Vox Populi Vox Dei?

Lesson #1221 for neo-cons: Democracy occasionally installs populist blowhards with penchants for Marxist rhetoric and exaggeration.

Question for the rest of us: Is Venezuala now stable? It has rebel infiltration from the narcotics trade from the SW corner of the country up to Lake Maracaibo. Its army is restive and only partially behind Chavez. Although he [Chavez] has been a relatively mild leader (as judged by actual policy changes), he is an aggressive and outspoken advocate of policies designed to make Havana look like a capitalist utopia. Is he likely to increase policy changes now or export his revolutionary ideas to an eager audience?

I doubt that he can export his rhetoric in any practical sense because the surrounding countries (Columbia and Brazil, noteably) have their own insurgents and revolutionaries with more or less domestic concerns. A pan Latin American revolution is unlikely. Don't, however, mistake that fact for a lack of influence on the domestic politics of the region.

Oh, and how poor does your economy have to be before the narco-rebels' offers of cash in exchange for assistance in transiting the country begin to look very tempting? All of those poor, bored army guys stationed near Columbia should be considered prime recruiting grounds for drug smugglers.

BBC NEWS | Americas | Chavez claims referendum victory