Kramerguy wrote:Sans, clearly you see him as the bad guy.. but why? Because someone told you to? Don't let me tell you he's not, but for your own sake go read about the good and he's done, and then weigh it against what you've been told to believe.
The Hugo Chavez story is a complex one filled with shades of grey. He will be seen by some as a hero of the poor and by some as the enemy of freedom. The truth probably is a little of both. He did move poverty levels from 60% of the population to 30% of the population... still double the rate in the US. It can also be said that anyone could have accomplished this with any economic or political system given the abject levels of poverty under the former corrupt dictator. All that was required was the will to get it done and he saw that lifting up the poorest of the poor would improve his country... and win votes.
The dark side is that his methods seriously damaged the golden goose in Venezuela (oil production). It has been falling since 2002 due to terrible mismanagement and deferred maintenance and re-investment. Another 10 years on the same path would have likely wiped out the oil industry there and ended the income stream needed for his social programs. Companies burned by Chavez will forever be wary of investing in Venezuelan oil and the long term effects of this will be felt by the Venezuelan people for generations.
Add-in crushing 30% inflation and one of the highest murder rates on earth and his legacy looks less rosy. While being one of the richest oil nations in the world, GDPPP was only 30% of US citizens. Better than under the former corrupt dictatorship but a long long way from "hero of the people" status in my book.
Yep, doing one's own homework is always better than parroting some politically motivated media source like Fox or Huffpo.
YMMV
