On the economic point you made, Venezuela’s economy did indeed shrink during the aftermath of the 2002 coup attempt and the management lockouts of 2002-3. Currently though, its GDP growth is around 10% (twice that of the US, about five times that of the UK). Granted this may be the result of high oil prices, but you’ve still got to be careful about throwing around accusations like that.

Yeah, that author is a paragon of objectivity.

Dude, this is by now a cliche. The left has been preaching this for decades. Uncle Ho was a moderate free marketer who just wanted to sing “Kumbaya” until the U.S. stopped supporting him in favor of the Frogs after WWII. Ditto Benevolent Fidel, who almost became a U.S. baseball star in the 50s. Evil Eisenhower and Kennedy just didn’t understand the poor guy and *poof*, he became a radical. Yes, these poor enlightened leaders just tried to be moderates but big ol’ bad Uncle Sam just wouldn’t let them, would he?

First, I’m sort of surprised and not surprised at the same time about this. Chavez is not stupid and must have some idea of the reality of North Korea. He is also operating in a political scene where there seem to be a variety of political strands mixed together, from old-school Stalinists to self-proclaimed Bolivarians to moderate liberal left types. Either he has come under the influence of a minority group who really think that North Korea is a ‘kindred spirit’ or he just thinks it is a good strategic decision to get into bed with anyone who is standing up to the US of A. Either way I think this a bad move. Although perhaps not as bad as ‘doing a Lula’ and just doing whatever the US and the IMF tells you to…

Second, one thing that a lot of people on the right seem to forget in their eagerness to denounce Chavez is that what he has actually done has been surprisingly moderate, particularly in the first few years of his administration. (He replaced the management of the state oil company! Gadzooks!) What really upsets the Venezuelan right is that he is not one of them - not one of the old oligarchy who had the place sewn up for many years, diverting the oil money into their pockets. He has become increasingly radical, partly in response to the pressure from the domestic right and the hawkish allies in Washington (partly also because he has raised the hopes of the Venezuelan poor and now has to give them something or lose power). In a sense the Bush administration has helped to create the very ‘monster’ they wished for.

Btw my thanks to Robert for defending me against all those horrid rightwing bloggers. ‘Tiresomely rightist’ - great, can I borrow that?