FYI..last night we had dinner with one of our daughter's old high school friends..He's a Japanese-SAmerican..after HS here in the states, where his family lives, he went to university in Japan, worked a few years for the Japanese State deparetment, then joined one of the MItsuibishi companies..oil rig financing..for the past two years he's been living/working in Venezuela..He few here last week, with his with an new baby, to saty on "vacation" with his folks..because he doesn't feel it's safe for them back there..We had a long discussion about what's happening in Ven..general concensus is that there is NO WAY that Chavez volutarily gives up power..
Just like with all Communist dictatorships, they will only recognize "democracy" if it keeps them in power. They don't recognize it if kicks them out. Just a coupla steps away from our own favorite American political despotic party. ;-)