Agree with you Crusoe. The measure of his popularity will be seen in a few days when millions pay respect to his memory. We so allow the Western media to shape our views.

In Central and Latin America where many of the countries were run by rich families democracy as we know it was not something to implement easily. It is a process.

I guess Chavez will miss his swearing ceremony now.

@Crusoe

Many of those braying about Chavez have no problem with Barbados establishing diplomatic relations with China for example. O what hypocrisy.

@Pacha & BAF
People get cancer, for God’s sake, and of those that do, most will die from it. Eerm, David Thompson, for example? If Chavez had been poisoned with pollonium or any such thing, imagine what a propaganda coup that would have been for Chavez and Castro. For me, the best moment was at the United Nations, when he followed George W Bush to the podium. “the devil was just here”, and then he crossed himself. Hilarious.

@Balance

u were correct when u stated that the descendants of old planter class had dominated venezuala’d political landscape and chavez, the popular president made great inroads to the oligarcial politcal strutue that was in existnce, may the lord be with him.

David

A cancellation? Your disclaimer is not working.

Let us not forget a man by that name of Bertrand Aristide, still not even allowed the dignity of returning to his place of birth. This is the result of a successfully run American lead “coup”.

Soon the conspiracy theories would start flying as it relates to chavez death. wouldn,t be klong before the backers of that deceased dictator find some one to blame pointing fingers at the CIA

Baf………….Aristide was like an unwelcomed distraction at that time, one that could not be tolerated……………..too much was going on.

ex -UK ambassador to Uzebekistan, Craig Murray shares some thoughts on the passing of Chavez. (Murray was recalled as ambassador and fired by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office because he disobeyed orders to stop complaining to his bosses back in the UK that the British government did nothing to pressure the Uzbek dictator, Karimov, – an ally in the Bush/Blair supposed “War on Terror – to not torture and kill his political opponents).

From Murray’ blog entry today:

.”Chavez’ overwhelming achievement was to apply succesfully in a developing country the international law doctrine of a state’s inalienable right to its mineral resources, as declared by the UN General Assembly in 1968. One of the fundamental reasons that the developing world is so poor is that states have been unable to take a reasonable share of the economic benefit from exploitation of their mineral resources. The main reason for this is that multinationals have bribed corrupt politicians for the rights at little purchase cost and low taxation and resource share.

I know Ghana best. Newmont, the world’s biggest gold mining company, has revenues of 1.5 billion dollars in Ghana and pays no corporation or revenue tax. Not one penny (or rather pessowa). And causes vast environmental despoilation and social dislocation. That is how the sytem works, throughout the developing world.

The doctrine of alienable right enables states to simply cancel such scandalous deals, and that is exactly what Chavez did in Venezuela’s oil sector. Cancelled them and imposed fairer arrangements. He applied the huge increase revenues to massively succesful poverty alleviation via social programmes, housing and education.

The western states of course do everything to stop developing countries doing this, on behalf of the multinationals who control the politicians. They threaten (and I am an eye-witness) aid cancellation, disinvestment and trade sanctions. They work to make you a political pariah (just watch the media on Chavez today). They secretly sponsor, bankroll and train your opponents. The death of such “dangerous” leaders is a good outcome for them, as in Allende or Lumumba.

Chavez faced them down. There are millions of people in Venezuela whose hard lives are a bit better and have hope for the future because of Chavez. There are billionaires in London and New York who have a few hundred million less each because of Chavez. Nobody can deny the truth of both those statements.

Now which group owns the mainstream media and politicians who are spitting bile against the dead man today?

http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/03/chavez/

@Well Well
I regret having to enlighten you BUT the Chinese Communists are in the process of RAPING MOTHER AFRICA of her resources via 650+ projects!!!
So the REAL COMMIES are also the ENEMY!!!!

I actually agree with SPEAKING out against stupid, corrupt activities of all shades of the political spectrum!!!! Especially those currently at the highest levels in the US Govt who have the majority totally confused as to who their controllers really are!!!

http://www.infowars.com/russian-leader-demands-investigation-of-chavez-death/
Six Latin American leaders who were critical of US foreign policy have ALL contracted cancer, coincidence?

@Lief

Now surprise here, should have been proactively dealt with by government. Social Media has been harping on this issue for months now.

No regrets dear…………….the African leaders are allowing the rapes, once again of Mother Africa………………..just like the Caribbean leaders…………..no big whop, just more of the same.

A reminder that Chavez won 55% of the vote last presidential election.

”David | March 6, 2013 at 7:04 AM | @Crusoe
Many of those braying about Chavez have no problem with Barbados establishing diplomatic relations with China for example. O what hypocrisy.’

—

Exactly. As if Tianamen Square never happened…oh no.

Not when so many large corporations depend on China for cheap production to sell in USA…and China…etc etc etc.

Its called selective analysis and rationalisation of events.

One more point, I am not against any country…but certain large corporations and groups put their own interests above all else, including above North America.

