Why do a number of far left Liberals herald Chavez as a "great leader" while his own people flee their homes?

Question

First let me say I am not talking about ALL liberals... I am talking about allot of FAR LEFT LIBERALS. Please understand there is a difference.

Citizens of Venezuela are looking for asylum in this and other countries because they are being forced to flee from Chavez and his "Populist Government" (kind of ironic)- http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070715/pl_nm/usa_venezuela_asylum_dc

I have/had family in Venezuela, so I was already aware of the desire of so many of it's citizens that are trying to flee from Chavez and his dictatorship.

But I have heard many far left liberals claiming that Chavez is a great leader. Wouldn't you agree that if his own people are doing everything in their power to leave, that there is a major problem?

Perhaps we can make an exchange? The ultra far left who love Chavez for the innocent people of Venezuela who want to flee tyranny.

I think it is only fair.

Hey! thought the ultra left was leaving after the last election? Here is their chance.

Mochrie: Micheal Moore, Cindy Sheehan and Danny Glover to name three.

pensterx: not every rich person is an evil, land stealing, power hungry rapist of the people. So is anyone who has money and power evil? If that is the case then by definition Chavez is also evil because he is doing the same thing correct?

Also I don't understand why the middle class would run if they were not being persecuted in some way.

As I said, I have family there and I can assure you they are barely middle class, they are closer to poor than middle class and they desperately want to leave Venezuela because they are in constant fear.

Hitler was also elected in to office as was Mussolini and Franco, but they were dictators. Being elected into office does not prevent anyone from becoming one.

Your arguments show all the signs of some one who studied the theories of communism and socialism, but never actually studied the overall impact of those theories in practice.

Wondermom: the problem with a coup is that Chaves controls the military and owns almost all the guns in the country.

Chaves also has systematically taken over all media, communication and economic resources, effectively cutting off his opposition.

It is a very smart and strong position to be in for him.

geyamala: see the response I gave pen...

Hitler was elected in to power by the poor, took control of all the resources and media, accused others of his countries failures (he was partially correct however) and implemented plans that benefited the poor more than the rich. And yet he WAS a dictator.

If Bush took over all the nations’ natural resources and its media, would you not call him a dictator? Because by YOUR own description of Chavez, Bush could get away with doing that and you would not say “BOO” about it.

Elway_the_Cat: lol your right, I am not talking about all liberals, I make a clear distinction between the rational liberals I know (including a number of my friends) and he ultra far left I was surrounded by up in places like San Francisco.

Answer 1

The far Left liberals you describe would probably be categorized as socialists.

Socialists do not care about how many people starve, suffer or die. Their goal is to implement a Socialist regime at all costs. They will gladly cut down any and all opponents who stand in their way, including innocent people, to achieve their re-distributionist ends.

Re-distribution of wealth is merely a genteel term for theft. At it's heart, that is the very essence of Socialism: taking something that belongs to someone, and giving it to someone else.

Answer 2

Yes, many Venezuelans are fleeing the country. Venezuela is unstable and people never know what will happen next. If a family has money and can afford to leave, it is not irrational for them to leave. There are thousands who would like to leave from practically any Latino American country. When you have someone like Chavez, the rich tend to leave, when you have someone like Trujillo the poor wants to leave.

The reason why many liberals have some sympathy for Chavez is because he has said "NO" to the regional bully.
I am not going to tell you who the regional bully is, but if you review the history of Latino America you will promptly find out.

Answer 3

Ok. I'm gonna take you up on this. If you actually read the article carefullyyou will note that it is the Middle class and most likely the upper class who are fleeing the country to the US. The reason - well it's simple. Chavez came to power on the back of a massive vote from the POOR in Venezuela, who massively outnumber the rich. Before the Chavez government no government did anything to support the poor. In fact the rich had simple stolen land, divided among themselves and driven ff poor small farmers and what they would term peasants. Since Chavez has come to power the majority of the the country i.e. the POOR are doing much better. He ensures that they earn a living wage and he is the President who brought Venezuela to 100% literacy. He seems to be the one who is answering the call of those who most need it. Just because he isn't following US carrot doesn't mean he is a bad leader.He has been elected by greater majorities than any US President and has won referendums by huge majorities that US Presidents will never see.

