Chávez, sitting at the stage desk, drew a diagram on a large white card, and, holding it up to the “Aló Presidente” cameras, told viewers that he’d been thinking about a new “windfall profits” tax on oil companies. He called out to Rafael Ramírez, the president of P.D.V.S.A.—a tall, blue-eyed man who resembles Tim Robbins—and he promptly stood up and began taking notes, nodding furiously. This was not a rehearsed moment; to an unusual degree, “Aló Presidente” is Chávez’s government in action, and it is a government that Chávez does not so much administer as perform live.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Riding the Chávez Rollercoaster
John Lee Anderson spent some time with the Venezuelan leader, and has a characteristically thoughtful and entertaining piece in this week's New Yorker. Among my favorite passages:
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