CrackpotForeigner Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Sad news. My opinions and impressions: He might have made plenty of mistakes, but I do believe his heart was in the right place. The masses in Venezuela loved him because he looked after them, although often at the expense of the middle classes and economic growth. The BBC asked whether he'd be remembered "As a true friend of the poor or a radical-turned-autocrat?". I don't see why you can't be a bit of both. He was fairly unique in that sense. In a world full of self-serving, money-grabbing, USA-pandering career politicians with no personality he stood out. I'm going to miss him. Hopefully his ideology will outlive his personality cult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Chavez dead? Good news. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 58 is too young. Don't know much about him but I think Venezuela uses its oil reserves to prop up a load of their neighbours. Spread the wealth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) Poisoned by America. Shame. US backed hihack of a foreign countrys election to come? . Edited March 5, 2013 by Rodders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Not big on politics, but all I've ever really hard about him is his anti-semitism and spreading of the hate. If that's true, good riddance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Must be good run a car in Venezuela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmythomas Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) Not big on politics, but all I've ever really hard about him is his anti-semitism and spreading of the hate. If that's true, good riddance. Well maybe you should do some research before you start spreading hate. The portrayal of him by the Western media has been ridiculously distorted. (I'm not a massive fan of him, but it pisses me off when people simply dismiss him as some crackpot dictator) He's done a lot of good for Venezuela. Edited March 5, 2013 by jimmythomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) Not big on politics, but all I've ever really hard about him is his anti-semitism and spreading of the hate. If that's true, good riddance. Well maybe you should do some research before you start spreading hate. The portrayal of him by the Western media has been ridiculously distorted. (I'm not a massive fan of him, but it pisses me off when people simply dismiss him as some crackpot dictator) He's done a lot of good for Venezuela. Just did and I'd assumed it was just an instance, but apparently there's long running criticism of anti-semitism by his office and state owned media outlets. Pretty shocking really. He may have done good, but you can't put fear into a group of people within your borders and not have a black mark for it. Edited March 5, 2013 by kurtsimonw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Helped the poor. Opposed neoliberalism. Too cosy with Iran. Ultimately he helped the rise of social democracies in Latin America as a whole which can't be underestimated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Not big on politics, but all I've ever really hard about him is his anti-semitism and spreading of the hate. If that's true, good riddance. Well maybe you should do some research before you start spreading hate. The portrayal of him by the Western media has been ridiculously distorted. (I'm not a massive fan of him, but it pisses me off when people simply dismiss him as some crackpot dictator) He's done a lot of good for Venezuela. Just did and I'd assumed it was just an instance, but apparently there's long running criticism of anti-semitism by his office and state owned media outlets. Pretty shocking really. He may have done good, but you can't put fear into a group of people within your borders and not have a black mark for it. on a quick 2 minute piece of googly research, the Jewish telegraphic Agency suggests he was ok with Venezuelan Jews but was anti Israel. I think he's probably done a lot less harm in the world than, say, George Dubya or Blair. Plus of course, he was democratically elected with massive majorities in election with large turn outs three times, all verified as fair elections. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 "We reiterate, our greatest commitment and our greatest solidarity ... for the creation of an independent Palestinian state with the holy city of Jerusalem as its capital."-Hugo Chavez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 "We reiterate, our greatest commitment and our greatest solidarity ... for the creation of an independent Palestinian state with the holy city of Jerusalem as its capital."-Hugo Chavez yep, that's looks anti Israel fwiw, an independent Palestine would be a good thing in my opinion Jerusalem probably needs to be raised to the ground or declared its own free state Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Bloody hell, when the death of Chavez sparks a debate about his views on Palestine, you do start to expect a US plot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b23avfc Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 No death is good. On the pros and cons.. A friend from Venezuela recently came back to the UK and once a proud Venezuelan he now refuses to go back due to the state of his country. Interesting. I'm not one to believe a lot of the western world's spin and I've just come back from Venezuela's neighbour ... But it seems like he wasn't so great. Or possibly always so bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 In my line of work I've met several Venezuelans, and their views have varied. Generally the ones who actually live in Venezuela were fans. I think the ones who lived elsewhere were variously either living elsewhere because of how they found life under HC, or had moved before he came to power and were influenced by relentlessly anti-Chavez US media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Right now I'm sure a room full of CEO's of Big Oil companies are sitting around slapping their laps, chewing cigars and sporting raging erections. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Bloody good boxer. That fight against meldrick Taylor was superb ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Cheapest petrol on the planet I believe, when I was there in 2008 it was something silly like about 10p per litre. Cheaper than water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Its a pity, their is only Ahmenidjad left to wind up the Americans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 He bought a third world country into the developing world. At a price of course, but a price the people were more than willing to pay. American propaganda aside those that are richest often have the money and the power to shout the loudest, so he was never going to be popular internationally. More importantly, I don't think he cared. A revolutionary leader, if not always a great man. Maybe now Venezuela needs to take a slightly different route and take advantage of the international community a little more. But his work should never be forgotten, for better and worse. RIP. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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