http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=1187708A Latin American expert is delighted that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez did not secure enough votes in the country's recent election to get a tighter grip on power.
Although Chavez's coalition did maintain control of the legislature, the results show that millions of Venezuelans favor the opposition, which wants to halt Chavez's drive to consolidate power. One rival leader notes, "Here it is very clear: Venezuela said 'no' to Cuban-style communism; Venezuela said 'yes' to the path of democracy."
Humberto FontovaMeanwhile, analysts believe the opposition benefitted from growing concerns about rampant crime, high inflation, and the continuing economic recession in the country.
"Usually I'm not an optimist. I think he probably peaked a couple of months ago, and this may be the beginning of his slide downhill," suggests Humberto Fontova, who fled Cuba in 1961 and has written two books on that regime. "The Venezuelan people have come to their senses. An exact North Korean or Cuban-Stalinist state didn't really exist in Venezuela. They were looking for it; Chavez wants one."
In response to the recent election, Fontova adds that he has not been this optimistic about the South American country in a long time.