Finally a rational post about Chavez supported by evidence. Thanks LG.
Hugo Chavez is a hot head.... no doubt about it. He has screamed bloody murder on several occasions and you pointed out one example of where he put his mouth in gear before turning on his brain. But he never actually killed anyone. Don't forget that the US under Bush tried to assassinate Chavez regularly (acts of war), armed his rivals and orchestrated at least one coup attempt. His life and that of his friends and family are constantly threatened by his adversaries and as a result he has become a little paranoid. So would anyone after the 3rd or 4th assassination attempt.
Regarding Venezuala's security forces... Chavez inheritied that system of government sponsored extrajudical assassinations and torture. He could have done something about it, but like Obama, he didn't. Venezuelan security forces will respond to lethat threats to government officials with lethal force. Venezuela also has a problem with heavily armed drug lords who operate outside the law. Venezuela suffers rampant gang related street violence. When Venezuela police go after the most dangerous people, then tend to go in guns ablazing. When they capture someone close to someone of interest they use the same techniques used by Americans when they capture a terrorist of interest... pretty much the same techniques drug lords use when they capture rivals or government officials.
BTW, Columbia which has similar problems on a far bigger scale, yet you don't hear Americans calling Columbia's President a thug or mass murderer, because he pro-US:
Amnesty International | Working to Protect Human Rights
Pretty much every latin American country has the same problems and abuses as Venezuela to some degree. I'll put Venezuela's record of violence, torture and murder up against Columbia and Mexico. A big step toward ending drug gang related violence would be to reduce demand for illegal drugs in the US. Take the money out of illegal drugs and many of these problems would disappear.
BTW, I never claimed Chavez is an angel. Such a claim would be a lie, (but not as big of a lie as claiming Chavez has murdered thosaunds and tortured millions.)
The real problem Americans have with Chavez is that foreign oil companies have to pay Venezuela more than a token amount to exploit Venezuela's resources. For that the American government sought to overthrow and assassinate Chavez. So far, they have not suceeded because Chavez is so popular.
What is really screwed up are Americans who consider Chavez a threat despite the fact that Chavez is responsible for them getting subsized heating oil. Without Chavez aid, they'd be freezing in the dark. What a load of ungrateful SOBs....
U.S. Poor to Benefit from 6th Year of Subsidized Venezuelan Heating Oil
January 28th 2011 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – Yesterday Venezuela’s Petroluem Corporation, CITGO announced the start of its sixth year providing subsidized heating oil to low-income people in the United States. An estimated 132,000 households across the U.S. will benefit from the program this year, amounting to $60 million dollars worth of savings.
Joseph P. Kennedy II, son of the late U.S politician Robert Kennedy and president of Citizen Energy Corporation, the U.S.-based non-profit organization that partnered with Citgo in 2005 to launch the Citgo-Venezuela Heating Oil Program, spoke at the Citgo ceremony on Thursday.
“Every year, we hear from families who struggle each and every day to put food on the table and heat their homes,” he said.
“We are deeply grateful to CITGO and the people of Venezuela for their generosity to those who need help keeping their families warm. Every year, we ask major oil companies and oil-producing nations to help our senior citizens and the poor make it through winter, and only one company, CITGO, and one country, Venezuela, has responded to our appeals,” he said...
U.S. Poor to Benefit from 6th Year of Subsidized Venezuelan Heating Oil | venezuelanalysis.com
How about a little gratitude? How come American oil companies don't help America's poor like Chavez has?