Chavez Chucks Chicanery, Chums Charming Chicagoan

It looks like Hugo Chavez is prepared to dance with the devil again. The unpredictable president of Venezuela recently pledged to restore his ambassador to the U.S. after meeting and shaking hands with Barack Obama. The Summit of the Americas marked a thaw from the American side as well. Obama acknowledged U.S. "heavy-handedness" towards the region, as well as the possibility of an improvement in relations with Cuba. The State Department praised Chavez's decision as "a positive development." According to an expert quoted by Wapo, the former Venezuelan soldier may have been left with little choice, given Obama's popularity abroad. "He can still criticize U.S. policy, but it is much more difficult to criticize Obama the man."