Venezuela’s Chavez seen wanting office for life

[groovychk]

Originally published at Twixel.net. You can comment here or there.

Venezuela’s Chavez seen wanting office “for life” - washingtonpost.com
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Insecurity, “malignant narcissism” and the need for adulation are driving Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s confrontation with the United States, according to a new psychological profile.

Eventually, these personality traits are likely to compel Chavez to declare himself Venezuela’s president for life, said Dr. Jerrold Post, who has just completed the profile for the U.S. Air Force.

Chavez won elections for a third term last December. Since then he has stepped up his anti-American rhetoric, vowed to accelerate a march towards “21st Century socialism” and suggested that he intends to stay in power until 2021 — a decade beyond his present term.

But Post — who profiled foreign leaders in a 21-year career at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and now is the director of the Political Psychology Program at George Washington University — doubts that Chavez plans to step down even then. “He views himself as a savior, as the very embodiment of Venezuela,” Post said in an interview.

“He has been acting increasingly messianic and so he is likely to either get the constitution rewritten to allow for additional terms or eventually declare himself president-for-life.”

Post portrays Chavez as “a masterful political gamesman” who knows that his popularity largely rests on being seen as a strong leader who takes on the United States, the Venezuelan elite and a host of other perceived enemies — often with public insults that are rarely used by other leaders.

“To keep his followers engaged, he must continue outrageous and inflammatory attacks,” Post said.

Even Chavez’s most determined opponents concede that he is a gifted orator and has a rare ability to mesmerize audiences. In the language of political psychology, this is a “charismatic leader-follower relationship.”

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The Venezualans voted for him. At least we potentially/hopefully have a way out with our elected dictator.

Comments

[maxomai.livejournal.com]

While I don't trust this evaluation any farther than I can throw Post, I definitely see Chavez heading rapidly for dictatorship. If the US hadn't tried to overthrow him, he'd be out on his ass legally by now.

[groovychk.livejournal.com]

Hard to say what's true or not about he eval - but it does seem to fit with his public persona.
I'd say dictatorship is all but a foregone conclusion at this point.

I'm curious about your statement though.... he's only still there because of us?

[maxomai.livejournal.com]

I'd say so. Remember that in 2001, the US was caught red-handed trying to stage a coup in Venezuela. The coup failed primarily because Chavez's supporters has better grass roots communications. Chavez's victory in that crisis gave him tons of political capital, both at home and with his neighbors, which he's basically used on shoring up power and enacting grossly ineffective social programs.

Please, help me, brothers!!!

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