The referendum on ending term limits – not on a president-for-life was passed by 55% to 45%. Venezuelans now have the outrageous right to decide in a democratic election whether they wish to re-elect Hugo Chavez.

The use of scare quotes around the word ‘referendum’ is particularly bizarre. Although mettaculture is clearly a fantasist, I can assure him that the referendum was not a figment of his imagination.

Stay off the crack pipe, matey.

Does anyone remember Zin arguing that Chaves was a democrat because he had accepted the No vote on his (2nd) attempt at constitutional amendement (to allow him to be president for life).

This must have been about a month before Chavez’ 3rd and successful ‘referendum’.

I was in Venezuela at that time I thought of Zibn and laughed so hard my underwear still haven’t dried.

I will be in Venezuela again in a couple of weeks or so, I always think of Zin and his hated oligarchs every time i can’t buy coffee or rice or eggs.

What a liar and a charlattan he is.

As someone posted elsewhere:

Get the facts straight, people.

Zelaya wasn’t acting outside the Honduran constitution.

First, he wanted a referendum on holding a constitutive assembly to change the constitution. This is the required and democratic procedure. The supreme court denied his request.

So Zelaya called a ‘consultative’ referendum – effectively a state-sponsored opinion poll – to ask the population whether they wanted the issue included on ballots for the upcoming presidential election.

The army refused to distribute the ballot papers, and Zelaya fired the head of the army. So the army staged a coup.

It was a _referendum_ folks, a democratic consultation. You’d never guess it, though, from some of the comments above.

If that makes Zelaya a threat to democracy and the military coup the defence of democracy then black is white.

Why must you guys simultaneously appeal to the Honduran constitution while dismissing those in Honduras who hold constitutional office as “oligarchs”? I mean, choose one, for heaven’s sake.

If Bush was still in power, Gene would be cheering on the Honduran coup as well. This slippery contortionist ‘promotes the left’ in the same way that Count Dracula promotes vegetarianism.

“Independent institutions” in the old Latin America = Institutions independent of democratic control which represent the wealthy elite.

Who do you think you’re kidding?

The struggle against chavismo has never been about left-right politics. It is about defending the independence of institutions that keep presidents from becoming dictators. This crisis clearly delineates the problem. In failing to come to the aid of checks and balances, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Insulza expose their true colors.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124623220955866301.html