Aleksander Boyd of Vcrisis lives in London and is a leading critic of the regime of Hugo Chavez. London Mayor Ken Livingston has pursued a special relationship with Chavez, hosting him in London, and was planning a return visit to Venezuela. His friendship was to have been rewarded with some sort of concessionary oil deal, much like those boons granted by Chavez to New England constituents of friendly American pols. He was to get a publicly financed publicity junket, get a payoff for his constituents, and enjoy solidarity with fellow anti—Americans.

Quite a caper.

But the trip has been cancelled, Aleks tells us.

News report suggest that the trip got cancelled due to Chavez's electoral agenda, however nothing can be further from the truth. Fact is Red Ken's Caribbean holiday —at London's taxpayer's expense— has been roundly condemned in all political quarters of London.

Aleksander Boyd is closer than anyone else to the situation. He has a number of observations.

Thomas Lifson  11 7 06