Sir, – Tom Hennigan’s article on Venezuela’s presidential election this coming Sunday (World News, October 4th) characterised President Chávez as authoritarian, corrupt and economically inept.
This is a president preparing for the 15th election conducted under his tenure – which has been primarily dedicated to eradicating poverty in a country historically scarred by inequality and ruled by wealthy elites. Since 1999, five million Venezuelans have been lifted out of poverty, with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) reporting that Venezuela has the lowest level of economic inequality in Latin America. The favelas which house many of Venezuela’s poor now have a government committed to social justice and investing the country’s oil resources in social need rather than siphoning profits off to the rich.
Moreover, the UN has predicted economic growth for Venezuela of 5 per cent in 2012 despite the global economic downturn. This is not to belittle Venezuela’s social and economic problems or suggest that Mr Chávez is beyond criticism.
It is, however, a plea for a more rounded and honest assessment of the Bolivarian revolution and its developmental record. – Yours, etc,