Give Venezuela's Chavez a chance

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 13, 1998

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havez is a charismatic left-winger and former paratrooper who served time in prison for leading a failed coup attempt six years ago. Known by his supporters as El Comandante, Chavez in the past has expressed his admiration for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's style of leadership and ranted about the evils of capitalism.

Now that he is preparing for the responsibility of governing, Chavez has begun to sound more conciliatory. He has denied he is an authoritarian and signaled a willingness to embrace a democratic approach to his presidency. He says his priorities will be cleaning up the waste and corruption that have caused decades of political and social unrest and addressing crushing economic problems in the the oil-rich South American nation.

If that commitment to economic and political reform is fulfilled, Chavez's election could be a watershed moment in Venezuelan politics. His victory was not so much an endorsement of radical politics as an indictment of the country's corrupt political class. For decades, Venezuela's political and economic establishments have pillaged the country's wealth, leaving the country in deep debt and 70 percent of its people languishing in poverty.

Chavez won because he promised change. By vowing to renegotiate the country's huge foreign debt, and to crack down on tax evasion by the upper classes, Chavez became a hero to the poor. He also achieved a strong base of support among the middle classes.

Chavez speaks of finding a "third way" that combines the benefits of socialism with a free-market economy. Since the election, he has tried to reassure foreign investors.

Chavez is a democratically elected leader who traded in his military fatigues and red beret for a suit and tie. He deserves an opportunity to chart a new course for Venezuela. For all its concerns, the United States should give Chavez the benefit of the doubt and encourage him to build his new government on bedrock democratic values and respect for the rule of law.