Chavez’s Popularity

Newspapers

Though outside the dominant discourse of populism and Chavez’s political tactics, occasionally the US media would praise Chavez for his popularity. Even though that popularity was qualified by his support from the lower-socioeconomic classes in Venezuela, there were also times in which he was seen as an effective leader who garnered deserved praise from his citizens. Although the dominant discourse showed him as disconnected from his citizens, there were a few efforts to showcase him as a victor for Venezuela, such as bolstering the economy, speaking for the underserved, fighting against oppression, and the power of his captivating speeches. However, these cases are outliers since Chavez’s popularity was commonly tied to his corruption, manipulation, overbearing government control, authoritarian policies, or misinformed and “fiery” speeches.