At 2:53 PM -0500 12/3/02, Nathan Newman wrote:
>The problem with Venezuela as an example is that Chavez lost support partly
>because of assaults on moderate forces that he turned into enemies. The
>unions in the privileged petroleum sector are problematic in an
economically
>polarized society, but Chavez went out of his way to antagonize them to the
>point of losing all international labor support for his regime when he
>engaged in authoritarian union-busting tactics.
-Reports so far indicate that oppositions to Chavez are not united, -and their strike this time is less successful than those in the past:
My point is not that Chavez has lost all support in all sectors, even among workers, but that by his actions he alienated many people he shouldn't have, strengthening the opposition to the point where the business elites actually have a serious base among the unions and general working society. It was idiocy and arrogance on Chavez's part and blaming the media is an excuse.
Contrast this with Lula, who I am sure many lefties will grumble is making too many conciliatory noises, but at the end of the day, I would bet that Lula and Brazil will accomplish more progressive change than Chavez's authoritarian theatrics have.
-- Nathan Newman