Hugo Chavez's iron fisted control of his country is driving people to seek asylum in the United States.
Hugo Chavez has long represented a quagmire for some people, some see him as an elected leader leading the fight against corporate tyranny, others see him as the new Fidel Castro, a tyrant with no respect for the rights of his people.
Still this article from Reuters is only the series in ever more chilling tales from Venezuela.
In 1998, the year Chavez was first elected, just 14 Venezuelans were granted U.S. asylum. That number jumped to 1,086 in the 12 months ending September 30, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Venezuelans seeking asylum are just a small part of a big exodus, according to Venezuelan activists in Florida, who say some 160,000 Venezuelans are living in the United States illegally or on overstayed visas.
Now who are these radicals that are fleeing Hugo Chavez's government? Terrorists, fascists?
Both I guess.
As populist President Hugo Chavez tightens his grip on the oil-producing country, wealthy and middle class citizens are fleeing, just as their counterparts did soon after Fidel Castro seized power in Havana more than 40 years ago.
The middle class is leaving, and of course the usual rhetoric for anyone concerned about democracy in Venezuela is to accuse them of being terrorists or fascists.
It seems not even memembers of the union are safe either.
"Nobody takes the trouble of emigrating to another country because they're OK back home," said Chavez opponent Carlos Fernandez, who was detained in Venezuela in February 2003.
Fernandez, 57, was charged with civil rebellion and treason for spearheading a December 2002-January 2003 strike against Chavez that battered Venezuela's economy.
A trucking executive, he headed the country's Fedecamaras business chamber before fleeing to the United States and his current home in the upscale Fort Lauderdale suburb of Weston, known locally as "Westonzuela."
I thought everything was for the people? Well I admit I would get a bit cranky to if someone started costing me money.
Hugo Chavez has repeatedly shown authoritarian impulses, and a lack of disrespect for the proper balance any respectable democracy needs. The next American President is going to be faced with the task of attempting to limit his influence, and be forced to contend with something Castro never had.
A country with a lot of oil, and a desperate need to buy influence.
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