Last edited Mon Dec 31, 2012, 09:32 AM - Edit history (1)
Whatever their opinion was about Hugo Chavez and Venezuela has nothing whatsoever to do with any criticisms I have.
The mere fact that Chavez won elections is hardly a compelling argument that he has been a wise or effective leader. I believe we can each come up with examples closer to home that would show how that argument might be flawed.
And while I'm loathe to dignify your question about whether or not I "think the Venezuelan people are too stupid" with an answer, I'll answer simply, no, I don't think the Venezuelan people are "too stupid", as you put it.
Hugo Chavez's frequent, often daily, habit of appearing on television to deliver non-stop, rambling, speeches often lasting for 3 hours or more is behavior consistent with a megalomaniac, in my opinion.
Besides appearing on the five, Venezuelan state television channels, president Chavez's speeches, known as cadenas, must also be carried on almost the entire national broadcast system. During the 2012 election campaign, a Chavez speech even interrupted a broadcast by opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.
RCTV, once Venezuela's most watched station, lost its broadcast license in 2007. It resumed broadcasting on cable as RCTV Internacional, but was taken off the air in 2010 for refusing to carry Mr Chavez's obligatory broadcasts.
Making matters worse, in my opinion, is the content and tone of his speeches. He relies far too much on pompous, overblown, hyperbolic, rhetoric as would befit a national leader, in my opinion. There's a time and a place for bombastic speechifying, but all day, all the time doesn't fit my taste, if it pleases you.
Substantively, I believe a solid argument can be made that Venezuela and Venezuelans are practically no better off after 12 years of his rule.
I have serious objections to many specific provisions in Venezuela's sweeping education reforms of 2010 -- which I should add have nothing at all to do with "right wing talking points", as you implied. Even if many of the law's objectives were laudable, I think the law as passed is an unworkable mess.
Likewise, I have deep objections to many of the reforms to the "Law on Social Responsibility in Radio and Television".
Lastly, I'll continue to "criticize the democratically elected leader of another country" however I see fit, thank you. Whether I'll be "taken seriously" is not something that concerns me all that much.
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