You ask the average poor person in Venzuela if they are better off now than before - the answer will be yes. Ask a rich person (of whom there are fewer), who gained his land and wealth through exploitations, theft and pillage if he is better off - of course the answer will be no.

Answer 4

Interesting!!! Imagine the majority of Venezuela voted for him, he was elected into office. The thing is with communism his reign doesn't end it just continues. So fleeing from their homeland will be the only choice they can make instead of praying for peace ect. and waiting until his term is up.
Actually if enough of his people got together they could overthrow him. Lives would be sacrifed but it would be for their own country. Not a country millions of miles away!

Answer 5

Chavez needs the same thing Saddam got, that would help the people there. Only one I know of that would do exactly the same thing Chavez has done, is Hillary.

Answer 6

You have to remember that the left believes that Stalin, Mao and Ho Chi Minh were great leaders too. Even while these people murdered innocent people by the thousands.

Answer 7

Absolutely right. They have ample opportunity to move to Cuba or Venezuela, but won't go. That is because they want to bring the revolution here.
In spite of socialism's failure every place it has been tried, they want to keep trying.
Those would continue to repeat the same experiment while expecting different results are insane.

Answer 8

I can't imagine why, but it's a good question. I wish that ultra far left would find themselves a socialist country too. Why try to change this one when they have so many good options to choose from?

Answer 9

The Lion and the Goat: Chávez vs. Bush Imperialism/Globalization
http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/677/1/77

Venezuela: Oil-Flush Chávez Begins to Strut His Stuff

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is not known for his discretion, caution, nor political reserve. Yet the in-your-face leader travels with lady luck as he revels in the nation's ever-increasing oil wealth and the virtually unprecedented political and economic prominence that skyrocketing petrol prices have brought to Caracas. The Venezuelan president shows every sign of being prepared to strike out even more aggressively this year against any foe he perceives as threatening his "Bolivarian revolution," namely his plans for land reform, social justice, and the redistribution of wealth. Certain to seek reelection to a six-year term in next year's presidential race, Chávez is bolstering his domestic base through the aggressive expansion of the recent social programs that have won him the fierce loyalty of the nation's long-neglected lower-classes.

Russia and Brazil Arms Sales could prove Explosive

At the same time, Chávez is aggressively raising his international profile as he seeks to position himself as a major spokesman for the burgeoning center-left South American informal group of nations and as a statesman of hemispheric stature, fully capable of creating a counterforce to Washington's still powerful, if fading, influence in the region. It is an ambitious and perhaps risky two-tier game that Chávez plays. But as long as he holds the trump card—the nation’s huge oil reserves--Chávez may yet prove capable of winning at least this round in his confrontation with Washington. If reelected, he can rightfully claim overtaking one of the most stunning political trajectories seen in the hemisphere in recent decades: from his own failed coup attempt in 1992 followed by his being a victim of a near-successful military coup in 2002, to decisively winning the 2004 referendum, to his being a major progenitor of the grand design of Venezuela's (perhaps even Latin America's) political and economic future. If Chávez is to be looked back upon as a lion, there is little question who the goat will be. A major loser in the approaching U.S.-Venezuela confrontation is likely to be State Department Assistant Secretary Roger Noriega. The inept ideologue’s myopic analysis that Chávez’s close ties with Castro requires him to be either marginalized or eliminated has had a catastrophic impact on Washington’s ties to the rest of Latin America and has brought such relations to their lowest point in years.

Chavez vs. Bush
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/03/post_21.html
As President Bush starts a five-nation trip to Latin America today, he will be stalked by Venezuela's oil-rich autocrat Hugo Chavez, who likes to call Bush "the devil" and to refer to the United States as "the empire." When Bush makes his first stop in Brazil, Chavez will be in neighboring Argentina leading an anti-Bush rally. When Bush calls on ally Colombia, Chavez will be in Bolivia. And so it will go.

Note: The entire world should refer to the "idiot" as the devil for Zionist NWO!

Answer 10

Just like the far left idolizes Che Guevara, even though he killed a couple thousand of his own countrymen just because they didn't share his political views. Communism leads to massive death tolls and a totalitarian government that does not take any dissent at all.

http://cubanology.com/Articles/debunking_che.htm