Liberal fascism in Venezuela

Washington Post:

Military intelligence agents on Friday detained a former defense minister who broke with the populist government of President Hugo Chávez last year and became one of its most vociferous critics.

Retired Gen. Raúl Baduel was shopping with his family in the city of Maracay west of Caracas, the capital, when he was taken into custody to answer questions about alleged corruption, military officials said.

Baduel was once one of Chávez's most trusted advisers, conspiring with him against the government when the two were young army officers. In 2002, Baduel played an instrumental role in turning back a coup that briefly deposed Chávez.

But last year, Baduel turned against Chávez, saying he had become increasingly authoritarian and was taking Venezuela on the road to ruin. Baduel's forceful opposition to constitutional changes that would have expanded the president's powers helped defeat the plan in a December referendum.

In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Baduel said that state intelligence agents were pursuing him and that he feared for his life. "A persecution has begun that has been getting worse," he said. "There are some who say that a way has to be found to silence Raúl Baduel."

The Globovision TV network showed a dozen men from the Military Intelligence Directorate forcefully push the retired general into a four-wheel-drive vehicle as his wife tried to help him.

"I was not going to give in voluntarily, so this was done with force," Baduel told Globovision. "I have no idea what the motives were. I can only say that I have been violently detained."

Ernesto José Cedeño, the chief military prosecutor, said at a news conference that Baduel was being investigated for stealing funds from the armed forces. He said the detention came after a 16-month probe in which Baduel was called to appear in hearings four times but failed to do so.

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Corruption is rampant in Venezuela and it is probably even encouraged by Chavez and his cronies so that when they turn against the government it can be used as a pretext for discrediting the previous supporters.

What is clear is that Chavez does not handle criticism well and does his best to suppress it. I sort of reminds you of the way Obama reacts to negative advertising.