CHAVEZ VOLUNTEERS TO BE LEADER FOR LIFE

Antony Loewenstein, canny political observer and admirer of Hugo Chavez, recently linked approvingly to this from lefty lunatic John Pilger:

On March 27, Channel 4 News broadcast a relatively long piece on Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela. On Channel 4's website you get a flavour: “He is in danger of joining a rogue’s gallery of dictators and despots — Washington’s latest Latin nightmare.”

This was a piece seemingly written by the US State Department, although Channel 4's Washington correspondent, Jonathan Rugman, appeared on screen. It was one of the worst, most distorted pieces of journalism I have ever seen, qualifying as crude propaganda. I have been in Venezuela lately and almost nothing in Rugman’s rant coincides with reality. Factories are like “Soviet collectives”; a dictatorship is on the rise; Chavez is like Hitler (Rumsfeld); and the media is under government attack.

Loewenstein now has doubts about the true nature of Chavez's "revolution":

Perhaps Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been spending too much time with Cuban leader Fidel Castro:

President Hugo Chavez said yesterday that Venezuelan voters should have the chance to decide whether he should govern the country for the next 25 years. Speaking at a stadium packed with supporters in central Lara state, Mr. Chavez said he would hold a referendum to put the question of his remaining in office to Venezuelans if the opposition pulls out of Dec. 3 presidential elections. Mr. Chavez said Friday that he might seek “indefinite” re-election through a referendum if the opposition boycotts the presidential vote.

A revolution is sweeping across Latin America, but democratic norms must be respected.

Revolution my arse, it's the same old oppressive lefty cult of personality, leader for life bullshit.

Update: Wonder what these guys will say if Chavez has himself declared dictator?