General Discussion

JaneyVee

(19,877 posts) Tue Mar 5, 2013, 09:21 PM Mar 2013

Love him or hate him, 14 years later, Hugo Chavez final approval rating was 70.3%

http://venezuela-us.org/2013/02/14/approval-for-president-chavez-at-70/

I think JFK was the only US Prez to even come close at 67%.

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Love him or hate him, 14 years later, Hugo Chavez final approval rating was 70.3% (Original Post) JaneyVee Mar 2013 OP

I neither love nor hate him, though I do hate our CIA-driven policies towards Venezuela & other hlthe2b Mar 2013 #1

Just curious but what were some of those civil liberties you mention madokie Mar 2013 #2

Chavvez' dismantling of the independent press, for one... hlthe2b Mar 2013 #3

Best I remember those were anything but independent presses madokie Mar 2013 #4

Eugene Robinson (WAPO) is one of the few US journalists I have found to report fairly and actually hlthe2b Mar 2013 #6

but that was only because of the hispanic vote n/t Enrique Mar 2013 #5

K&R freshwest Mar 2013 #7

So now we're supposed to base our opinion on polling? brooklynite Mar 2013 #8

And Bush's approval was in the 90s in 2001 NYC Liberal Mar 2013 #9

Um, you trust this polling organization? Zax2me Mar 2013 #10

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)

1. I neither love nor hate him, though I do hate our CIA-driven policies towards Venezuela & other

Reply to JaneyVee (Original post)

Tue Mar 5, 2013, 09:40 PM

Mar 2013

Latin American countries in recent years.

That said, he did enact policies that were populist and popular, even while some came at the curtailment of civil liberties. Those approval levels wouldn't surprise me if true, though.

May he rest in peace. A flawed man, but surely not as evil as some have made him out to be.

madokie

(51,076 posts)

2. Just curious but what were some of those civil liberties you mention

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #1)

Tue Mar 5, 2013, 09:50 PM

Mar 2013

If he took a hard line against those who so adamantly tried to depose of him, I have to agree with him on that. Chavez had a right o protect himself.
The words of a district attorney saying a person has the right to protect himself and if he gets a drop on someone who was going to do harm to him so be it, he is justified. No charges were filed.

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)

3. Chavvez' dismantling of the independent press, for one...

Reply to madokie (Reply #2)

Tue Mar 5, 2013, 10:07 PM

Mar 2013

I'm not looking for a fight as I am not one that sees Chavez as a uni-dimensional "bad man"-- at all.

He was democratically elected multiple times and it would be hard to argue that he did not do considerable good for the poorest of his population.

madokie

(51,076 posts)

4. Best I remember those were anything but independent presses

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #3)

Tue Mar 5, 2013, 11:04 PM

Mar 2013

again best i remember our cia had a lot of covert operations in south american, the so called free press included

hlthe2b

(102,292 posts)

6. Eugene Robinson (WAPO) is one of the few US journalists I have found to report fairly and actually

Reply to madokie (Reply #4)

Tue Mar 5, 2013, 11:14 PM

Mar 2013

have met Chavez. I trust him. While he has tried to portray a more nuanced and fair portrayal of Chavez, he has likewise pointed to the dismantling of a growing free press in Venezuela as one of the key areas of rightful criticism.

It is my impression that this journalism group is on the up and up as well:
http://cpj.org/reports/2012/08/after-years-of-assault-venezuelas-independent-pres.php