Web Letters: Progressive Change in Venezuela

Do you know that Chávez has total control of CNE (the Council for the National Electorate)? Do you know that it took four hours for him to recognize defeat? Have you seen the video in which he describes the NO victory as a S--T victory? Do you know that venezuelans have to stand in line to buy milk in a country whose oil revenues are megazillions? Have you heard about rampant corruption in the "Bolivarian" government?

Well, I lack the skills to elaborate a sophisticated political analysis, but knowing Venezuela as I do, it's a no-brainer to realize that we have run into another caudillo like many we have had before. Last, if you bother to compare Hugo Chávez with George W. Bush, you will find a lot of similarities between them. They're both bad news.

Miguel Santeliz

Santa Fe, NM

This web special is an example of how The Nation leads in news analysis. The corporate media described the recent Venezuelan vote as a resounding rebuke of Hugo Chavez. The Nation correctly reads and reports the results as "razor thin." How sad that accuracy is so rare.

For readers wanting more of such balanced reporting on Hugo Chavez, I recommend Hugo! The Hugo Chavez Story, from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution, by Bart Jones. This is the first originally English biography of the Venezuelan president. Uniquely well-written for a book dealing with international issues, the book is largely approving of Chávez, but recognizes shortcomings.

The book is especially valuable in exposing the international bias of reporting on and from Venezuela. Jones is a longtime reporter whose values are in "speaking truth to the real power: the people." Thank-you, The Nation, for your speaking truth to the real power.

My truth is that I wrote the index for the book. There are books that I have indexed that I would not review as well as Jones's work.

Pam Rider

San Diego, CA