THAT is another issue. I for one am not against the US or any other nation…. it is ‘interest groups’ (for want of a better description) that are detrimental to their own countries too, that cause havoc.

@Pach
that was the first thing that entered my mind, and i raised it with a friend of mine and she dismissed my way of thinking, but having read the article, i am now beginning to think that his cancer could have been induced, What about Arafat, We must not just refute these views but explore that angle as well, U would recall that the Americans and the Russians were involved in germ warfare, among other things.

TO THE POINT

The Government of the United States of America is guilty by FAR of spending the largest amount of tax payers money on weaponry and “secret” warfare research … ie. studying new and improved ways to kill people. It deserves every bit of suspicion that it receives and you would be a fool to ignore such .

@DAFFY
Learn to read, David did not write such.LOL

Every once in a while, a REAL LEADER comes along.
Unfortunately, this is such a rare event, that the stupid masses either crucify them, burn them as witches, lock them in prison or, if the place is in desperate straights, install them as king.

Some REALLY outstanding leaders suffer many of the above fates…sometimes simultaneously.

Fidel
Toussaint
Mahatma G
Churchill….

Chavez was without doubt in that class of leaders.

Any man who could for over a decade, defy the evil might of the USA; positively changing the prospects of the poor masses of his country, while sitting on vast oil reserves (a sure way to get the USA to destroy a country and its leader) MUST be a special human.

The fact that Moneybrain, balance and many others despise him only serves to support the fact of his outstanding life’s work.

There is ABSOLUTELY no doubt that he was killed by those who opposed his “Robin Hood” like national programs. The surprise is that it was not earlier, and more like the end that came to MLK….perhaps they are more careful or more refined nowadays….

Chevez can rest in peace – knowing that he lived the live of a true Bolavarian Hero and not that of the mice that typifies the kind of “heroes” who gain the praise of his detractors.

@ David (not BU)
…you mean that you EVER agree with something that Bushie said…?
LOL
…really thought that EVERYTHING the Bushman said smelled that way to you… 🙂

Moneybrain | March 5, 2013 at 8:18 PM…”The problem with Democracy is that too many idiots get to vote!!!”

Not so long ago like you some people said that women shouldn’t vote, that black people should’t vote, that Jews shouldn’t vote, that poor people shouldn’t vote.

“They” were wrong.

You are wrong too.

@Simple Simon
Very appropriate MONIKER! And you chose it for yourself????

Is it NOT ironic that the Western DEMOCRACIES are FAILING when China run by COMMUNIST DICTATORS are succeeding???

Politicians will pander to those in Society who will vote for them TODAY and NOT for what is excellent Policy for the longterm betterment of the vast majority. Most IDIOTS believe that money grows on trees and Govt has limitless supplies of $$$$$.

SS, you and the vast majority of voters in the Western World are about to SUFFER serious financial pain brought about by the CLOWNS in Politics. The leaders in the US know what is coming and that is why they are taking delivery and putting to use thousands of drones in US skies and thousands of armoured personell carriers in the streets.

Simple Simon will you be in a position to find the PIEMAN farless pay him???
Most should be very worried!

I do not live in Venezuela nor have I ever visited that country. Whatever I have heard or read about Venezuela has come mainly from the news media of Britain (i.e. the BBC) or the US (i.e. CNN, NBC, CBC etc) That said it appears indisputable that Chavez was elected repeatedly by the majority of Venezuelans in elections that were free and fair with turnouts in some cases of over 80% (contrast this with the 60% turnout in Barbados). Now that Chavez has died the same before mentioned news sources are reporting of widespread grief being shown by very large numbers of Venezuelans. This is consistent with the reports of Chavez’s popularity among the Venezuelan people. Why was Chavez so popular even beloved? I believe human being to be the same all over the world. We support those whose actions benefit ourselves. Thus I conclude that for a large majority of Venezuelans in their opinion, the policies of Hugo Chavez were to their benefit. It does not matter whether these policies met my approval, the only people who could have mattered to Hugo Chavez are the Venezuelans and it is clear where and with whom they stood! I believe it is the right (if not the nature) of every person to pursue his self interest. As a group, Venezuelans are no less intelligent than any other and it is clear that for them they believed that Chavez well served their interest. Thus If we had a problem with Chavez we really are saying that we have a problem with the Venezuelan people.

May the family, friends, supporters and colleagues of Hugo Chavez find comfort in the memory of his positive achievements. May they (and we) be inspired to live with the same passion, conviction and decisiveness to act that characterized his life.

Moneybrain

Here is something to chew on. Barbados is run by public servants… you know, Permanent Secretaries, CEOs of Statutory Corporation and so on, and public spending is by and large determined by the same moneyed interests. Political personalities that dance before cameras and are the result of a polling process have little to do with all of this other than to facilitate it and put a face on proceedings. Now how the f*ck is that any different to a dictatorship ….?