Can we please dispense with the myth that Hugo Chavez is a dictator?

Question

He is not and never has been a dictator, yet I repeatedly see the same accusation (almost invariably from US users) that he is. Is this because the US media & political system labels him a dictator, so as far as US citizens are concerned, it must be true?

Answer 1

Yeah, it's just US propaganda. He's democratically elected and incredibly popular.



What dictator would allow a right wing press to constantly print lies about the regime and try to bring him down? The press have absolute freedom there and, despite most of them being irresponsible and dishonest, he still allows them to stay in business.



What the ruling class of the US don't like is the fact that Chavez puts people first. Nationalising industry to keep people in work and ensure affordable goods is seen as a threat to the ruling elite who just want to keep people in poverty while making loads of money.



My only concern is that, because of the popularity of the politics of Chavez in South and Central America, the CIA may well organise and arm death squads to destabilise Venezuela in the same way they have with other country's in that region...most notably Nicaragua. The Contras are a terrorist organisation by any standard but, because they have US backing, we are told to support them. Well, I for one do not!



Some of the US contributors on here consider Obama a communist or socialist when, in fact, he's merely another bourgeois politician. The poor level of some people's political analysis is staggering!

Answer 2

Prior to Chavez appearing on the scene Venezuela was beibg run for the interests of a tiny few there and some in Miami. Chavez has taken control of Oil resources and kicked out the corporations and has started a socialist revolution. I see the words Communist being used several times in the previous answers, the word Communist is commonly used by ultra right wingers as a term for those who are not conservative. I would advise those who are only media informed to watch John Pilgers movie ' The War on Democracy' available on Google video for free and see what really happens in Venezuela not what right wing commentators claim. Also while they are at it perhaps they should look in a dictionary and see the definition for communism.

Answer 3

human beings interior the U. S. are conditioned to hate him. he's a genuine hero of the folk. opposite to American media lies, no longer each and all of the media stations there are owned via the administrative. the only MEDIA THAT have been given close DOWN grew to become into the single ADVOCATING OVERTHROWING the administrative. tell ME something human beings, IF there's a MEDIA STATION ADVOCATING THE DESTRUCTION OF the united states of a central authority., might the administrative. no longer close IT DOWN??? The CIA committed terrorism in Venezuela and tried getting Chavez out of power, however the very comparable VENEZUELAN human beings needed him back in! Ever through fact Chavez has been in power: hundreds of thousands have been waiting to get wellness preserve the 1st time hundreds of thousands have been waiting to get an outstanding education for the 1st time the only reason the united states of a does not like him is by using the fact he needs to apply aspects to help his human beings fairly of subsidizing low-fee hard artwork to the U. S. enterprise!!

Answer 4

Everyone knows that Chavez is a dictator. A dictator is anyone who does not agree with the United States of America's God-given right to direct the policies of other countries. Therefore, Chavez is a dictator.

Answer 5

If you look into this aspect, you will discover that the US White House and Pentagon have always supported and propagated dictators. One example is their support for the 15 year dictatorship by Augusto Pinoche in Chile. This was also supported by the British government of Thatcher. The US even supplied the Instruments of torture.

Answer 6

"Chávez was elected President in 1998 with a campaign centering on promises of aiding Venezuela's poor majority, and was reelected in 2000 and in 2006. Domestically, Chávez has maintained nationwide Bolivarian Missions, whose goals are to combat disease, illiteracy, malnutrition, poverty, and other social ills. Abroad, Chávez has acted against the Washington Consensus by supporting alternative models of economic development, and has advocated cooperation among the world's poor nations, especially those in Latin America." ~ wiki



this is scary stuff.

Answer 7

but timmy anyone who wins elections and referendums declared free and fair by international observers MUST be a dictator.



damn americans are quite possibly the most idiotic people on this planet. they have absolutely no proof to back up anything they say. and bmovies if you want to operate in other countries you follow THEIR laws not yours. those US companies were corrupt and chavez rightly seized them from capitalist pigs.



no worries timmy. some americans just think that they can do as they please in other countries. notice how all the ones with no answer tell you to go live there. its like their response to anything they cant answer about countries more sophisticated than these hillbillies



hitler was elected once then did away with parliament.



chavez has been elected twice and had numerous referendums passed. he compares to hitler in no way at all



bmovies did you even read the story about chavez jailing 8 opponents? it said they were jailed for taking part in a rebellion in 2002 (the US backed coup). so if you were in charge of a country would you just let people attempt a coup and then go free. yeah i didnt think so

Answer 8

This question has got to be a joke.



He is the head of state, government and the military. How is he not a dictator when he dictates all government decisions besides law making?



He is crushing freedoms of speech and the press. Murder rates have tripled since he took power. Police corruption and brutality is unmatched in the capital city of Caracas.



Was Hitler a dictator by your standards? He too was "elected".



I am getting tired of punks like you who constantly try to stereotype the American population as a bunch of mindless zombies. Grow up and learn to see people as individuals rather than accepting and spreading false generalizations.

Answer 9

1) He can run for President until he dies now. While this alone doesn't make him a dictator, his militant followers have no issues killing the opposition or at least preventing them from voting, which will essentially guarantee his re-election until he dies.



