Why does the  Presindet  of Venezuela ( Chavez ) wants to be like Fidel Castro?
550888
im from Venezuela. He just wants everyone to be poor like he WAS
591556
More than anything else, I think it started out of embarassment. When Fidel Castro came out of nowhere to lead his people against a very corrupt regieme led by Bautista, it was like he was a Latino John Kennedy. We welcomed him here in the US. The problem was, of course, that much of the corruption was tied up with the American Mafia and gambling cartels. They did not take very well to being kicked out of Cuba. \n\nThen there was Fidel's Socialist leanings. He was a man of the people, right? He and Che Gueverra saw themselves as liberators. The revolution would not be confined to just Cuba but might well be exported to all the corrupt North American dominated regimes. The US could not stomach that. Trade started getting "difficult."\n\nFidel appealed to a nation very interested in establishing a Western Hemisphere base of influence, the Soviet Union. This was the era of a very hot "Cold War" with Nikita Khruchov taking off his shoe and banging it on the desk in the UN threatening the US with "We will bury you!" The Soviet Union even went so far as to send guided missiles to Cuba. John Kennedy was President at the time. It seemed as though the US and the Soviet Union were going to nuclear war over Cuba. The Soviets withdrew their missiles.\n\nFidel stayed on. The US took in Cubano refugees. Some of them launched attempts to topple Fidel's government. The CIA may have even tried to assassinate him.  There were rumors that Cuba was behind the JFK assassination plot.\n\nSo, Cuba has remained only 80 miles off the Florida shores. And the US still has a base there where the prisoners from the latest war are kept. Strange, huh? Yet, we still do not trade with them.
431293
Chavez- pres. of Venezuela                             There are quite a few others...but I can't spell their names...lol!
1145455
Because he seems to be a bit primitive for a 21st century presedent. We aren't barberians anymore.he called himself a "war presedent", why would any civilised person with good morals follow such barberic ways?
871592
Cuba's leader, Fidel Castro, came to power in 1959 and immediately instituted a communist program of sweeping economic and social changes. Castro allied his government with the Soviet Union and seized and nationalized billions of dollars of American property. U.S. relations with Cuba have been strained ever since. A trade embargo against Cuba that was imposed in 1960 is still in place today. \n\nTwelve years after the breakup of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Cuba continues to command the attention of U.S. policymakers. Although Russia and the former eastern bloc countries have undergone widespread democratic and free-market economic reform, Cuba remains one of the only communist dictatorships in the world. Removing Castro from power and implementing reform in Cuba are top U.S. foreign policy priorities, but lawmakers disagree on the best course of action.
682206
chavez is trying to spread the oil wealth of his country to the folk that need it as in health care etc . this guy means well by giving the ordinary people of his country the wealth that is theirs. in his small mind bush thinks pinko so all bets are off   chow
142590
Because he is a poser. He is white and he's trying to be gansta black!
104963
Because his people want Fidelity.\nOK, just kidding. I don't know but in many communist countries leaders will be in charge till they die e.g. Stalin or Mao.\nAnd he is not a dictator, he is leader of people revolution, there is difference between these 2.\nAnyways he must have the thickest case in CIA.
952590
There is NO doubt we have taken his rule for granted.  And there is no doubt the state dept incorrectly thinks there will be a "crack in the armor".  Let's face it they haven't done a very good job on foreign policy.\n\nI believe Castro's brother Raul would be the new dictator.\n\nI actually believe we should normalize relations now to martyr Castro making his successor less powerful.
529516
Hugo Chavez is a small time two bit dictator wanna be.  He is interjecting himself into international affairs for the press coverage.  He and his country have no real power base.  Sure they can hold the oil...so can Iran and Saudi Arabia...but in the end he shoots himself in the ass because he needs the income from the oil sales to pay for his troubled domestic policy.  He preys on the need of his country to have a meaning besides a second world country.  His 15 minutes of fame are over as soon as the U.S. press realizes he is playing them for fools.
