Suddenly much of the world which up to now has followed Western governments in parroting a line that President Hugo Chavez, former lieutenant colonel in the parachute regiment, is a dangerous leftwing dictator who is also a bufoon, is waking up the fact that Chavez has the majority of the population behind him because he has done more for the living standards of Venezuelans - especially poorer ones.
The Guardian, a newspaper whose local conrrrespondent for several years echoed the rich bien-pensants of Caracas high society is no longer in Venezuela, the paper´s anti-Chavez hydrophobia has abated a little and a contributor in today´s edition is telling readers that even some middle class Venezuelans would defend him to the death from his many local enemies and his foes in the world´s private-sector oil companies.
Even the BBC, whose coverage of Venezuela has been disgracefully skewed to the right is learning that its former reporting needs correction. Whether the New York Times, Fox and the rest of the US galere will deign to get any nearer the truth remains to be seen. Those in the US and the UK who embraced government lies about Saddam Hussain and his supposed weapons of mass distrtuction have been slow to confess they were willingly taken for a ride by George Bush Junior, Tony Blair - a recent recruit to the super rich.
It may take Cameron and Obama time to confess how wrong they have been about a man - a leader, though no more fallible than any other mortal - who has a comfortable majority of his countrymen with him in elections and whose sophistication and popular appeal should make the authorities in the EU and the United States take time for thought.
Here in Caracas Henrique Capriles Radonski, a handsome middle-class poster boy if every there was one is lickinng his wounds, trying to catch up with public opinion and swearing he is a double-dyed democrat who would never take to violence. A bit ironic, considering his role in the failed coup against Chavez in 2002, which amounted to an assault on the Cuban embassy in Caracas and attempted bribery of its diplomats. Fortunately fbeir badly botched coup détat failed after a few hours. Since then His right wing supporters have beein doing their best to whitewash their actions co-ordinated with Washington.
To remind them of what is well established on the recond is seen by them are inelegant, "We´re all democrats now" is the cry from the people´s choice and from Capriles´ also rans,
And the country has had a welcome and peaceful night´s rest.
Please note, William Hague: Nota bene Hillary Clinton.
