Chavez Crushing Venezuela's Democracy

(Caracas, Venezuela) According to a report by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has instilled an environment of fear by enacting laws which concentrate authority in his hands. Now, Chavez simply strong-arms, demonizes and silences his opponents.

Releasing the report, HRW's America's Director, Jose Miquel Vivanco, said that Chavez has "degraded the country's democracy."

In response, senior Chavez spokesman Saul Ortega said Vivanco is an imbecile and Venezuela is the splendor of democracy. Vivanco was then booted from Venezuela by Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro.

Vivanco was ordered to leave along with a Human Rights Watch deputy director, U.S. citizen Daniel Wilkinson, Maduro said. He accused them of acting at the behest of the U.S. government.

HRW acting at the behest of the U.S. government? How absolutely absurd! Even utopian cheerleaders in the elite media can't support that allegation.

Frankly, though, there's some entertainment value watching leftist Chavez and leftist HRW go toe-to-toe. Unfortunately, it's not a fair fight. Chavez has an army.

Also: The Jawa Report