Chavez in full view

The Washington Times ^ | 4/28/2002 | Constantine C. Menges

[xsysmgr]

The recent events in Venezuela were dramatic. Yet much of the discussion in the United States began and ended with the fact that President Hugo Chavez had been democratically elected in 1998. Ignored were his record of anti-democratic governance since taking office in 1999, his alliances with terrorist partner states like Cuba, Iraq and Iran, his sponsorship of state terrorism and the implications of these facts for the future.

[Fish out of Water]

Index bump and fyi

[Ooh-Ah]

If and as Mr. Chavez consolidates his control in the coming weeks and months, his actions will threaten democracy in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil, where Mr. Chavez and Fidel Castro both hope to repeat the pattern of a pseudo-constitutional takeover through the election of the radical Ignacio da Silva as president in October. That could bring nearly 300 million people under the control of pro-Castro-Iraq radical regimes before 2004 — a major gain for anti-U.S. terrorism and a major setback for the people there and for the Bush administration.

The last paragraph is VERY important. It looks like Castro and friends may have found a way to circumvent and use the U.S.'s success in promoting democracy to build their own empire.

[Dog Gone]

Well, that's the pessimistic view.

Let's try another spin....

Chavez almost got his butt thrown out of office, and Fidel Castro is suffering many diplomatic setbacks. Relations with Mexico have never been worse, and Uruguay just severed diplomatic relations.

He's also old and he rules through fear. When he's gone, the people will throw a party.

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt