World Affairs

Venezuela: still a democracy

the mainstream media generally abandons quaint notions of balance and objectivity when reporting on Venezuela

this often extends to left-of-centre newspapers not known to slavishly follow the Bush administration's lead when reporting on other oil states where regime change is either sought, Iran, or in process, Iraq

President Lula da Silva of Brazil defended Venezuela last week, asking why "people did not complain when Margaret Thatcher spent so many years in power"

"You can invent anything you want to criticise Chavez, but not for lack of democracy." Lula has repeatedly defended Venezuela's government as democratic, but these comments are never reported in the English language media

if Hillary Clinton is elected next year, we will have Bushes and Clintons as heads of state for a full consecutive 24 years

Chavez is also castigated for proposing to get rid of the independence of the Central Bank

there are sound economic reasons for this amendment.