Tribune lies about Chavez
The Tribune editorial "Congress should take on real issues" (Nov. 12) contained an intentional misstatement, ie a lie. You alleged Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is a "ruthless dictator." In fact, he was elected several times. In the 1998 election he won 56% of the votes. 2000 reelection: 60%. 2004: 59% no to recal. A Chavez-backed Constitutional Referendum 1999: 72% yes. These elections were deemed free and fair by international observers. The Carter Center concluded that the presidential election legitimately expressed the will of the people. The press in Venezuela is free; this in a country where Chavez faced down a U.S.-backed military coup attempt in 2002.
Of course you can disagree with the policies of Hugo Chavez. But it is propaganda to call him a dictator after President Chavez was fairly elected and reelected. Considering the problems we've had with our elections (Florida in 2000, Ohio in 2004), you should be more careful with your accusations.
posted by Orval Osborne @ 11:44 AM
2 Comments:
Today (Dec 3) the Tribune printed another editorial lying about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. This nonsense is by Victor Davis Hanson, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. I must say academic standards are dropping at Stanford!
Hanson says: "Venezuela's Hugo Chavez is slowly strangling democracy in a manner that an impoverished Fidel Castro never could."
Orval's reply: Nonsense! As I listed above, Chavez was fairly elected and reelected many times. He is facing reelection again today. Most polls show Chavez with a commanding lead. Again, international observers are monitoring the election. Past Chavez elections were found to be free and fair. So Mr. Hanson is lying.
Hanson goes further: "Thanks to oil, unhinged leaders like ... Chavez in Venezuela can stay in power despite policies that ultimately harm their people, ruin their economies and imperil their neighbors."
No, the facts contradict these claims. According to "The Economist" magazine, "the economy is growing at 9% a year. Mr Chávez has channelled some of the oil money to social programmes (called “missions”) which provide health care, education and subsidised food in poor areas that were previously neglected by a creaking welfare state."
Hanson is the "unhinged" one, lying through his teeth, in defiance of the facts.
Too bad the newspaper doesn't have respect for the truth!
To put all your trust in the conclusions of The Carter Center may be naive.
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