Hope for Venezuela
Posted by Richard on December 3, 2007
Venezuela's voters have rejected Hugo Chavez's attempt to become the next Fidel Castro of Latin America:
CARACAS, Venezuela: Voters in Venezuela defeated a contentious referendum that would have given President Hugo Chávez sweeping new powers, the Election Commission announced early Monday.
The results were a stunning defeat for a leader who was trying to extend already broad powers and lead his country in a radical new direction.
The commission said 50.7 percent voted against the referendum and 49.3 percent voted in favor. The results were all the more surprising given that Chávez and his supporters control nearly all of the levers of power.
"The result is quarrelsome," Vice President Jorge Rodríguez said in comments broadcast on national television.
Opposition leaders were more upbeat. "Tonight, Venezuela has won," said Manuel Rosales, governor of Zulia State and the opposition's candidate in presidential elections last year.
Chavez's many high-profile American supporters, including Sean Penn, Naomi Campbell, Danny Glover, and Kevin Spacey, don't seem to have helped him. Asshats.
All the pre-election polls not paid for by the Chavez regime indicated about a 10-point advantage for the "No" vote, so the narrow loss suggests that the actual results were so overwhelmingly anti-Chavez that the usual cheating couldn't fully offset them. Even though representatives of the "No" side were apparently prevented from witnessing the vote counting. I credit Jimmy Carter, who in 2000 and especially in 2004 legitimized what were clearly fraudulent election results. This time, he was absent. Thank you, Mr. Carter (you contemptible POS).
For now, there is hope that Venezuela will avoid becoming yet another Stalinist state. Assuming Chavez allows these results to stand. For the latest news, check out The Devil's Excrement, Venezuela News and Views, and Caracas Chronicles.
Bravo!
Dana said
Yeah…a little hope for Latin America! Sometimes I wish we could trade intellectuals and whatever it is you would label Penn, et al. They could build their socialist utopia, and we could be free.
rgcombs said
Dana, some of what you wish for has already happened. No, we can’t “deport” Sean Penn and his cohorts, but some of the “best and brightest” of Venezuela have already emigrated here to escape the descent into a collectivist hell that Chavez has been engineering. We should embrace and welcome them.