Venezuela's Chavez re-elected for another 6-year term

While I am not a huge fan of capitalism, this clown Chavez is an incipient megalomaniac. With political allies like Belarus, Cuba, and Iran, the hopes for the future of the people in Venezuela don't look so bright. Mary Reina will still be living in a hillside slum when the next election takes place.

Interesting thing, I saw an exit poll with the opposite numbers. Makes you think.

At least Chavez has the guts to do things like donate heating oil to poor elderly folks in New England during the winter, etc. while the Texas transplant scion of Kennybunkport GW was ensconced in the oval office.

It's no wonder that he is popular with the people.

Castro is his comrade, and public opinion of the USA is not very favorable in the region, though still far better than that of the UK.

If Obama gets a second term he should resolve the Cuba issues while Fidel is still around. Fidel Castro is an important historical figure in the region, and it's respected elder statesman. I can't see how a reconciliation would produce anything but positive effects throughout the region.

Heh, Chavez will have to deal with Obama for another 4 years.

At least Chavez has the guts to do things like donate heating oil to poor elderly folks in New England during the winter, etc. while the Texas transplant scion of Kennybunkport GW was ensconced in the oval office.

@ ubikwit: Here's a few fun facts for you:

About 30% of the population of the country live on less than US $2 per day

In 2010, Venezuela was listed as having the highest inflation rate in the world, averaging 29.1%

Venezuela has a total of 150 plants for sewage treatment. However still 13% of the population lack access to drinking water

So instead of trying to "stick it" to "W" Hugo should be spending more time working out the ills of his own countrymen before offering help to the USA just to try to stick it to the President.

@Alphaape

About 30% of the population of the country live on less than US $2 per day

In 2010, Venezuela was listed as having the highest inflation rate in the world, averaging 29.1% Venezuela has a total of 150 plants for sewage treatment. However still 13% of the population lack access to drinking water

Interesting post. But do you think that the figures you provide were any better before Chavez became president? (Hint: they were a lot worse)

But do you think that the figures you provide were any better before Chavez became president? (Hint: they were a lot worse)

The guy has been in power for about 14 years. If he can't at least get the people to $10/day with all of the wealth that the country has from oil and other resources that he nationalized from foreign companies, then what is he doing?

@Alphaape

Since it is a socialist system there are a lot of subsidized goods and services, so income is less a refection of prosperity than it is in a free-market system.

The fact that there is "high inflation" is probably misleading here, too, as that probably relates only to luxury goods and the like, not daily necessities that would have impact on the general populous.

I don't know anything about the Venezuelan economy, but the people seem to approve of the job he is doing.

Since it is a socialist system there are a lot of subsidized goods and services, so income is less a refection of prosperity than it is in a free-market system.

I thought that Socailism meant that everyone has a shared load. So the 30% that live on only $2 are what, people who just don't get it (sarcasm). That just goes to show, that no matter what the system, there is no utopia. There will always be haves and have nots. I would rather take my chances in a capitalist system. Look at the US, even the poorest of the poor would seem middle class compared to the people in Venezuela.

Look at the US, even the poorest of the poor would seem middle class compared to the people in Venezuela.

The safety net in the USA is not only rent asunder the remaining tatters are under assault from the republicans.

We're talking about increasing numbers of homeless children, record breaking number of people on foodstamps, etc.

But even those are the people that are still within the range of the safety net.

I wonder if there is an international organization that objectively evaluates basic economic security--like food and shelter--for different countries.

If there were, it would be interesting to see where in the results of the spectrum of income brackets and poverty level categories in the USA the people living on $2/day in Venezuela would fall.

Are they homeless? No, 30% of the population is not homeless.

It is not the working class in Venezuela that is critical of Chavez(thy re-elected him), it is the propertied class.