Having lost the last time out Hugo Chavez has won the referendum not to be limited to two terms as president and to be able to stand as many times as required. No doubt he will claim that this is ' democracy ' as is claimed by Kim Jong Il, Hu Jin Tao and Robert Mugabe. To politicians around the world democracy has come to mean a mark on a piece of paper every four to six years but every politician secretly wants to be a king and behaves like one. Whether it is Tiananmen Square, the Patriot Act or the DNA archive ( in the UK ) the idea is to control the people and acquire absolute power, all in the name of protecting the same stupid people. In India we are so proud of our democracy when compared to those of our neighbours, congratulating ourselves for our elections which get rid of one set of ugly geriatric scoundrels for another. Do you choose a murderer or a rapist? Perhaps a shameless footlicking chamcha will be better than a smuggler? Innumerable parties led by ugly old men who refuse to die and are grooming their drugged, criminal sons to follow them. Elections are won by appealing to religion, caste or linguistic groups. Black money and armed goons give status. Uneducated naked people are bought with promises of free electricity, rice at Rs. 2 per kilo or free saris, all at taxpayer's expense. It is no wonder that politicians are totally despised and almost every state in India has some kind of armed group fighting the state. General elections are scheduled for May. Another chance to mark one's favourite ugly villain. What fun democracy!