And when it rains it pours: the Washington Post

The nasty thing about the collapse of broadband in San Felipe is that I keep getting my newsletters drop wise. And forget about speed blogging! Thus I only now received the Washington Post newsletter which I usually receive about half an hour before the New York Times. It was worth the wait.

Apparently Juan Forero was not invited to the press show of Chavez. But he watched it and neither did he buy it.

The Washington Post also came with its editorial direct and to the point: HOW TO BEAT Mr. CHAVEZ. From that editorial you gather that perhaps the best result for the Venezuelan opposition is that finally it is getting credibility outside of Venezuela. Thus the last paragraph worth posting:

The opposition now has an opportunity to show that it can offer a workable alternative to Mr. Chávez's policies. Partly that will mean better crime-fighting and delivery of services, but the key element must be a clear and continuing commitment to democracy and the rule of law. If those principles survive in Venezuela, Mr. Chávez will be forced to leave office in four years. That's a long time to wait -- but by now the opposition should have learned that shortcuts won't work.

Added later: for good measure I went to read the Miami Herald (I cannot get a newsletter from them). Interestingly there is no editorial on Venezuela and their coverage is less sanguine than the NYT or WaPo. In a way I can understnad it: probably tired of hearing the Miami exile claims that Chavez is packing his bags the Herald Journalists point out that the gains are not that hot (maybe he had access tot he CNE? Maybe he has broadband that I do not? :) ). However the Herald is clear that Chavez road is not an easy one and that last Sunday did not strengthen his hand at all. Ah! And they were not invited to the press conference either. Poor Patricia! She must have felt quite lonely as the sole attending scape goat for Chavez last night. The Herald also moves on, reporting the Russian warships berthing in Venezuela. Adequately the entertainment page reports on Frontline coming show TONIGHT... Ah! the wonders of timing!!!

-The end-