Why embalm a dictator?

Originally posted by Eladar
Are elections free and fair when you put your opponents in jail or force them to leave the country? Just wondering.

Did Chavez lock up his opponents?
And if he stopped people leaving the country... What the hell would you have called him then?

Originally posted by Eladar
That's exactly what Chavez did.

Admittedly, "free and fair" was a bit of an overstatement - I was aware of Amnesty International's criticism of the state of democracy in Venezuela. The standards of elections in Venezuela certainly were not up to the level of, say, Finland. But comparing to say, the US, they were probably not that far off. In any case, the label of "dictator" is an unnecessary distraction to the real issues in Venezuela and the shortcomings of Chávez' reign.

it willl take two generations or so before the chavez regime is understood for good or bad. as in my country, mexico, the success and or failure of revolution can never be understood in it own genration. i know it fail in mexico. chavez may be jus a cheap left tin-horn dictator, maybe a populist, maybe thief who stole from the people or maybe visionary. generations will tell. no one can say today. right now he is dead.
someone mourns his life. give them few days to mourn before one throws mud, deservbed or undeserved.