela. His other major changes include the introduction of "La Ley de Tierras," a liberal land reform law, and "La Ley de Pescas," a major change to the fishing regulations designed to prioritize small scale local fishing over large-scale industrial export fishing. Probably the most dramatic change has been the legalization of small independent television and radio stations, previously called "pirate" stations.

*SNIP*

The fact is that there a numerous complaints that can be made about Chavez's government, including the lack of backbone in terms of neoliberal reforms and the new trend in the government to make deals with the US government, including allowing the previously denied US drug overflights to Colombia. The biggest problem with the opposition movement is that the individual members have allowed the CD to become a monolithic anti-Chavez machine.