Voters got it right

To paraphrase former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Venezuelans are a very practical people whose innate wisdom is demonstrated at the ballot box.

Having twice endorsed their socialist president Hugo Chavez, the people have spoken again.

Venezuelans have refused Chavez’s bid for constitutional changes “that would have scrapped term limits on Chavez’s rule, given him control over foreign currency reserves and boosted his powers to expropriate private property.”

Students, rights and business groups, opposition parties, the Roman Catholic Church, former political allies and even his usually loyal ex-wife all lined up against Chavez ahead of the referendum vote...

Seems that, although Venezuelans have by and large endorsed their president’s socialist program, they were not willing to do away with the opt-out clauses guaranteed under their constitution.

Perhaps Robert Mugabe’s salutary example was one of the influences that guided Venezuelans in their verdict. This is perhaps the sole positive contribution Mugabe has made in his miserable life.