Second Time the Charm?

[REDWAVE]

All right, spurts fiends, here's my new poll. If you follow the news, you know there was an unsuccessful coup attempt against Hugo Chavez in Venezuela in April. It certainly seemed to me (and a number of other observers) that the U.S. government was behind the coup attempt. As such, it was a major defeat for the CIA, perhaps the biggest since the Bay of Pigs debacle. Anyway, those guys don't like not getting what they want. They definitely don't like getting egg on their face and looking bad. They're persistent, determined fuckers, and it's unlikely they'll give up after only one try. News accounts off the wires in the last few days about Venezuela have repeatedly mentioned that rumors of a new coup ("I need a new coup . . .") are swirling there. So the question of the day is, will the CIA succeed in overthrowing Chavez? How many attempts will it take? How great a length will they have to go?

Also, feel free to discuss Chavez as a political leader. My own take on him is that, although he claims to be on the side of the poor, and still has a lot of support for them, he basically is an opportunistic demagogue who has done little to actually help the poor in Venezuela. However, in his defense, he can claim that opposition and sabotage (mainly capital flight) by both the Venezuelan and international ruling elites has prevented him from achieving his full social program.

 

[Camille]

Oust Him!

The CIA involvement in the coup was almost non existent. From what I have read they (we) played both sides. Not caring who really succeeded. We just want our hands in the pockets of whoever is ruling the country.

He is certainly not a good leader, his government is less corrupt than the previous regime although that is not saying much. Their oil reserves should provide solid economic stability. But he and the previous leaders sell the country out to the oil companies. What currency that is generated is not fed back into the economy but into the pockets of his main opposition. (The ruling elite) The country is in the same bullshit stalemate it has been in for the last 10 years. Except the currency issue but that is brought about by outside forces. (OPEC) I think what we will see in the future in a joining of the South American oil producers and the Russians. Together they could negotiate with OPEC and better stabilize the price of oil.
He is a sell out. The small improvements he has made have been on the surface and not fundamental.

Cam