>>26479626>came to political prominence during a failed coup attemptAbsolved by Venezuelan judiciary before he became president.
>90% or higher generally indicates electoral fraudHow is a 90% popularity fraud?
>regularly nationalises industry and seeks to control the mediaFunny how massive media conglomerates can't stop saying how oppressed they are... then conspire in a coup to overthrow a democratically elected president.
>positions Venezuala alongside Zimbabwe, Iran and North Korea as "persecuted" by the "West" for being politically different - all three of those countries are de facto dictatorshipsAmerica and Europe align themselves with Saudi Arabia, Equatorial Guinea and Myanmar. There isn't a single country on Earth that can boast a clean record on international relations.
>reorganisation of the military included militarisation of civilian programs and structures to reinforce his absolute authorityIs this one of those bits where Americans freak out about other countries having compulsory military service?
>managed to cause an oil shortage in Venezuela, an oil-producing and refining nation, by personally interfering with the economyIt wasn't an oil shortage, it was an energy shortage. The power grid didn't keep up with the growing economy.
>legitimacy of the 2004 presidential recall vote s disputed, as European observers considered themselves under too many restrictions - a view not shared by oil-hungry US observersGoogling for this is turning up such great sources as
State.gov CaracasGringo blog. Welp. Even if it's true, it's a better track record than American presidential elections. Reminder in both of Bush's elections there was blatant foul play. Thank God we don't need international observers, eh?