The Holyrood Admirers of Autocracy

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reports on the human rights abuses and increasing curtailment on free speech in Venezuela can be read here and here.

From The Scotsman:

Yet five members of the Scottish Parliament have found time in their busy schedule to praise the "progressive" achievements of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and to urge Scotland to forge closer links to his country.

As the UK struggles with recession, job losses and the prospect of looming public-sector budget cuts, SNP MSP Jamie Hepburn has tabled a Holyrood motion claiming that Venezuela has been "transformed" by Chávez.

It calls on MSPs to show "solidarity" with a regime that recently devalued its currency and stands accused of becoming increasingly autocratic by imposing restrictions on the media and politicising the military and judiciary.

The motion, filed alongside devolved matters such as tackling organised crime, the future of library services and challenging bullying in schools, has received the support of the SNP's Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan and Bill Wilson, as well as Labour's Elaine Smith.

Shame on them.