[NYTr] Media: "We’re Number 2!" and Other Stories You’ll Never Read about Venezuela
 
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:59:13 -0600 (CST)

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
BoRev Net via Venezuelanalysis - Nov 22, 2007
http://www.borev.net/2007/11/were_number_2_and_other_storie.html#more
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/2887

"Webre Number 2!" and Other Stories Youbll Never Read about Venezuela

by BoRev.net

Every year, the Chilean polling firm LatinobarC3metro releases a giant
report on what the Latin Americans are thinking, and every year this
report confuses the crap out of the English language press, who canbt
seem to understand why it contradicts everything theybve ever written
about the region. The fun part comes in watching them twist some fairly
straightforward numbers into bizarre and complex algorithms to make
them line up with the worldview they helped create.

But webre getting ahead of ourselves; thatbs next weeksb parlor game.
These numbers are hot off the press, so we have a rare opportunity to
look at them before they turn into sideshow freaks. You can check them
out for yourself if you are proficient in Spanish and Adobe Acrobat.
http://www.latinobarometro.org/uploads/media/Informe_Latinobarometro_2007.pdf
Everyone else, join us after the jump.

First of all, guess who loves bdemocracyb better than everyone else?
Ok, itbs actually the good people of Uruguay. But Venezuelans run a
close second in just about every democracy-hugging category, even as
other countries are showing an unnerving openness to the idea of
bdictatorshipb if it gets the job done.

    b" Uruguayans and Venezuelans are far more likely to say they are
bsatisfiedb with their democracy (66% and 59% respectively) than
everyone else in the region. No other nationality hits the 50% mark.

    b" Venezuela ties with Argentina for second place in believing that
democracy bis the best form of governmentb (83% each, compared with 86%
for Uruguay at the top and 49% for Panama at the bottom).

    b" Responding to the weirdly-phrased bDo you trust in democracy?b
question, Venezuela and Uruguay tie for the top spot, with 77% of the
population avowing their btrust,b followed by Argentina and Bolivia
(67% and 63%). Peru and Panama have some trust issues, with 39% and
34%, respectively.

If Venezuelans are content with their democratic system, they are
downright ecstatic over the state of their economybwhich, for the
record, is bsocialist.b Ok, it probably helps to have oil, but:

    b" 52% of Venezuelans say they are satisfied with the countrybs
brecent economic condition,b which may sound a little weak until you
read that the second slot is a three-way tie between Brazil, Ecuador,
and the Dominican republic for 26%, or exactly half that figure.

    b" Venezuelans are far more hopeful about their future economic
sitch, with 60% believing it will get even better in the year ahead,
compared with second place Uruguay (37%), ninth place Colombia (31%)
fifteenth place Colombia (24%) and last place Paraguay (16%).

Wait sorry, did I say that Venezuelans gushed hardest about the state
of their economy? I meant to say btheir government in general.b Here
are some stats that will obviously never see print outside of this blog
posting:

    b" When asked whether their government works for the well-being of
the people, Venezuelans top the list with 70%, followed by Uruguay
(67%), Bolivia (64%) and Nicaragua (63%). Most Central American
countries pull up the rear. Oh and of course Paraguay, who reports in
with 24%. Poor Paraguay :(

    b" Asked if they btrust their government,b Venezuelans head the
pack, with 66% trust ranking. Compare this with Colombians (41%),
Brazilians (35%), Peruvians (22%) andband I totally hate to pick on
thembParaguayans, with a sad little 15%.

    b" Asked if they trust their President in particular, Venezuelans
come in second to Uruguay (61% vs. 60%). I wonbt even mention who hates
their president most, but it rhymes with bLaraguay,b at 13%. Double :(

Fascinating, no? Even better: you can play along at home! Just file
these numbers away in your head, and like a demented game of Telephone,
see if you recognize them when the come back at you in your local
newspaper later this week. Be sure to send the most outlandish
sightings to BoRevNet (at) Gmail (dot) Com. 

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