It's with despair that I read about Hugo Chavez's attempts to rewrite the Venezuelan constitution to suit his needs for limitless power.
In the past I've enjoyed Chavez's ballsy confrontations with Northern hemisphere powers, especially those with the Bush administration. Calling W, "the devil" and "Mr. Danger" and distributing low cost heating oil to Americans whom Americans can't find the heart or wallet to help.
But it seems that old chestnuts remain vital for a reason. Power does corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Much of what Chavez has done for the poor of his country is admirable, but to indicate that he must remain in power for the rest of his life to sustain his socialist revolution makes a lie of his trust in the people, and in the power of democracy.
Venezuela is on the dangerous precipice of trading an entertaining, egotistical, ranting, remarkably refreshing leader for a despot. A vote to change the constitution to keep Chavez in power would be the kind of ego and power boost that would make a servant of the people into a dangerous tyrant.
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