Sunday - December 02, 2007

Freedom 0 for 2: Venezuela and Russia Cross into One Man Rule 

In Russia, Putin's United Russia party won 60% of the vote. It seems, Putin, will be the power behind the throne for years to come.

First official results showed Putin's United Russia with over 60 percent of the vote -- an outcome likely to be seen by the Kremlin as a strong mandate for Putin to maintain a position of influence after his final presidential term ends next year.

"The overwhelming majority of Russian voters spoke in favor of United Russia, thus supporting President Putin's course, and spoke in favor of it being continued after the current president's second term ends," a Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told Reuters after early results came in. Read more....

And in Venezuela, Chavez seems to have won constitutional changes that will allow him to be president for life.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez appeared headed for victory on Sunday in a referendum on allowing the leftist to rule for as long as he keeps winning elections, government-linked sources said, citing exit polls.

Three exit polls showed the anti-American leader won by between six and eight percentage points in a vote where turnout was low, the two sources said.

If his victory is confirmed, the referendum vote on a raft of reforms would allow Chavez -- in office since 1999 -- to run for reelection indefinitely, control foreign currency reserves, appoint loyalists over regional elected officials and censor the media if he declares an emergency.

Chavez has said he wants to rule for life and turn the major oil exporter into a socialist state. Read more....

The decade of the 1990s saw the fall of communism. Will the beginning of the 21st century be known for its resurgence?

Author: The Machiavellian
Technorati Tags: Russia Venezuela
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