[Zhukov]

Try indeed, do you remmber the assasination attempts on fidel, el blanco? They tried and failed there. I'm sure the CIA/Pentagon etc have learned a thing or two by now, though.

The powerful elite in Venezuela have already killed many Chavez supporters and poor, but don't think they would attempt to kill Chavez himself without the US green-lighting it first. They have already proven themselves too useless to rig a referendum, and since the only help they can get is outside the country, I don't think they would want to shake things up without backup or consent.

If Chavez goes the way of Allende, it wont be as bad for Venezuela as it was for Chile. The revolution there is much deeper than it was in Chile, and Chavez doesn't have as much faith in parlimentary elections, which means the local bolivian circles (consisting of workers, peasants and soldiers) have more political and organisational power to defend themselves from any tin-pot dictator instaled by the capialists.