By: KENNETH MAXWELL

Folha de São Paulo - Op-ed section - page A2   

It is always salutary for those of us who like to think Latin America matters to see how a minor earthquake in the region, such as the defeat of Hugo Chavez in the Venezuelan referendum, is covered is in the mainstream U.S. media. The story did make headlines the following day, but by week's end, on the discussion shows which feature leading journalists discussing the past week's events, it was not even mentioned.

It is true there were two other very big stories: The national intelligence report on Iran and its conclusion that the number one enemy of the moment had actually ceased its nuclear bomb building efforts in 2003. And later in the week the admission by the CIA that interrogation video tapes had been deliberately destroyed. None the less, it was amazing how the Chavez story sank like a stone.

The misinterpretation of the results of the referendum by some outsiders is worth noting. The Internet editions of both Estado in Sao Paulo and the Guardian in London on the Monday morning after referendum headlined a "victory" for Chavez! - which says a lot about ideological biases - or at least hopes and fears - on both sides of the spectrum. But these reactions also help explain and why the left is going through its habitual split between those who argue that social and economic democracy out weighs political democracy in times of challenge and crisis - with the implication that civil and political rights stand in the way of progressive change and can be dispensed if need be for the greater good.

The defeat of Chavez in a democratic vote is a big set back for that line of reasoning. But its revival does make one wonder if the bitter lesson of the 20th century has been truly learned; that imposed utopian visions can lead to totalitarianism on both right and left; and that individual human and civil rights and their protection by the rule of law does matter.

Chavez's "por ahora" declaration in his TV speech after the defeat is therefore quite ominous. The first time he uttered these words was when his attempt to seize power by means of a military coup failed in February, 1992.

KENNETH MAXWELL is a weekly op-ed columnist (every Thursday) for Folha de São Paulo, Brazil's leading newspaper.