The left’s love for Venezuela

Liam Hehir writes:

Veteran New Zealand journalist Gordon Campbell penned a glowing obituary of Chavez, which proclaimed him “an example of how much a third-world nation can achieve when it takes control of its natural resources from the US and its corporate allies, and uses them to benefit its own people and the region”. He went on to say: “The main beneficiaries of Chavez’ 14 years in power were the ordinary people of Venezuela.”
Chris Trotter, clearly an admirer of “El Presidente”, mused wistfully about what the Kiwi analogue of Chavez would look like. “Imagine Hone Harawira blended into Willie Apiata, with the ideological fervour of Jane Kelsey and Annette Sykes,” he suggested. He dreamed of such a composite being sent “into South and west Auckland on a mission to build a movement capable of smashing the neoliberal order in New Zealand”, and spreading “his revolutionary Aotearoan socialist ‘circles’ across the entire country”.
Keith Locke, the Green MP with a good heart, but a history of questionable judgments, slated John Key for not attending Chavez’s state funeral.

All three gentleman should travel together to Venezuela to interview the locals about how well off they now are thanks to these socialist policies.