Last month, I was in Bangkok for a meeting of the Interparliamentary Union. I noted that for most western democracies, and other Latin American countries including Brazil, there were representatives from the government, but also from the opposition. Every time I attend this annual meeting, I notice that Venezuela only sends representatives who support Chávez. No member of the opposition is allowed to be part of an international delegation. Therefore, the government wants to give the impression that it controls all of the legislature and that there is no opposition.
This worries me greatly. I believe it shows that the system is not as democratic as in other countries.