2) There was ONE opposition TV station. By order of President Hugo Chavez, it was shut down and replaced with a pro-Chavez propaganda channel.

Answer 10

Contrary to popular world opinion, Americans actually are capable of thinking for themselves. All the ones I know think Chavez is a dictator because his actions directly go against freedom of choice, which is what Americans are accustomed to by birthright.



EDIT: Personally addressing so many people may get you reported eventually, but since you haven't mentioned me yet, I thought I'd chime back in to say...I am American. I have been to Venezuela. I'm sure that Hugo Chavez probably has some good points, as everyone does. I just think it's difficult for people who were born free, such as Americans, to fully understand why anyone else would want to live any other way. I may not like the decisions my government makes, but I am fully capable of voting them out of office every few years and I don't have to be afraid of them kidnapping me and causing me to disappear in the middle of the night, never to be seen or heard from again.



However, as I said before, it's just an observation. I don't live in Venezuela, and you folks can live any way you want and are completely entitled to your own opinions. I just think it's odd that you don't want to allow anyone else on here to have their own opinions, regarding a question you asked them, without verbally castigating them.

Answer 11

Timmy are you so naive you don't think Chavez could fix election results, wow i thought you had more brains than that! At least your Cuban arguments are good

Answer 12

He's not. But who cares. Venezuela is not our country. So who really gives a flip.

Answer 13

Yes it is because the US media says he is a dictator. Ages ago when I was telling some Americans that Chavez is not a dictator and there is nothing that suggests it one guy gave me a link to an American opinion column where someone says he is a dictator, this was the guys proof that he was a dictator, it was so ridiculous.

Answer 14

To dispense with that myth would not serve American interests and their interests will always come above the truth!

Answer 15

Who else in the country holds any governmental power besides him?



That's an honest question, because I assume you are vastly more knowledgeable on the subject than me, and I'd like to expand my horizons.

Answer 16

Sorry Timmy! but Chavez is a dictator. He might choose to call himself something else, but if you do everything a dictator does, your a dictator.

Answer 17

You ask for proof.



Bmovies gives you proof.



then you bash bmovies.



"The truth? You can't handle the truth!"

Answer 18

He may or may not have been fairly elected, but anyone that wields that much power is pretty much a dictator. He doesn't appear willing to share power at all.

Answer 19

"Is this because the US media & political system labels him a dictator, so as far as US citizens are concerned, it must be true?"



Chavez seizes American food plant



http://hotair.com/archives/2009/03/05/chavez-seizes-american-food-plant/



Hugo Chavez seizes control of rice mills in price dispute



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/4903617/Hugo-Chavez-seizes-control-of-rice-mills-in-price-dispute.html



Chavez seizes tree plantation



http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/Chavez-seizes--tree-plantation.5048932.jp



Hugo Chávez airs wiretaps of political rivals



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/17/hugo-chavez-venezuela-wiretaps



Chávez Shutting Down Opposition TV Station



http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/chvez_shutting_down_opposition_tv_station/



Thousands Protest Closing of Anti-Chavez TV Station



http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,275832,00.html



Second Venezuela TV is under fire



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6699383.stm



"and bmovies if you want to operate in other countries you follow THEIR laws not yours"



Well, duh. I've been pointing that out for years. For example, why is the left constantly applying American laws to foreign countries and enemy combatants in those countries?



"those US companies were corrupt and chavez rightly seized them from capitalist pigs"



Thats a lie. Only one was a US company and it wasnt corrupt by any stretch of the imagination. He also siezed a Mexican owned cement company:



Venezuelan troops seize Mexican cement plant



http://www.topnews.in/venezuelan-troops-seize-mexican-cement-plant-260163



"thank you for putting bmovies60 in his place for me. I was about to tell him the same thing but you saved me the trouble."



Oh please. Otto put me in my place? Dont you wish.



"Perhaps bmovies60 thinks it's fine that the US government dictates to US & foreign companies who they can and cannot trade with, or is that not dictatorial?"



Hello? WHERE did I mention that was fine? Hmmm? WHERE did I even bring up the subject of the US dictating to anyone??? Do you have a reading comprehension problem?



This is NOT a matter of the US government dictating to them who they trade with. This is a matter of you claiming that Chavez isnt a dictator, and being proven wrong as evidenced by his method of governing: Siezing private property and tv stations.



"Also, do you have any evidence to show that Chavez's people kill & coerce opponents?"



Chavez opponents left jobless, blacklisted



http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/04/10/chavez_opponents_left_jobless_blacklisted/



8 Chavez Opponents Get Prison Sentences



http://articles.latimes.com/2004/oct/15/world/fg-briefs15.5

Answer 20

If you love him so much you and Sean Penn can go live there. Have a great trip!

Answer 21

No, it's because if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

Answer 22

OK Fidel. Whatever you say.

Answer 23

ok he's president for life (same thing).

Answer 24

timmy how is living with your head up your **** doing for you?

Answer 25

Venezuelan Ballot



****************************************

a.) Hugo Chavez

b.) The Handsome Hugo Chavez

c.) Undecided, but Hugo Chavez

d.) Other Guy and Death by Firing Squat

*****************************************

Answer 26

No, because he IS a dictator & a communist.

Answer 27

NO.. because he is one

Answer 28

He is not only a dictator , he is a communist and evil socialsim enforcer.