Hugo Chavez, Inept Imperialist

Hugo Chavez's military has been caught supplying weapons to Colombian drug militias. Weapons captured from FARC by the Colombian military were traced from their Swedish manufacturer to Venezuela. And then to FARC. And it's not even the first time.

His propaganda ministers are quick to make cliched remarks about U.S. interference, but even Interpol has been involved in this problem.

I'd like to suggest to leftist progressives in the U.S. sympathetic to Chavez because (you wonder if it's only because) he talked tough to Bush - and to Latin Americans who think he's doing a favor to the continent and encouraging solidarity - that Chavez's record speaks for itself.

- Hugo Chavez supplies weapons to criminal militias in neighboring countries (see above). These militias want one thing, money, and badly degrade living conditions for marginal people living in rural Colombia.

- Hugo Chavez actively suppresses free speech (try forming an opposition party).

- Hugo Chavez actively suppresses free elections (vote against him, lose your job).

- Hugo Chavez was one of few international leaders who saw fit to congratulate China on their pre-Olympics crackdown in Tibet.


Power to the people, right? Freedom! Right?