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Fidel for me is a father, a companion, a master of the perfect strategy… Chavez’ words speak for themselves. His infatuation with the Cuban dictator began long before his ascent to Venezuela’s presidency. That Chavez is Fidel Castro’s greatest admirer and most benevolent supporter after the fall of communist Russia, there should not be any doubt. To Chavez’ own account, he shares a great deal of convictions, beliefs and ideals with Castro. There are an estimated 25.000 Cubans working presently in Venezuela under the guises of sport trainers, teachers and health workers. The Cuban G2 is believed to have permeated all structures of power in Venezuela. The signing of the Caracas Accord between Cuba and Venezuela on October 30 2000, provided for a most potent ‘diplomatic tool’ to leverage anew the lost political clout of Castro in the region via his apprentice. It should be borne in mind that Cuba receives from Venezuela upwards of 53.000 barrels of oil per day in extremely favourable conditions. So beneficial are the said conditions, that Cuba owes Venezuela more than $1 billion since the agreement came to force for repayments have, to date, been made ‘in kind’, that is to say intelligence, seudo sport trainers and doctors. In that way Chavez, and his financially revived idol, bought themselves the leniency, votes and support of Jamaica, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic at the OAS.

I see you are a recent member of FR, I want to welcome you.

There are several of us here who follow Venezuelan politics fairly closely, so I appreciate what you posted here. I wasn't familiar with your website, but I will be checking it out.

I was in Caracas during Chavez' original coup attempt, I was out and around in the streets once the shooting slowed down, and I have followed that little nutball's career with morbid fascination ever since.

It is my conviction that he will not leave office alive.

There is a profound lesson to anyone paying attention, that Democracy and Liberty are two very different things, and it is possible to use one to destroy the other. Liberty relies on the rule of law; if one person can make the law, there is no law.

There is another lesson; never enter into a democratic contest with someone who does not believe in law and liberty. Under no circumstances should such a person ever be allowed near the institutions of power. You don't debate such a person, you must confront them and defeat them by whatever means available.

I think we all realize by now that Caldera's pardon of Chavez was criminal and shameful in itself. When Chavez promised, prior to his first election, that he would throw out the constitution, he in effect declared war on Venezuela (again) and should have been dealt with on that basis right then.

At this point there is only one more peaceful opportunity to rid the country of him, and that is the next election. After that, there should be no more illusions about what it will take to remove him from office.

Was just coming here to post this very article, you beat me to it, Alek. For all those who do not know, this site, VCrisis is a must read for essential news on Venezuela. It's the most complete article site there is. This article here is extraordinary research and deserves to be read by anyone out there with a serious interest in understand what Hugo Chavez is doing TO US here in the U.S. He's up to no good, suffice to say.