Democracy shaky in S. America

The bizarre roller coaster of events in Venezuela over recent days – the precipitous resignation and arrest of embattled President Hugo Chávez on Friday, followed by his triumphal return to power Sunday – is another sign of the troubled state of democracy across Latin America.

For the mostly poor supporters of the red-bereted, populist Mr. Chávez, his brief removal after deadly riots last week was a military coup dressed up by the country's ruling elite as a popular uprising – and suspiciously supported by the United States.

For the middle and upper classes who reject Chávez as a bygone Latin dictator whose model is Fidel Castro's communist Cuba, his fall was a kind of Venezuelan spring, the work of a civil society galvanized by the rise of a megalomaniac.

But no matter how one looks at it, Venezuela's turmoil suggests trouble in a region where leaders are still too often looked to as saviors. As long as democratic insti- tutions remain weak and regard for leaders swings from euphoria to rejection, analysts say, Latin countries will continue to experience turmoil like that in Venezuela.

"When civil society sees its hopes for democracy go down in flames with a 24-hour government that showed no respect for the rule of law, it's hard to speak hopefully of democracy's prospects," says Elías Pino Iturrieta, director of historical studies at Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas.

Mr. Chávez, a former Army colonel who led a failed coup in 1992 before his election as president in 1998, was increasingly isolated before the weekend's events. He was faulted for growing belligerence toward his critics, including an array of non-governmental groups, the media, and some new opposition political parties. In the region, Chávez is not alone in difficulties. He is the second South American president to be removed from office in six months – following Argentina's Fernando de la Rua in December – at a time when leaders from Mexico's Vicente Fox to Peru's Alejandro Toledo have seen their once Olympian popularity plunge and doubts about elected leadership grow.

By Sunday, Chávez was looking much like his old self, delivering a long speech on national television from the same presidential desk where businessman Pedro Carmona, with the backing of the military's top brass, had declared himself president hours before. In his return speech, Chávez got at least one thing right: He said the country is deeply divided.

Spontaneous demonstrations both for and against Chávez popped up around the capital, Caracas, into Monday morning. There were reports of clashes among different military services.

Chávez comes out of the experience considerably weakened, most analysts agree, but they add that the groups that oppose him have lost even more in prestige and power.

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