By Cleto A. Sojo
This article was first published at Venezuelanalysis.com.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez was warmly received
at the 2005 edition of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil,
where he held several meetings with local leaders, intellectuals and activists,
and gave the closing speech in Gigantinho Stadium. Chávez generated
great interest among forum participants, many of whom see him and his
project of political transformations being implemented in Venezuela as
an inspiration in the struggle for a better world.
The Venezuelan president visited the Lagoa do Junco agrarian settlement
in Tapes set up by Brazil's Landless Movement (MST) and later held a press
conference with more than 120 media organisations, where he criticised
the US government for claiming to lead a fight against terrorism while
undermining democracy in Venezuela.