Re: rule by decree. another dictator is born.

Overall the BBC is one of the fairest and objective in the world. Hence why all you Americans browse the site.

Politics are not the same for each country, policies and ecomonics are different for 1st and 3rd world counties. What is right for one is often wrong for another.

I support Chavez in his fight to turn his country around. I lived in Latin America for 18 months, in general they have suffered immensly from American influance, some covert goverment sponsered i.e Contas in Nicaraguara, other economic i.e Banana fruit companies. Why should the people have their agricultural profits payed to some american shareholder, especailly when the compaines were set up at gunpoint, or a monpoly given when a bribe is paid?

The USA has had a very shady role in Central and South America over the last 50 years, assination, coups, dodgy financial dealings, the list goes on and on. Now that Chavez is doing a good job to help the poorest people and protecting the ecomony from golbal assest strippers who export all the profits your up in arms. Protectionism is rife within America yet they expect a level playing field abroad.

The usa is scared that Chavez with all his oil will succede in his socialist state and every other Latin American country will see this and try to follow his example. In 10-20 years i suspect the balance of power in LA will have shifted, i beleive that scares the USA shitless, they have lost control of the money and now they see what influance they had slipping away. Wait for 10 years then judge Chavez.