Vzla: Things fall apart

Even those who suspected this could happen don’t want to believe it is actually happening. But it is and it was written on the walls the very day Venezuelans elected Hugo Chavez, an ex-military putschist, albeit believing that he would put an end to political corruption and trim crime rate down. Throughout the last five years, President Chavez’ national socialist government has been spreading its roots and sharpening its claws. Today, the entire legalistic, electoral and constitutional thoroughfares appear blocked. To oppose Chavez through institutional and peaceful means in Venezuela today seems as futile as it was opposing Hitler in Germany in 1937. Venezuela has a Cuban-style unicameral Assembly instead of the traditional bicameral Congress. There isn’t a single public institution left in Venezuela that hasn’t been infiltrated, destabilized, purged and reconditioned. The state-owned oil industry after an unfruitful and costly strike was brutally purged of 18,000 of its workforce. The greatest prey of Chavez’ Stalin-like methods are the Armed Forces. Professional Officers all the way down to the ranks have been thoroughly scrutinized. Anyone who ever voiced dissatisfaction of any kind with the regime has been purged.