Hugo Chavez Still Trying to Become President for Life
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar kicked off Chavez’s talk-a-thon and reform-a-thon week by denouncing the “Chávez, (Russian president Dmitri) Medvedev and the Ayatollahs’ system” as political models of “nations where freedoms have dramatically moved backward and they try to get united against free nations based on democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.” It’s nothing less than “a political project based on an ideological renewed edition of the hardest-core Marxism intended to dismantle liberal democracy.”
Obviously. But what is Chavez going to pull out of his bag of dirty tricks to ensure that he’s not humiliated at the polls like he was in Referendum 2007?
First, he’s kissing up to the administration in Washington, which appears to have been returning the favor. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Caracas John Caulfield said he expected a warming in relations after chatting last week with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro about “the opportunity for a new dialogue … between our governments from the perspective of a new administration in Washington.” For his part, Chavez has lauded the selection of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, according to Caracas newspaper El Universal, and he expressed hope in his marathon address that Obama’s arrival will stop the “meddling” in his grand Bolivarian plans. Though now the hot-and-cold ruler thinks Obama has “the same stench” as Bush.
Next, Chavez faithful are doing the dirty work against the country’s remaining free media in the run-up to the vote. La Piedrita, a Che-loving “humanismo socialista” organization, proudly takes responsibility for recent multiple attacks on Globovision (which made Chavez’s bashing list in his snoozefest address), on one Globovision reporter’s home, and on the daily newspaper El Nuevo Pais. In the run-up to the November elections in which Chavistas lost ground (including the mayorship of Caracas), Tarek El Aissami, Chavez’s interior minister, defended the militant attacks on the media by accusing Globovision of a “conspiracy” against Chavez. After the elections, Chavez opened an administrative investigation into Globovision’s activities, assuredly trying to send the last non-satellite opposition news station the way of Radio Caracas TV.
But what about that trifecta cited by Aznar? Never mind that Chavez and his Bolivarian buddy Evo Morales have been invited to a feast in Tehran celebrating “victory of the Palestinian resistance” (yes, Iran has already congratulated Hamas on its “victory” in the wake of Israel’s unilateral Gaza pullout). Venezuela’s $1 billion arms loan from Russia doesn’t just ensure that Chavez can defend himself from the “empire,” as he often claims, but supplies him with enough might to fend off international entities who may spring to Venezuelans’ defense should Chavez begin systematically purging the opposition and forcefully pass his “reforms.” That $4 billion worth of Iranian industrial development in Venezuela doesn’t hurt in propping up the regime, either.
And if at first you don’t succeed, then just buy more votes this time.
It’s precious to see tyrants stick together, but it’s more important to see how the Venezuelan opposition sticks together at this juncture. The polling that shows Chavez headed for defeat may not yet reflect Chavez’s wholesale efforts to rally his blind followers or a stepped-up campaign of intimidation against the opposition. While bracing for a few weeks of hell, those brave enough to stand against Chavez’s “Groundhog Day” referendum — again — will need to watch their backs (and invest in some good masks to protect against tear gas).
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Bridget Johnson is the online opinion editor, an opinion writer, and a blogger at the Rocky Mountain News.
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20 Comments
1. Marc Malone:I gotta aadmit that I admire Hugo chavez. He has the gumption to call his agenda what it is; National Socialism. For those who don’t know their history, that’s what Nazism is. He’s following Hitler’s playbook.
He’s failing, though, because he hasn’t given the people a bogeyman. Hitler had the Jews, and the myth of Aryan Supremacy. Chavez hasn’t quite learned that lesson, yet. Perhaps the Iranians will enlighten him. Or Obama. After all, he and his media pals gave us “Bushitler” as a bogeyman, and that worked.
Jan 24, 2009 - 12:53 am 2. vivo:Politics in Venezuela is a SPORT.
They copy the antics of the American conventions, argue to death when drunk and have unrealistic expectations. When the game gets serious or sour, they resort to the military. Democracy is just a sound bite (like in many other places). And whoever owns the oil, owns the country.
Jan 24, 2009 - 5:33 am 3. robert verdi:Call it what is, an axis of evil. They are left wing in economic policies, fascist in nature, and Nationalist in Rhetoric. Their is term to describe these criminals: National Socialism. I fear for Venezuela, if he steals this election we will have witnessed a fascist transformation before our government will have ignored the pleas for help as the last vestiges of freedom are squelched by a petro-thug.
Jan 24, 2009 - 5:54 am 4. Northern Light:Poor Hugo Chavez. As long as Bush was president he had the perfect boogyman to run against. Now that Bush is gone he can’t rally the people by running against the USA.
Jan 24, 2009 - 6:20 am 5. tanstaafl:It’s very sad.
Oogoe was repudiated first go round in his attempt to change the Constitution to make himself President for life, like his buddy Fidel.
I feel sorry for the people of Venezuela to have to constantly put up with this petty & bombastic yahoo.
But what is Chavez going to pull out of his bag of dirty tricks to ensure that he’s not humiliated at the polls like he was in Referendum 2007?