402928
There is no doubt.  Chavez in Venezuela is doing his best to form a left-wing coalition against the United States. He is getting obvious support from the new Socialist government in Spain elected by the fear vote in the aftermath of the march 11 subway bombings there.  Spain attempted to sell them U.S. weapon systems just recently. And there are reports Chavez is not only making daily statements against the U.S., the free trade zone, etc., but he is (again,reportedly) making campaign contributions to the left-wing candidate in Mexico whose rhetoric is also anti-American.\n     Everyone and his hermano seem interested in playing the oil card, as it seems to work so well for the Arab nations, and there is the historic ideological influence as well.  Add to that the interest of non-American economic players (Europe, Japan) that may see the free trade zone as an end to their very lucrative interest in maintaining the status quo in South America.\n     The U.S. would do to look well to the interests of the common people in the Americas, give real support to the indigenous populations, promote self-help programs perhaps, certainly no one else has shown an inclination to improve living conditions for the majority of our neighbors to the south.  It is still a land of rich landowners (terratenientes) with an economic tradition that recalls more the tradition of the conquistadores than of democracy and free enterprise.\n      It is an unjust society that without attention could become far less just and far more unstable politically.
301422
He is democratically elected and very popular in his country. Websters defines a dictator as:\n\n1 a : a person granted absolute emergency power; especially : one appointed by the senate of ancient Rome b : one holding complete autocratic control c : one ruling absolutely and often oppressively\n\nHe has not been "granted absolute emergency power", has no "autocratic control" or "ruling absolutely" as his term at office is limited and as for "often oppressively", in the context of South America at least, this does not appear to be the case in Venezuela.\n\nIn short, your answer is NO. Just because someone isn't liked by the current U.S. administration, that does not make him/her a dictator.
820088
well cuba is a communist country where there's certain rules that most of the people disagree that's the reason cubans seem america like an alternative to live ....they can get whatever they want and have freedom of speech ....some other people that is not cuban might have those rights in their countries as well but they have other problems such as economical problems or looking for a job.
191302
If the liberals have their way Socialism. Hello Chavez
120477
He is an entertaiiner, he gets paid to be caustic. He learned his trade from el rushbo. He does what he does well but the trouble is people beleive what he says. They think that he is always right when in truth he uses a mixture of half truths, down right lies and inunendo's to excite the neo con population. In answer to your question is he a jerk. Yes by all definitions of the word
580630
First of all, you have chosen a very wide range of leaders, who though on the left, are really not that similar.  Lula (da Silva), is a center leftist leader who is very different from the others.  Though he once carried a populist message, he now is an established politician who does not spout anti-American rhetoric and conducts business friendly centrist policies.  He is probably been good for the country, economically speaking, as he has developed certain industries well, signed good trade agreements with neighbors, increased trade with MERCOSUR, and lobbied much better for Brazil and other developing nations in world economic forums.  Morally, he has had some recent scandals with corruption, but is still fairly popular.  Most people would consider the path he has taken good for the country, as it has increased economic development. \nOn the opposite end of the spectrum you have Fidel Castro.  Casto is a dictator, putting him in a different category than the rest of these democratically and fairly elected leaders.  He has tortured people, and in general held on to power so long Cuba has stagnated economically and socially.  Though initial gains in literacy and health validated his methods to some, improvements in other countries has increasingly his discredited the control he remains on power.  Though U.S. actions with regards to Cuba certainly have not been morally commendable, this does not place Castro on the moral high ground.  As for economically, given the US boycott that will remain for as long as a Castro (Raul included) in power, he has done the best for the economy he can. Since he has no possible option of keeping his government and the lifting the boycott, he has done as well as can be expected.  \nHugo Chavez is a interesting case, he is a populist leader, who does have the moral high ground over the US in Venezuela, especially with the US tacit support of the coup against him.  Economically, he has spent some of the oil money well.  But increasingly he seems to be undermining democratic institutions in Venezuela and relying instead on the military.  Therefore, he has benefited the common person at least in the short run, but the long term results remain to be seen.  \nEvo Morales is fresh into office.  He represents the poor farmers, the cocaleros, and is likely to represent their social and economic interest well.  However, though his recent moves to nationalize industries will help the people in the short run, if he creates a climate hostile to foreign investment, then he will hurt the poor in the long run, as the economy won't develop.  \nSo in each case it is slight different, and with so much of economics, it is hard to tell what the future will hold.
1183498
He called him a fucking fag.  Then he tried to explain that in Venezuela that means coward and has nothing to do with someone's sexuality.  \n\nGo figure?