alexist

(it wasn't going to be... oh and strikeout tags don't appear to work in subject lines)

Anyone in danger of being seduced by the noxious pro-Chávez media coverage should read the current Foreign Affairs, which has articles on both Chávez and the new South American left (the latter is available for free on the website; the former only has the preview).

I'm a non-Bush liberal but I'm disgusted to see the enthusiasm for Chávez. First, his democratic credentials are dubious: he originally seized power in a coup and elections have not been entirely free and fair. He has packed the judiciary, placed limits on civil rights and free expression, and limited the powers of the legislature. Chávez remains an active military officer and one-third of Venezuela's regional governments are led by soldiers.

Second, contrary to what the leftist papers have trumpeted here, he's not exactly creating an anti-globalist utopia in Venezuela. He's been able to spend because oil prices are so high, and to do things like subsidise the price of basic goods, a strategy that often backfires in the long run (remember Communist food shopping?). But overall, per capita GDP has fallen by 45% from 1997 to 2003, human development indices are down, and existing strategy is still the authoritarian, top-down method--Chávez is not promoting sustainable economic development. Without the money from PDVSA, he'd be lost.

His anti-Bush rhetoric wows the crowds and gets him adulation from the European left, but it's shortsighted. Fidel Castro isn't the bogeyman US policy makes him out to be, but he's not the paragon of good governance either. Bush's government takes the bait and matches the rhetoric, which only increases Chávez' credit to others.

Chávez remains popular because the opposition is still in chaos, still associated with corruption and inequality, and still unable to confront the social problems Venezuela faces. Chávez may not be dealing with these problems in the best way, but he at least acts as if he's paying attention. Nonetheless, we can't be blinded to the realities of his policies.

(And then we have Evo Morales, of course... )

(Yes, I have graduated to Crackpot.)

I forgot my Oystercard today and discovered that the cash price of a bus journey is now £1.50!! I remembered the increase to £1.20 but didn't know the latest had come on.

(Oyster price is still 80p, I never pay attention to cash fares. I think this is the first time I've ever paid cash on a bus in London...)

... when someone tells you big news, and you have to keep it secret?!