Maybe he’s got it rigged now, enough deep behind the scenes corruption that he could (on paper) prevail.
Alternatively, he could invite Jimmy Carter down to “certify” the referendum.
Jan 24, 2009 - 8:53 am 6. FunnyCave:See Hugo, the problem with you being president for life is noone knows how long you’re going to live. Is it going to be another 40 years? 12 years? Maybe even less. If you want to pass a law for you being president for life, then you also need to pass a law for the term limit for your life.
Jan 24, 2009 - 9:06 am 7. Stephen Fox:Maybe so, but they keep voting for him… whose fault is that?
Jan 24, 2009 - 10:18 am 8. gordo:The drama that you are watching in Vzla is the same you will be watching in the USA. Big difference is Hugo uses petro dollars and Obama will use tax payer dollars.
Good luck Vzla, the US needs a reminder of what it is to fight for your liberty and rights.
Jan 24, 2009 - 11:37 am 9. Christian Toto:You must be wrong. Sean Penn told me Chavez may not be a good man, but he could be a great one.
Jan 24, 2009 - 2:39 pm 10. Rika Hirayama:Chavez deserves to be a president for life not only for his country but for the suffering people in the whole wide world!!!!
Jan 24, 2009 - 5:36 pm 11. Dave:President for life + control of media = control of undustry = no democracy = dictatorship.
What part of this do idiots like Sean Penn, Oliver Stone, and Code Pink not get. Or….Maybe they do get it and they just want to to see freedom and democracy die in America. Nah, that would mean they are traitors and un-American so that can’t be true. They just must be fools and dupes. Right?
Jan 24, 2009 - 5:54 pm 12. Kevin:Did Sean Penn get a “gut feeling”? We know just how well of a barometer that is.lol The key is just how much control of the military he has. One of the key generals that retired last year was a major roadblock for Chavez. Is he still around and if so does he still have a lot of clout with the current military command??? Chavez cannot gain control with just the police. He tried that the last election and still lost. The key is the military, if he still isn’t in total control he will lose this election as well.
Jan 24, 2009 - 7:49 pm 13. WestGuard:Poor Venezuela. This thugish pig Chavez is stinking up the country. What an embarrassment he is.
Jan 24, 2009 - 8:08 pm 14. Anonymous:“37.7 percent supporting it”
Maybe South Park was being generous in their Urinal Deuce episode.
Cartman: 1/4 of people believe in 9/11 conspiracy theories, so you’re saying 1/4 of people are retarded?
Stan: Yeah, at least that many.
Kyle: Lets take a survey. There’s four of us Cartman is retarded, that makes 1/4.
I can’t imagine how Chavez’s supporters think this is a good idea when almost everything he has done has trashed their economy. Maybe name calling isn’t appropriate, but Tocqueville said: “People get the government they deserve.”
Jan 24, 2009 - 9:58 pm 15. e:“37.7 percent supporting it”
Maybe South Park was being generous in their Urinal Deuce episode.
Cartman: 1/4 of people believe in 9/11 conspiracy theories, so you’re saying 1/4 of people are retarded?
Stan: Yeah, at least that many.
Kyle: Lets take a survey. There’s four of us Cartman is retarded, that makes 1/4.
I can’t imagine how Chavez’s supporters think this is a good idea when almost everything he has done has trashed their economy. Maybe name calling isn’t appropriate, but Tocqueville said: “People get the government they deserve.”
Jan 24, 2009 - 9:59 pm 16. Maverick:It’s easy to see where Hugo Chavez is coming from. He wants to be another Fidel Castro. Revolution is the only way of life. Which Chavez has tried many times to convince the other South American countries of. If Chavez believes what he says, then it’s only a matter of time before he takes over as dictator, the same as Castro. In Hugo Chavez’s world, people’s rights, elections and free media just gets in the way. Thats no way to run a country. In order to see where a country is headed, look at their closest friends. Does North Korea and Iran ring a bell.
Jan 25, 2009 - 8:17 am 17. goy:- He’s following Hitler’s playbook.
I don’t know. In terms of historical references, what he’s done (and is doing) reminds me more of Mohammed Mossadegh. In fact that may be at least a part of what ties Chavez’ Venezuela to Iran these days.
The big difference is that Chavez didn’t have the opportunity to demonstrate what a strongman he was by formally reneging on any international treaties of consequence. Of course he tries to make up for that with his insulting and hyperbolic rhetoric.
Jan 26, 2009 - 8:10 am 18. eor:Just wait citizens of USA. Obama is already running for Dictator for life.
Jan 27, 2009 - 4:41 pm 19. Pedro Perez:Guess what, Bridget? You are using an old poll for this article based on December data, while last week polls shows people now are supporting Chavez proposal. (http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/01/28/en_pol_esp_technical-draw-in-vo_28A2209087.shtml)
Jan 28, 2009 - 6:37 pm 20. deguello:No doubt inspired by America’s own Chavez wannabe, Obama!
Jan 29, 2009 - 5:38 am