Hugo Chavez has died

[Lief 🗽]

People need to stop watching FOX News.

Not just Fox News; most Western sources (at least English-language ones) were very biased against the man, even ostensibly left-wing ones like the New York Times or the Guardian.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I was NEVER a fan of his, ever. But what he did will be important for Venezuela's future.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Also, as hash just put it:

"I would have more respect for right-wingers if they were upfront about their reasons for hating certain foreign leaders; like "Chavez didn't let American businessmen run the country."

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I would like to add, that to those here calling Chavez's opponents "trashy", there was a thread called "Were gonna have a party when Thatcher dies." I know for a fact that half of you would celebrate the death of Dick Cheney, who was just as evil during his time in office, if not more evil, than Chavez ever was. So please, get a little bit of consistency in your hypocritical minds.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

I've never been entirely sure how to feel about Chavez. On one hand, I recognize the genuine good he's done for his country and its people, and is something of a martyr for the failed US-backed coup in 2002. On the other hand, my inner anti-communist (being the son of Cuban expats) opposes how he showed much too little regard for civil liberties.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Burn in hell, thug.

Classy

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Also, as hash just put it:

"I would have more respect for right-wingers if they were upfront about their reasons for hating certain foreign leaders; like "Chavez didn't let American businessmen run the country."

The reason the Palins, Becks, O'Reillys, and Bushes of the world hate him is because he nationalized oil. That is there reason, and the media’s reason. I oppose him for his funding of FARC, and as Snowstalker flatly put it out, his disregard for civil liberties.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I would like to add, that to those here calling Chavez's opponents "trashy", there was a thread called "Were gonna have a party when Thatcher dies." I know for a fact that half of you would celebrate the death of Dick Cheney, who was just as evil during his time in office, if not more evil, than Chavez ever was. So please, get a little bit of consistency in your hypocritical minds.

Aaaah, "some of you are assholes so I have to be an asshole too" mentality.

[DC Al Fine]

So what will this do to the political situation in Venezuela?

[njwes]

All the Venezuelans I know (and a bunch of the Cubans) are already celebrating

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Hypocrites, all of you.

I would like to add, that to those here calling Chavez's opponents "trashy", there was a thread called "Were gonna have a party when Thatcher dies." I know for a fact that half of you would celebrate the death of Dick Cheney, who was just as evil during his time in office, if not more evil, than Chavez ever was. So please, get a little bit of consistency in your hypocritical minds.

Aaaah, "some of you are assholes so I have to be an asshole too" mentality.

It's not surprising that there are vast segments of the British population eagerly awaiting this horrible woman's death.

It's not surprising that there are vast segments of the British population eagerly awaiting this horrible woman's death.

Oh don't be ridiculous.

I think you are being ridiculous, who really doesn't want Thatcher to die, if you think about the negative effect she had on the islands.

It's not surprising that there are vast segments of the British population eagerly awaiting this horrible woman's death.

Oh don't be ridiculous.

You clearly know loads about the UK. It's true that a large portion of the country hold nothing but resentment for her because of the damage she did to swathes of the UK.

"We're havin' a party when Thatcher dies" is a common football chant, for example.

No one is calling for her to be shot; no one (well, except the Provos) wanted that in the 1980s either. It's just that a lot of people will be satisfied at her passing. I suppose that might come across as a little ugly (and if I'm being honest it sort of is) but you have to understand that it is a reaction to something that was also rather ugly.

She defined large sections of British society as enemies - personal enemies - and shaped policies accordingly. If you do that, then you don't get to expect those same people to show even a basic level of respect. The political is personal sometimes...

[Lief 🗽]

Thatcher and Chavez really aren't comparable at all, sorry guy.

[RogueBeaver]

So VP Maduro is now Acting President Maduro, at least for the next 30 days. (Will that hold?) Capriles would be wise to stay out of this one lest he get swamped in a sympatsunami.

Anyhoo, a watershed for Venezuela and Latin America. Did some good things for the poor.

[Velasco]

LOL. I've never heard of people killed by Chavez regime. It seems that the propaganda machine works well.

He is not sending in tanks to Tiananmen Square, but the man was no hero. He funded FARC, the terrorist group that has lead to thousands of deaths in its war against Columbia.

You know that the FARC was active, alive and kicking in Colombia decades prior to Chavez. Do you want to make the man who has died guilty of all the dead in the neighbouring country? Do you know something about narcos, paracas and other lovely Colombian gentlemen? Come on, it's not the moment for the "Chavez is Evil" time. Watch Fox News if you want that kind of primary and biased stuff. By the way, I'll never claim that the man was a hero, but certainly he was democratically elected, like it or not. And, as some people is trying to tell you, not all his record is so bad.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

LOL. I've never heard of people killed by Chavez regime. It seems that the propaganda machine works well.

He is not sending in tanks to Tiananmen Square, but the man was no hero. He funded FARC, the terrorist group that has lead to thousands of deaths in its war against Columbia.

You know that the FARC was active, alive and kicking in Colombia decades prior to Chavez. Do you want to make the man who has died guilty of all the dead in the neighbouring country? Do you know something about narcos, paracas and other lovely Colombian gentlemen? Come on, it's not the moment for the "Chavez is Evil" time. Watch Fox News if you want that kind of primary and biased stuff. By the way, I'll never claim that the man was a hero, but certainly he was democratically elected, like it or not. And, as some people is trying to tell you, not all his record is so bad.

FARC has been around since the 1950s. That is common knowledge. Quit talking down to me; I am not another Palin-Beck rightwinger.

