http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060501faessay85303/michael-shifter/in-search-of-hugo-ch-vez.html
Michael Shifter opens his article with the statement that Chávez is guilty of wasting Venezuela’s money on political endeavors rather than focusing on the welfare of his country. However, it is accompanied by the defense that this governmental problem had been present in Venezuela long before Chávez’s time. Shifter presents two widely held opinions of Chávez: the first portrays him as a hero, driven to correct social and economic imbalances that have corrupted Venezuela for decades, defying the traditional holding of power by the upper classes and “standing up to the overbearing United States”. The second shows him as a menace, a dictator whose schemes are built on fallacies and will only prevent Venezuela from making progress. Interestingly enough, neither of these Chávez’s are allied with the interests of the United States. The first seeks to rebel against America, and the second defies American principles that have existed since our founding. It seems only logical that our government would attempt to remove this threat, yet they have done surprisingly little as far as what is really necessary. Either way he is examined, Hugo Chávez poses a problem and is a danger to democracy in the western hemisphere. If the Venezuelan problem is not addressed soon, it may lead to circumstances far worse than are being experienced now, both in America and Venezuela itself. -ET
