Yesterday, the voters of Venezuela delivered a stinging rebuke to the biggest tyrant in South America, Hugo Chavez. By a slim 51-49% margin, voters turned down Chavez’s bid to serve as President for life. The majority of voters also expressed their displeasure with Chavez’s rush to nationalizing industry and turning the economy into a socialist state.

Supporters of Chavez are concentrated in the lower income classes in Venezuela who back his plans to nationalize industry and expand government programs for the poor. On the other side, business groups are very concerned about the threats to private industry. The proposal would have allowed Chavez to pick local leaders and seize private property while suspending civil liberties during certain periods.

Chavez was initially elected in 1999 and will now have to vacate his position in 2012. Throughout his career, he has been opposed to the United States of America. He has taken numerous opportunities to insult President George W. Bush and allies of this country. He even called Bush a “devil,” yet refused to condemn political leaders who truly threaten human rights. Chavez has chosen to ally himself with communists such as Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Chavez recently visited Iran and hugged Islamic extremist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the same man who has denied the existence of the Holocaust.

In a bid to establish an anti-U.S. alliance, Chavez has intervened in the elections of neighboring countries. He has been able to use the billions of dollars in oil revenue to support his expansionist dreams.

The ballot measure united an interesting and diverse collection of opponents from the Roman Catholic Church to human rights groups who were concerned about the potential for Chavez to turn Venezuela into dictatorship. Overall, it was a great victory for the people of Venezuela and provides hope that the expansionist plans of the bombastic and dangerous Chavez will be curtailed.

Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 8 a.m. till Noon weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.









 

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