Is there any OBJECTIVE analysis of Chavez available?

[Armstead]

I don't really knopw what to make of Hugo Chavez.

I've been hearing about him for a number of years, but it always seems to be through a filter of one side or the other.

Some portray him as an honest populist reformer, who is leading a social movement to bring greater economic and political justice to his country and to all of Latin America.

Others call him a classic bullyboy dictator, who is corrupt, Communist and interested more in his own power than anything else.

And there are some mixed reviews, saying that he is sincere in his beliefs, but unstable and irrational in his leadership style.

Are there any reasonably balanced sources of information about him -- both personally and politically -- that one can make an objective assessment of him, without pushing an agenda one way or the otehr?

[centristo]

1. good to see a curious mind at work

you can always find pretty neutral information at wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Chavez

I won't even comment on what I think of him. Draw your own conclusions. Good luck.

[bryant69]

2. I don't know

But I think the real answer is to look at a number of sources and kind of filter out biases. I don't think single source is the best way to get at any particular story (although I understand how time pressures might make it necessary at times).

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Armstead]

3. Done that, but there are too many dichotomies

When someone is eitehr whitewashed by one side and demonized by the other, it's hard to figure out the overall picture.

I was wondering about journalists and analysts who are intellectually honest, who can put it into context.

[Minstrel Boy]

4. Beware analysis that claims objectivity

That's always a red light for me of a hidden agenda. And usually, not a very well hidden one.

Better to ask yourself a few questions:

Does he enjoy popular support and a democratic mandate?

Is his government aiding the disadvantaged?

Who are his enemies?

You should know what to make of him after finding the answers.

[rman]

5. Would you trust any source that claims to be objective and balanced?

If you would, then just listen to FOX.

Other then that i can only point to what's out there:

Look at who are calling Chavez a dictator.

And look at what stories about Chavez are not in the MSM.

www.venezuelanalysis.com

http://www.democracynow.org/search.pl?query=chavez&op=stories&tid=§ion=latinamerica&sort=1&boolean_type=and

on edit:
By all means do have a look at the documentary "The revolution will not be televized".
http://www.chavezthefilm.com/html/home.htm

[Armstead]

6. Objectivity is not a misnomer

Obviously no one can be totally objective. However, there arejournalists and analysts who strive to be as intellectually honest as possible and aim to be as unbiased as possible.

Thanks for the links. I'll check them out.

[Minstrel Boy]

7. intellectual honesty

does not mean withholding judgement. It means an informed opinion.

Analysis is a different animal than headline news.

[rman]

9. journalists: do you trust Greg Palast?

http://www.gregpalast.com/

"Katherine Harris calls Greg Palast, 'twisted and maniacle.' But Michael Moore calls his reporting for BBC television 'courageous.' And Noam Chomsky says: Greg Palast "upsets all the right people."

In England, Palast is known as, "the most important investigative reporter of our time…" (Tribune Magazine, UK). But, his award-winning investigative reports for BBC television have been banned from us airwaves. His writings for Britain's Guardian have been stopped at the border.

Greg Palast is the author of the book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy -- nearly one year on the New York Times best seller list - the special elections edition is released this month.

Palast is best known in the USA for his reports on the theft of the election in Florida and the connections between the Bush family and the Bin ladins which form the basis for Michael Moore's latest film.

" No one has uncovered more about the bush dynasty than Greg Palast … and lived to write about it…." (Baltimore Chronicle)."


articles about Venezuela:
http://www.gregpalast.com/searchresults.cfm?searchtype=columns&keyword=venezuela&option=Search

[magellan]

8. Try this article in the UK Independent

Venezuela: revolutionaries and a country on the edge

I can't speak to any bias the reporter might have, but it's a perspective we don't get to read about much here.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Great article. Really good. Thanks for posting it. n/t

[Armstead]

13. Thanks I'll check it out

[K-W]

10. You are assuming that mixture of the two sides is more objective?

Why?

What if one side is right. What if one side is mostly right and the other mostly wrong.

Use analysis that you trust to present factual information, and see whether the facts back up the analysis. The truth is always in the facts, not in an opinion that appears balanced.

But to answer your question, I would look at the foriegn press which usually covers South America fairly objectively.

[melissinha]

12. You are right

It is the responsibility of the reader to read various sources on both sides and use objectivity and rational thinking to determine what he or she believes.

Let me tell you what I think. I have been to "Malibu" Caracas Venezuela in 1991, my uncle was a minister of the American Church there... Its really not the real Venezuela.... its just a bunch of privileged people.... I also know what its like in the privileged world in Sao Paulo, though I left in 1987.... its the same... people of privilege and missionary kids.... same thing there... I went to a private American school, far from the real Brazilian population... its all about trying to show you are an american and being classist. The UK Indpendent article really coincides with my experience, thats why it resonated with me.

Let me tell you, I fight myself EVERYDAY when it comes to classism... everyday! It has been engrained in my upbringing by my grandparents... but slowly whittled away when we moved to Iowa by my parents and my other grandparents...

THis is basically about selfish classism, PERIOD. I don't know how long people would chastize Lula YEARS before he became President for being a populist. I wish people would stop being to selfish and grow a conscience.

I believe Chavez is a good guy. So is Lula.. sure power changes things but they are making some positive changes.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

14. Although the film The Revolution Will Not Be Televised was made by

supporters, a few things come through clearly:

1) A wall of portraits of Venezuelan presidents is shown at some point in the film. It is clear that Chavez is the first president in a long time who is clearly of mixed race as opposed to European. This would be enough to get some wealthy people's panties into a bunch (sort of like the way an aristocratic and otherwise liberal Southerner of my acquaintance never forgave Clinton for being a "cracker.")

2) The anti-Chavez crowd is shown at one of their meetings. You never saw such a bunch of country club Republicans in your life. They're sitting around wondering whether they can trust their servants.

3) The privately-owned media in Venezuela were all conservative, all the time, sort of like Fox News.

4) Chavez distributed copies of the Venezuelan constitution to every household and encouraged people to discuss political matters.

5) When the coup plotters took over, the first thing they did was dissolve the legislature and the supreme court, suspend the constitution, and arrest Chavez and his cabinet, all in the name of "democracy." They are shown doing so at a news conference.

6) It is a fact that Chavez's supporters poured into the streets by the millions and that the guards at the presidential palace remained loyal to him.

Is Chavez perfect? Of course not, but I think that the scales tip in the positive direction, an opinion that was only reinforced by my reading of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. That book shows how awful "business as usual" has been in Latin America.

[Judi Lynn]

15. Interesting fact rarely discussed in the states.

Just spotted it in a news article:

Aug. 25, 2005. 01:00 AM


Robertson rant sign of U.S. anger over Chavez


HARRY STERLING

............Washington is increasingly concerned over Chavez's anti-capitalist and anti-American policies. His nationalization of private land holdings — 80 per cent of Venezuelan land is owned by only 5 per cent of the population — is seen by some as a prelude to Venezuela becoming another Cuba.
(snip/...)

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1124920223603&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

So THAT'S how you get all these poor, poor people living on top of each other in the hills around the cities in Venezuela. When it rains, they get mud slides and the houses tumble down the hills.

Fires can't be check, obviously. No roads for fire trucks, no pavement, nothing. This is so sad.