Venezuela Honors Chávez as Pressures Mount

[brooklynite]

The Wall Street Journal:

CARACAS, Venezuela—Venezuela’s government put on a big show Thursday, holding concerts and forums, to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of a man it calls “El Gigante,” or The Giant: the late populist Hugo Chávez.

But for many rock-ribbed supporters of Mr. Chávez, like shopkeeper Jorge Cardenas, the last two years have been a big test of faith in the former leader’s socialist revolution, and in the man the late president handpicked to be his successor, President Nicolás Maduro.

Since Mr. Chávez died, the country’s deepening economic crisis has driven Mr. Cardenas to trade dollars on the black market, which is not only illegal but condemned by Mr. Maduro as an opposition strategy designed to destabilize him. Mr. Cardenas still supports the government, but says Venezuela is suffering under Mr. Maduro.

“He’s just not El Comandante,” he said.

Bread & Circuses?

[MADem]

1. Chávez looks like George Washington to Maduro's Bozo The Clown.

Nicolás is an incompetent idiot. He's driven the country into the ground!