I'm far from expert on Venezuela, which is why I've said little about it, and nothing lately, but my reading continues to suggest that nobody's "side" comes off well, and there is no mass movement of good guys to cheer for.

You're supposed to be an expert before posting? Geez, I'm way off, then.

I suspect you're right that neither side is particularly great here, but then, how often do we really have such clarity? I think we're certainly a lot better than any other place on Earth (which is why I don't just move, as you suggested the other day), but we sure as Hell have our problems. Personally, I think the best thing we can do in Venezuela is stay out of it. But I'm curious what John Kerry's position on it is, as I'm still trying to get a feel for where he stands on foreign policy other than ABB.

Chavez's suppression of the opposition is looking to be increasingly brutal. He has no use for the democratic process. Whatever the sins of his opponents I think it's safe to issue a blanket condemnation of his regime.

I don't have any problem with condemning Chavez. But it's also important to have a better alternative, and one that, you know, the Venezuelans desire, or at least can settle for as a compromise. I won't weep for Aristede, for instance, but now what in Haiti? What happens when the only folks in sight are thugs and thugs, or an authoritarian demagogue and a thin ruling class?

One thing I'd be careful of in reading Veneuelan news is doing one's best to tease out the biases of those reporting and their sources. Because no one there is objective, and everyone's accounts, it seems, are slanted. There are, it looks like, plenty of legit grievances on both "sides."

I don't know if Chavez intentions are pure and I suspect he has good motivations, but he is clearly taking away the democratic society that Venezuelan's have come to cherish. He is literally following the exact footsteps Castro took when he took Cuban into its present state. Very slowly---and very methodically--he has set about dismantling democratic institutions that have been in place since the 50s and which the Venezuelan people felt strongly about.

For almost 50 years, Venezuela has been the longest functioning democracy in Latin America. Since then, there have been four major insurgencies---two led by Chavez before he came to power, and two against Chavez once he came to power democratically when he was elected in late 1998. He must have thought, "If I can't beat 'em, join em" as he has set about dismantling all the democratic institutions that Venezuelans have relied on for the past 50 years.

Since Chavez took over in February 1999, he has systematically destroyed all aspects of Venezuelan democracy that had previously been successfully in place for almost 50 years. He unilaterally (and without legal authority) rewrote the Venezuelan Constitution. The old Constitution called for five-year Presidential terms and strictly prohibited sequential second Presidential terms. Chavez's new "constitution" extended the term to six years and called for new elections in 2000, which he conveniently won. He thus guaranteed himself and unprecedented 8 years of rule which went against a very basic tenet of the democratic principles spelled out in the old Constitution. Chavez accomplished this by systematically and illegally ousting democratically elected members of Congress, firing and appointing judges at will, and overall usurping the local and national law on a consistent basis, despite vocal and legal protests.

What Chavez has been doing is exactly what Castro did when he first came to power....he slowly dismantled the various parts of the democratic government until there was NO democratic government. The people of Cuba were like the proverbial frog sitting in hot water and they remained there until the water was boiling and it was too late. Venezuelans are rejecting this path for their country and we should applaud them. Despite claims of "class warfare" over 70% of people polled want Chavez out. If that is not a clear plurality, I don't know what is.

Chavez is a self-proclaimed revolutionary. Referring to a Washington Post interview, dated October 15, 2000 Chavez is quoted as saying "We are in the midst of the process of change--giving birth to a new political system, because representative democracy is not really good for us." Although he was democratically elected, he leveraged that very opportunity to turn against the institutions and venues that he used to get to power. That he now shrouds himself with the democratic banner is hypocritical. That the US media doesn't call him on it is shameful.

The biggest "story" in this story is not the fact that there is escalating turmoil. No, the big story here is the extent to which the Venezuelan people have united in the fight for democracy! These seemingly disparate groups have one commonality: they choose democracy for Venezuela and they---the normally placid middle class, the elite, the business community, the military and working people-- are jointly going to the streets in numbers to fight for it! Waiting another 8 months for an election will give Chavez even more time to further dismantle the democratic systems that Venezuelans have relied on for over 50 years.

Why should Americans care?

If concern for our loyal neighbors is not sufficient, Americans should still be concerned about a regime that is intent of sharply distancing itself from the US after a century of close allegiance. Chavez has aligned himself with Libya and Iraq and most recently Iran. He has been sharply critical of the US and not particularly supportive on the US stance towards drugs in Colombia. There is even a claim from Venezuelan Air Force Major Juan Diaz Castillo that Chavez contributed $1M to al-Qaeda and has sent troops to Cuba for training and “ideological indoctrination”. And he has done these things despite the fact that Venezuela has been a traditionally strong long-term ally of the US. In fact, I believe in the recent worldwide poll conducted about worldwide attitudes towards America, Venezuelan citizens were the most positive WORLDWIDE about American policies, stances and culture. Yet, Mr. Chavez disregards that long-term affection and allegiance in favor of aligning with American enemies. Why? Because he is not a friend of democracy and his concern is solely for his own power.

Just think what Americans would need to resort to if a democratically elected leader set about destroying its very democratic core...and you will have a much better understanding of what is truly occurring in Venezuela today.