This seems to me a fairly balanced look at the Venezuelan revolution, spearheaded by Hugo Chavez. Definitely something you should check out to allow you to form your own opinion. I can imagine this film being difficult to find in the US. I can also see how some ignorant American viewers might be unable to stomach the perception of the large amount of harm the USA has done to the world since the second world war - and especially in Latin America.
I wish there had been a little more discussion of the issues separating the left and the right. I can understand that large corporations interested in maintaining power and money might be upset at the nationalization of the oil corporations - but those resources do belong to the folks that live there and should probably benefit them. As well, I am often astounded that rich and middle class people everywhere seem to think the poor are lazy and want to do nothing to pull themselves out of the holes they are in. That being said, I never saw any interviews or stories that specifically illustrated why the right was so opposed to helping the poor with medical clinics, helping to build farms that are self-sufficient or any other social or financial issues that separated either side.
When you see the abject poverty in the barrios (in Caracas, the poor make up more than half the population) and nothing was done about it for decades, you have to think that the American backed elites really didn't understand that people - the majority - had had enough. The film does indicate the steps of revolution (historically all taken by the French, the Americans and the Spanish) and how it applies to the current situation.
Love him or hate him. Chavez makes many excellent points in terms of humanities survival and extreme capitalism. If humanity continues on its present course, we are endangering our survival as a species.
Anyway, check this film out and decide for yourself.
I wish there had been a little more discussion of the issues separating the left and the right. I can understand that large corporations interested in maintaining power and money might be upset at the nationalization of the oil corporations - but those resources do belong to the folks that live there and should probably benefit them. As well, I am often astounded that rich and middle class people everywhere seem to think the poor are lazy and want to do nothing to pull themselves out of the holes they are in. That being said, I never saw any interviews or stories that specifically illustrated why the right was so opposed to helping the poor with medical clinics, helping to build farms that are self-sufficient or any other social or financial issues that separated either side.
When you see the abject poverty in the barrios (in Caracas, the poor make up more than half the population) and nothing was done about it for decades, you have to think that the American backed elites really didn't understand that people - the majority - had had enough. The film does indicate the steps of revolution (historically all taken by the French, the Americans and the Spanish) and how it applies to the current situation.
Love him or hate him. Chavez makes many excellent points in terms of humanities survival and extreme capitalism. If humanity continues on its present course, we are endangering our survival as a species.
Anyway, check this film out and decide for yourself.
