Maria Anastasia O'Grady in the Wall Street Journal

You have to give it to Ms. O'Grady, not only she is perhaps one of the most lucid writers on Veenzuela, someone that really "gets it", but she is not encumbered by PC crap when she needs to get down to the point.

Her article today is a must read as she manages to tie it all together, from the Iran connection for evil to the collapsed bridge. I loved particularly these lines:

That Chávez is making a hash of the Venezuelan economy while he courts international notoriety is no secret.

and

In his efforts to provoke the U.S., the Venezuelan no doubt hopes that saber rattling against imperialismo can stir up nationalist sentiment and save his floundering regime.

Nationalism, the last refuge of the scoundrel.

and (my stress)

But what is clear is that the importation of state agents from Hugo-friendly dictatorships hasn't been a positive experience for Venezuelans. Imported Cubans are now applying their "skills" in intelligence and state security networks to the detriment of Venezuelan liberty. It is doubtful that the growing presence of Iranians in "factories" across Venezuela is about boosting plastic widget output.

'nuf said!