Quote:
|
The poll was defeated. If the vote was democratic, which it seems to be, Chavez isn't and won't be any time soon, a dictator.
|
I believe that Chavez has the best intentions, and while they're certainly has been improvement in some areas such as education and medical care in Venezuela, other developments are harmful and will continue to harm the country in the long-term.
That being said, I believe Chavez has dictatorial aspirations. He did after all lead an attempted coup some years before he became elected president, not dissimilar at all from the Munich Putsch. He believes he alone holds the correct vision for the shape Venezuela should take for the future, and seeks to cast out those who have competing visions, and use democratic processes to entrench himself as a life dictator.
Venezuela has made economic progress in the past three years, but these can be solely attributed to rising oil prices and the redistribution of these. Prior to 2004, Venezuela was in recession, and its current economic growth won't be sustainable if oil prices fall, oil becomes more expensive to produce, or runs out. It will run out eventually, and the discouragement of business and free enterprise is going to be seriously harmful to the nation's economic health.