Democracy Is Alive and Well in Venezuela

“Venezuela Vote Sets Roadblocks on Chávez Path” (front page, Dec. 4) has it right: “the results showed that Venezuela’s institutions remained durable, for now, even in the gale-force winds of an overwrought political environment.”

During a trip to Venezuela early this year with Witness for Peace, the most surprising thing I observed was the newly found sense of political empowerment and “ownership” felt by the “Chavistas.” I will never forget a conversation with an acquaintance in Maracaibo who is both an evangelical Christian and a supporter of Hugo Chávez.

When I asked if it worried him that Mr. Chávez was gathering too much power into his own hands, he quickly said no. I asked why not, and heard him reply: “If Chávez does not do the right thing, we will get rid of him. We Venezuelans know what we are defending.”

Although the social classes of Venezuela are strongly divided in their political views, there are many signs that the spirit of democracy there is alive and well. I came home feeling that the only thing likely to destroy it is too much meddling by the United States.

Tom F. Driver
New York, Dec. 4, 2007

The writer is professor emeritus of theology and culture at Union Theological Seminary.

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To the Editor:

President Bush has turned promoting democracy in other countries into a mantra. So it seems especially ironic that two national leaders in whom he’s invested much trust — and even friendship, to hear him talk — are Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan and Vladimir V. Putin in Russia.

Both have recently rammed through national election victories that are anything but democratic.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bush dismisses Hugo Chávez as a tyrant, yet the Venezuelan president readily cedes defeat in a democratic election.

Isn’t there a lesson for Mr. Bush — as well as the American people — somewhere in this?

Christopher Cook
Prague, Dec. 3, 2007

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To the Editor:

The key words in Roger Cohen’s Dec. 3 column are “decades of neglect of Venezuela’s poor by ruling elites.”

Only when the ruling elite learns that it can best thrive when everyone thrives and when the alleged power of laissez-faire capitalism to benefit all classes comes true will demagogues like Hugo Chávez find themselves unemployed.

Manfred Weidhorn
Fair Lawn, N.J., Dec. 3, 2007