The propaganda that pours out of America which is picked up by media and devoured by Australians's which portrays Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez a Dictator and Tyrant could not be further from the truth.

Any who have the slightest knowledge in regards to the man and his politics will realize that in Chavez, Venezuela has a leader who shames those of present western nations.


His ideology exemplifies what constitutes a true Democratic society. He has overwhelming majority support and adulation from Venezuelan's, and can only be seen as a man of integrity and conviction with sound moral and ethical principals. Through the introduction of fundamentally fair and decent social policies aimed at narrowing the gap between the rich and poor one can only consider The people of Venezuela lucky to have such a leader. That he is accomplishing his agenda whilst fending off opposition from the wealthy elites within his own country and the interference of the United States seeking to pursue its Imperialistic agenda of self interest and greed demonstrates that the power of good intentions will defeat all threats.

The recent election of a socialist President in Chile, who will stand next to President Chavez should be celebrated. It is an encouraging step forward for the people of Latin America and a demonstration of how truly Democratic policies can work for, rather than against the majority.

You gotta know this doesn't sit well with Bushco and the Neo-Cons.


Chile's woman president-elect wins praise
Eduardo Gallardo | Santiago, Chile
16 January 2006 06:34


Socialist president-elect Michelle Bachelet was praised on Monday as a symbol of reconciliation who can help Chile come to terms with its traumatic political past.

Bachelet, who was imprisoned and tortured under the right-wing dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, decisively beat her conservative challenger, multimillionaire businessman Sebastian Pinera, in Sunday's election. With 97,5% of about 7,2-million votes counted, Bachelet had 53,4% of the official vote count to Pinera's 46,5%.

Bachelet's centre-left coalition has governed Chile since the end of Pinochet's 17-year dictatorship in 1990.

A 22-year-old medical student when Pinochet's led a coup 1973, Chile's president-to-be was arrested along with her mother and forced into five years of exile.

"She had the capacity for reconciliation in spite of the pains she had to suffer," Alejandro Goic, president of Chile's Roman Catholic Conference of Bishops, said on Monday after meeting Bachelet along with other clerics.

Santiago Archbishop Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuris praised her for "overcoming hatred".

"The success of Mrs Bachelet would be the success of the entire country," he added.

In a victory speech on Sunday night, Bachelet recalled her imprisonment and torture under Pinochet, saying that "violence entered my life and destroyed what I loved".

Her father, air force General Alberto Bachelet, opposed Pinochet and died in prison of a heart attack triggered by torture, according to Bachelet.

"Because I was the victim of hatred, I have dedicated my life to reverse that hatred and turn it into understanding, tolerance and -- why not say it -- into love," she said. "You can love justice and being generous at the same time."

Bachelet, a single mother of three, will join other leftist leaders in the region, including Venezuela's Hugo Chávez and newly elected Evo Morales of Bolivia, but indicated she will not bring about radical change to the South American country of 16-million.

"We will continue to walk the same road," she said in her victory speech on Sunday, making it clear she intends to maintain the coalition's free-market economic polices that have turned Chile's economy into one of the region's strongest.

Outgoing President Ricardo Lagos named Bachelet health minister in 2000 and two years later made her defence minister, a position in which she won praise for helping heal divisions between civilians and military left over from the dictatorship.

Bachelet (54) is only the third woman to be directly elected president of a Latin American country, following Violeta Chamorro, who governed Nicaragua from 1990 to 1997, and Mireya Moscoso, president of Panama from 1999 to 2004.

However, Bachelet, unlike Chamorro and Moscoso, did not follow a politically prominent husband into power.

"Who would have said, 10, 15 years ago, that a woman would be elected president?" said Bachelet before cheering supporters.

The victory triggered a carnival-like party on Sunday with dancing and singing in the streets to the rhythm of tropical music. Police said the celebrations were orderly.

Harvard-trained economist Pinera conceded defeat, calling Bachelet "president-elect" in an emotional speech to supporters.

"I also desire Michelle the greatest possible success," he said.

Bachelet on Monday held a breakfast meeting with Lagos and later met the bishops.

The president-elect also repeated her promises to improve public education, health and pensions for the elderly.

Lagos deftly balanced his socialist ideology with market-oriented economics and enjoys an approval rate above 70%. He is constitutionally prohibited from seeking immediate re-election.

Lagos and Bachelet belong to the same Socialist Party as Salvador Allende, whose leftist policies prompted Pinochet's bloody coup. But the party allied with other major left-centre parties in 1990 to oust the right wing, and their coalition has held while leading Chile into a free-trade pact with the United States, cutting inflation and fostering growth of about 6% a year.

Pinochet, who dominated Chilean political life for a generation, was not a factor in the campaign, and his spokesperson, retired General Guillermo Garin, said he paid little attention to it. At 90, Pinochet is ailing and was only recently freed from house arrest.

He faces charges of human rights abuses and corruption stemming from his 17-year rule. -- Sapa-AP

I find it amusing that the MSM keep making a big deal out of "South America's first woman leader" and "South Africa's first woman leader", like these countries are so far behind us (the great beacon of the US), when we haven't ever elected a woman, or a minority for that matter to our own highest post.

But I do agree, BRAVO CHILE

Hooray for S. America and its return to the left.

Thanks for your reply.
Loved your quotes, especially that from Steinbeck. I think it sums up the ground swell of dissent that is innevitably occuring in the West due to the present political climate. I have modified that particular post by the way.

No problem!

I like my signature. The Trotsky quote, IMHO, is great, and Steinbeck is the greatest American writer in the 20th century. Have you read Grapes of Wrath? I loved that quote when I first read it, and it still hits me every time I see it.