[Nono]

As the Israelis would say, consider the neighbourhood. You can't judge Chavez by Scandinavian standards. He's a Macho/Latino military officer with a big mouth. He's also (clearly) dedicated to using his country's oil wealth to lift Venezuela's huge underclass out of poverty. (Do you see that happening to the west or east of Venezuela? No you don't.).

As for free speech, this is Latin America we're talking about. But if he is bent on totalitarianism, he'll need a lot of luck since the country's media is largely in the hands of his political opponents LOL. That is the reality.

As for deedee, I think she's one of those well-heeled Latinos who are repelled by the idea of a dark little man like Chavez (or Evo Morales) rising above their station in life. Because, you see, much of what fuels the Venezuelan and Bolivian leaders' causes is the disinherited majority of the population that are sick of being ruled by a corrupt elite of Europeans (who, by the way, have never been known for promoting free speech -- quite the opposite, see Pinochet, Stroessner, etc. etc.).