[Lumine]

I guess the next election has landslide potential if Maduro proves to be a decent leader in the next month and he gets more popular support due to Chavez's demise. If not, Capriles might have a shot, but I see Maduro as the likely winner.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Thatcher and Chavez really aren't comparable at all, sorry guy.

Your a horrible person, you know that right?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I like how I'm being called a hypocrite when I've not typed a single word

[JerryArkansas]

Thatcher and Chavez really aren't comparable at all, sorry guy.

They are completely comparable, they both were leaders of a large country, and they both were not to good leaders.

[Hash]

LOL. I've never heard of people killed by Chavez regime. It seems that the propaganda machine works well.

He is not sending in tanks to Tiananmen Square, but the man was no hero. He funded FARC, the terrorist group that has lead to thousands of deaths in its war against Columbia.

You know that the FARC was active, alive and kicking in Colombia decades prior to Chavez. Do you want to make the man who has died guilty of all the dead in the neighbouring country? Do you know something about narcos, paracas and other lovely Colombian gentlemen? Come on, it's not the moment for the "Chavez is Evil" time. Watch Fox News if you want that kind of primary and biased stuff. By the way, I'll never claim that the man was a hero, but certainly he was democratically elected, like it or not. And, as some people is trying to tell you, not all his record is so bad.

FARC has been around since the 1950s. That is common knowledge. Quit talking down to me; I am not another Palin-Beck rightwinger.

If you're not, you really should quit acting like one (and show basic human dignity).

[© tweed]

I'm more broken up about this than I have been over a public figure's death in a long time, possibly ever.  though the writing was, in retrospect, on the wall, I hadn't come to terms with it.  denial reigned, as it often does with the subject of death.  South America (and, by extension, the world) is a better place for having had him these past two decades.  let's hope what he helped to build can sustain in the face ofthe 24-7-365 neoliberal onslaught.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

LOL. I've never heard of people killed by Chavez regime. It seems that the propaganda machine works well.

He is not sending in tanks to Tiananmen Square, but the man was no hero. He funded FARC, the terrorist group that has lead to thousands of deaths in its war against Columbia.

You know that the FARC was active, alive and kicking in Colombia decades prior to Chavez. Do you want to make the man who has died guilty of all the dead in the neighbouring country? Do you know something about narcos, paracas and other lovely Colombian gentlemen? Come on, it's not the moment for the "Chavez is Evil" time. Watch Fox News if you want that kind of primary and biased stuff. By the way, I'll never claim that the man was a hero, but certainly he was democratically elected, like it or not. And, as some people is trying to tell you, not all his record is so bad.

FARC has been around since the 1950s. That is common knowledge. Quit talking down to me; I am not another Palin-Beck rightwinger.

If you're not, you really should quit acting like one (and show basic human dignity).

Human dignity is for those who deserve it; human dignity is reserved for respectable leaders, like Lula in Brazil, or the late Jack Layton.

[njwes]

LOL. I've never heard of people killed by Chavez regime. It seems that the propaganda machine works well.

He is not sending in tanks to Tiananmen Square, but the man was no hero. He funded FARC, the terrorist group that has lead to thousands of deaths in its war against Columbia.

You know that the FARC was active, alive and kicking in Colombia decades prior to Chavez. Do you want to make the man who has died guilty of all the dead in the neighbouring country? Do you know something about narcos, paracas and other lovely Colombian gentlemen? Come on, it's not the moment for the "Chavez is Evil" time. Watch Fox News if you want that kind of primary and biased stuff. By the way, I'll never claim that the man was a hero, but certainly he was democratically elected, like it or not. And, as some people is trying to tell you, not all his record is so bad.

FARC has been around since the 1950s. That is common knowledge. Quit talking down to me; I am not another Palin-Beck rightwinger.

If you're not, you really should quit acting like one (and show basic human dignity).

Please stop pretending that most Americans (including Democrats and those who describe themselves as liberal) had a positive view of Chavez. It may or may not be fair, but few people will see this death as a negative thing except for the ~progressive~ types who are over-represented on this forum

[Lief 🗽]

Thatcher and Chavez really aren't comparable at all, sorry guy.

Your a horrible person, you know that right?

That may be, but my point still stands. Chavez nationalized oil companies and took a lit bit of the wealth from the richest strata of Venezuelan society to redistribute to those in extreme poverty. Thatcher destroyed and economically devastated entire communities across northern England in an ideological crusade.

LOL. I've never heard of people killed by Chavez regime. It seems that the propaganda machine works well.

He is not sending in tanks to Tiananmen Square, but the man was no hero. He funded FARC, the terrorist group that has lead to thousands of deaths in its war against Columbia.

You know that the FARC was active, alive and kicking in Colombia decades prior to Chavez. Do you want to make the man who has died guilty of all the dead in the neighbouring country? Do you know something about narcos, paracas and other lovely Colombian gentlemen? Come on, it's not the moment for the "Chavez is Evil" time. Watch Fox News if you want that kind of primary and biased stuff. By the way, I'll never claim that the man was a hero, but certainly he was democratically elected, like it or not. And, as some people is trying to tell you, not all his record is so bad.

FARC has been around since the 1950s. That is common knowledge. Quit talking down to me; I am not another Palin-Beck rightwinger.

If you're not, you really should quit acting like one (and show basic human dignity).

Human dignity is for those who deserve it; human dignity is reserved for respectable leaders, like Lula in Brazil.

Lula is a big fan of Chavez and would certainly disagree with you that he is not deserving of respect.

[© tweed]

since all of the old issues have come up, below anyone interested can find a better short-form left-wing Chavez apologia than anyone here will type up.

http://www.leninology.com/2012/10/venezuela-in-21st-century.html