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A supporter of President Hugo Chavez holds his photos as Chavez'

coffin passes, on its way to where his body will lie in state, March 6.

Seven days of mourning have been declared, schools have been

suspended, and heads of state are expected for a funeral on Friday.

 

 

Demonized by the West, Hugo Chavez was a Friend to China (Global Times, People's Republic of China)

 

Was Venezuela President Hugo Chavez hobbled by being unfairly depicted by U.S. and Western media? According to this editorial from China's state-run Global Times, dictators - real or imagined - can get along fine as long as they are in Washington's good graces. But if not, as was the case with Hugo Chavez, the force of Western public opinion takes a heavy toll.

 

EDITORIAL

 

March 8, 2013

 

People’s Republic of China - Global Times - Original Article (English)

A supporter gives Commandante Hugo Chavez a final salute as she passes his body, now lying in state in Caracus. Devotedly loved and maniacly hated, the death of Venezualan President Hugo Chavez will leave a void in Venezuelan and Latin American affairs.

 

MUNDOFOX NEWS VIDEO: Funeral of Hugo Chávez, Mar. 8, 01:29:55RealVideo

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died on Tuesday after succumbing to cancer. The national strength of Venezuela is limited, but the personal influence wielded by Chavez far exceeded cold statistics. The death of Chavez, who was considered a left-wing populist and anti-U.S. fighter in Latin America, has captured global attention. He is as censured as he is praised.

 

Chavez had been in office for 14 years, making him the longest-serving president in Venezuelan history. His authoritarian style was fostered by regular success at the polls and tremendous support from his people. But the West often saw him as a "dictator," a label that prompted Chavez to return fire by famously calling former U.S. President George W. Bush "El Diablo." On the international stage, Chavez undoubtedly suffered, simply because Western opinion was more influential than those elsewhere. Repeatedly denounced as a "dictator," he inevitably ended up viewed in this unflattering light.

 

And his reputation demonstrates that a leader's standing in the world is largely tied to his or her relationship with the United States. In a political sense, monarchs with absolute power to rule can best be defined as "dictators," but if they are allies of the United States, they can avoid the label in Western eyes.

 

Latin American countries have a love-hate relationship with the United States. The current popularity of left-wing Latin American leaders can be attributed to the strong anti-U.S. sentiment shared among their people. Nevertheless, economic development can only occur with U.S. support.

 

Latin Americans ordinary admire the lifestyles of their U.S. counterparts, but they do not want to be controlled by Washington. It is just this complication that  has created such room for competition between Latin America's left and right.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

 

Latin American nations have repeatedly accused the CIA of planning to topple their governments. With the exception of Cuba, conflicts between the U.S. and leftist Latin American regimes have rarely spiraled out of control. And the reality that Latin America is in the backyard of the U.S. hasn't changed much.

 

 

SEE ALSO ON THIS:

Mehr News Agency, Iran: Ahmadinejad: Chavez Will Be 'Resurrected with Christ the Savior'

Guardian Unlimited, U.K.: Claim that Chavez will be Resurrected with Jesus 'Went Too Far'

El Nacional, Venezuela: Maduro Asserts: U.S. 'Infected' Chavez with Deadly Illness

Novosti, Russia: With Chavez' Death, Communist Chief Sees a U.S. 'Cancer' Plot  

La Voz Mundo, Venezuela: Facing Reelection Fight, Hugo Chavez Plays 'Obama Card'

Diario de Cuyo, Argentina: Hugo Chavez and Barack Obama: A Common Electoral Challenge  

El Tiempo, Colombia: What Good is Our New, U.S.-Free 'Community'?  

Estadao, Brazil: In Latin America, Rhetoric Triumphs Over Reality  

La Razon, Bolivia: Latin America Has Excluded the U.S. … So What Now?

ABC, Spain: Hugo Chavez Calls Terrorism Indictment a U.S.-Spanish Plot  

Folha, Brazil: Latin American Unity Cannot Be Dependent on Excluding the U.S.  

La Jornada, Mexico: Latin America's March Toward 'Autonomy from Imperial Center'

La Jornada, Mexico: Militarization of Latin America: Obama 'Ahead of Bush'

O Globo, Brazil: U.S. Navy Shows That What U.S. Can Do, Brazil Can Also Do  

Clarin, Argentina: Resurrected U.S. Fourth Fleet Creates Suspicion Across South America

Le Figaro, France: U.S. Navy 'Resurrects' Fourth Fleet to Patrol Latin America

Semana, Colombia: Hugo Chávez Isn't 'Paranoid' to Fear the U.S. Marines  

Tal Cual, Venezuela: President Chavez 'Puts Early End' to Honeymoon with Obama

El Universal, Venezuela: Obama is No 'Black in Chavez' Pocket'

Gazeta, Russia: Latin Americans Will Sooner or Later Come 'Crawling' to the U.S.

Gazeta, Russia: Castro and Chavez Split Over Obama

El Tiempo, Colombia: 'Tropical Napoleon' Melts Before Obama's 'Empire'

El Tiempo, Colombia: Survey: Obama 'Most Popular Leader' in the Americas

El Espectador, Colombia: Cuba in Obama's Sights

El Mundo, Colombia: Obama: A Man Who Takes His Promises Seriously

La Razon, Bolivia: President Morales Suspects U.S. Behind Attempt on His Life

 

 

There may be a lesson for China in the subtle relations between Latin America and the United States. But China is unlike the United States, which has a tremendous drive and capacity to control others. China should work with Latin America in ways that are in keeping with the region's wishes, and it should offer an alternative to allowing final say to inevitably belong to the U.S.

 

While trade volume between China and Latin America reached $250 billion last year, cooperation is nowhere near deep enough. Greater cooperation will lead to much closer ties.

 

Chavez was an old friend to the Chinese people. It will be the Americas that will have to judge his rocky relationship with the United States.

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Posted By Worldmeets.US Mar. 8, 2013, 1:19pm