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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Venezuela: Can Chavez strike first?Misleading news about a possible Venezuelan invasion of some Caribbean islands held by the Netherlands made almost pass below the screens the real news that the Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is about to make his office part of his remaining biography. The next but not the last series of constitutional changes that Chavez intends to implement will make him a president for life, something a certain Augusto Pinochet in Chile, another military guy, wasn't able to achieve because of popular discontent. So the question, or rather the questions are, whether Chavez will be able to rule indefinitely, and whether he may plan military strikes to get additional power leverage in the regional politics?
President for lifeUnless Chavez gets very sick and is incapacitated to rule, he will probably keep his promise to rule until the 200-anniversary of the Venezuelan independence, which falls at some point between 2011 and 2030, depending on when people put the starting point, from the independence from Spain, or from the independence from Grand Colombia, a temporary political construction that collapsed on its constituent parts by the middle of the 19th c. The opposition in Venezuela seems dead in all but name. The old economic and political elite, unable to promote economic growth that goes hand-in-hand with social equity, now reaps the fruits of its own incompetence.Venezuela slowly, but surely, enters the labyrinths of left political utopia. The road is paved with good intentions, uprooting poverty and creating a fair society. The end of the road is known to anyone with minimal history knowledge, it's a dark and corrupt space where people don't trust each other, where docile people replace active citizens, and where the general race toward misery is the common denominator and representation of social solidarity. Chavez is still a relatively young politician. At only 53, he can still see his utopia turning ugly, and the same people venerating his name now, asking for his resignation at some point later.
Can he strike first?But is he capable of more than becoming a dictator of a middle-sized, a rather poor and, except for the oil, internationally insignificant country? Is he capable of projecting his power and imposing behavior on neighboring countries and territories? Or to use the no-event that triggered this story, is he capable of striking against anyone, without fear of consequences? Despite the mountains of Russian armory that flow toward Venezuela nowadays, the answer is rather negative. Unless Chavez has lost any sense of reality (his political moves inside the country show that he's well inside the circle of rationality), he couldn't believe that these conventional arms are capable of matching the military force that the United States can put against him, if necessary. Whether it's a tiny territory lost somewhere in the Caribbean, or the jungle of Columbia ruled by fellow leftist movements, at the end his aggression will be checked by Washington, maybe even under applauses of most Latin American leaders.There is, however, a slight possibility that Chavez can strike, but this won't happen until he's absolutely sure of the impunity of his actions. Saddam made a mistake when he attacked Kuwait in 1990; Japan made a similar mistake attacking Pearl Harbor in 1941; and North Korea made a mistake attacking the South in 1950. But many other moves have been left unpunished: e.g. when North Vietnam occupied the South in 1975. The current situation, when the United States may decide soon not to be involved in military operations abroad, may create ideal conditions for aggressive politicians around the world. Chavez may then decide to take a chance. Will there be someone to stop him?
Venezuela profile: --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Venezuela.
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