Comments on: Hugo Chávez: A giant has left us http://www.redpepper.org.uk/hugo-chavez-a-giant-has-left-us/ Red Pepper Wed, 18 Sep 2013 17:39:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Michael Tressell http://www.redpepper.org.uk/hugo-chavez-a-giant-has-left-us/#comment-172226 Michael Tressell Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:19:42 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=9560#comment-172226 The poverty gap was reduced under Chavez (from almost 50% to 29%), however statistics exist to be manipulated. One may say he almost halved poverty and will be correct, however one could also say he just brought poverty to the average level of latin america and be equally correct. Considering he was considered ‘socialist’, merely bringing poverty down to the average poverty rate in other capitalist, exploitative countries in the same region aint enough to be considered the 21st century Lenin. Venezuela is also highly dependant on BP, Exxon, Chevron etc for their ‘economic independence’, while any true socialist would have ripped up all relations with such evil multi-nationals as them. It has only provided a temporary platform for social services. What about when the oil dries out? Socialism is about creating a system, a long term system controlled and produced by the working class benefitting society as a whole, while chavez’s economy was/is dependent on oil reserves. This aint socialism. Never mind the fact that many business leaders within the government, called ‘boli-bourgeoisie’, e.g. the rich people in our ‘socalist’ country. Abortion is still illegal, there are no rights for same-sex marriage and attacks on lgbt are not considered hate-crimes. Furthermore, there is the oppression of workers rights and trade unionism which makes chavez and socialism an oxymoron. While capitalism is defunct and a workers revolution is required, Chavez was not the man to provide it.

http://www.litci.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2226:on-the-death-of-chavez-&catid=78:statement-iwlfi-europe&Itemid=65

]]> By: Sam Jam http://www.redpepper.org.uk/hugo-chavez-a-giant-has-left-us/#comment-172007 Sam Jam Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:43:22 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=9560#comment-172007 Kevin

pretending Chavez was anything other than hugely significant in the Venezuelan revolution is actually rather typical of the Western left coverage
http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/estoy-con-chavez-soy-chavista-exploring-political-appeal-significance-hugo-chavez/

Pablo’s obituary was a welcome exception

]]> By: Kevin Blowe http://www.redpepper.org.uk/hugo-chavez-a-giant-has-left-us/#comment-166816 Kevin Blowe Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:40:02 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=9560#comment-166816 I really think Pablo should look up the word “hagiography”. The achievements of the Venezuelan revolution are definitely worth celebrating but pretending Chavez was anything other than deeply flawed is rather less than I’d expect from Red Pepper.

]]> By: onah kosi http://www.redpepper.org.uk/hugo-chavez-a-giant-has-left-us/#comment-165858 onah kosi Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:46:57 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=9560#comment-165858 Viva chavez…the truth about the man remains…No matter how the western media paint him..viva chavez..

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