Venezuelans have spoken and their's is a warning to all power hungry, would be dictators. Real power belongs to the people. The problems that exist in Venezuela are no different to that of other developing nations where fundamental rights are being whittled away. I applaud the people of Venezuela for taking a stance in the battle to protect democracy. I can only hope that the citizens of nearby Trinidad and Tobago will do the same as they endure growing poverty, starvation , corruption and rapidly increasing crime levels all due to sinister attempts at absolute power.

Lisa Poliah, San Fernando, Trinidad

So now what?Chavez isn't going to go away.He's going to blame the U.S.for his defeat,that's for sure.Perhaps other countries as well.I think I see bloodshed in the future.

ron, toronto,

It is very hard for most Americans to understand Latin American politics due to the lack of background information and because you tend to see things with the same mind frame as politics are understood in the U.S. There is a strong tendency to see things in a binary way: Democrats vs. Republicans, progressive vs. conservatives, good and evil. Usually it is really hard for those feel "progressive" that there are so many abuses committed by self proclaimed "socialist" leaders as Chavez, and that there are many tones of gray in the socialist ideology. From President Bachelet in Chile to Fidel or Chavez. You can still feel "progressive democrats" and NOT support Chavez' authoritarian regime (no freedom of speech, no tolerance for people who think different, nationalization of the economy). Of course the flawed neoliberal economy model imposed by greedy forces perpetuates the social and economic inequities.Chavez is NOT a democrat, he's an AUTHORITARIAN intolerant. He's his worst enemy.

Graciela Lu, Eugene, Oregon, U.S.

If his a dictator, it says alot about Gordon Brown and Labour.
At least they got a referendum.

Denver, Croydon, England

Yes the vote proves he is not a dictator........what does the shooting on unarmed protesting students by Chave's thugs prove?

When Chavez leaves office .......and gives up control of the gov't then you can make a case for him not being a dictator.

Hotspur, Atlnta, USA

It's so sorry to see how people here can comment on Venezuelan's president and political situation without having a clue. It is easy to do when you don't live in Venezuela and are not affected by the situation there. Chavez is not a democrat because he accepted the results. He was so full of himself he thought Venezuelans would let him do whatever he wanted because he uses the ignorant non educated people giving them crumbs to buy them when he spends venezuelan people's money to enrich himself and to give it away to other countries to buy their support. Go to Venezuela and see the real situation there, how people die because their health system is collapsed because of lack of money when Venezuelan's President travels all over the world in a presidential airplane that has more gold in it than a jewelry store could wish for. Chavez exploits ignorance and poverty buying them with crumbs when he spends the real money in himself and throwing it away to buy ignorants everywhere! We said NO!

Carolina , Orlando, FL

His defeat proves that Chavez is a "democrat" not a "dictator", as a dictator would have made sure the votes were counted in his favor, or that 99.% of voters turned out and voted like they apparently just did in Chechnya..

David Erlichman, Harrisburg, PA USA