And let's not forget "maleta-gate"

Poor Chavez... He thought that putting forward his mockery of a constitutional reform he would distract us from the ongoing "Maleta-Gate" scandal. But that 800 000 bucks suitcase is very far from going off the radar screen. In fact the situation is getting worse as it is leading to new mine fields such as arms trafficking in Uruguay.

Or a searing editorial from the Washington Post, aptly titled Cash-and-Carry Rule
Venezuela's with the very pertinent subtitle of Hugo Chavez cements his autocracy with petrodollars and another push for 'reform.' Obviously nobody is buying.

That editorial did waste time on exquisite discussions: direct, to the point. My favorite lines, which do not need any explanation:

The origin and destination of this money [...] is now the hottest mystery in South America.

[...]constitutional "reforms" [...] are self-aggrandizing and threatening to what is left of democracy in Venezuela.

"popular militia" [...] Perhaps [...] the intended recipient of the 5,000 sniper rifles Mr. Chávez has just purchased from Russia.

He has forced an independent television channel off the air while plastering the public spaces of Venezuela with his own smiling portrait.

Mr. Chavez's "21st-century socialism" looks depressingly like the 20th-century version: a bloated, repressive state headed by a hectoring strongman.

[...] corrupt and corrupting, both for Venezuela and the hemisphere

Wow!!!! that will hurt somewhere in Venezuela!!! Good thing that the Post has no permanent correspondent in Venezuela, s/he could start packing as I type.

Added later (hat tip to K.Vance). Some Liberals are suddenly finding out that Chavez is not such a nice guy after all. You can read such a confession here, and a nice one worth a congratulatory reply, please.


-The end-