A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

I am for just about anything that increases opposition to Hugo Chavez and flips him the bird politically. Kudos to the Cato Institute for doing its part to give the would-be dictator something to be angry and upset about:

The Cato Institute has announced that Yon Goicoechea, leader of the pro-democracy student movement in Venezuela that successfully prevented President Hugo Chávez's regime from seizing broad dictatorial powers in December 2007, has been awarded the 2008 Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty.

A 23-year-old law student, Mr. Goicoechea plays a pivotal role in organizing and voicing opposition to the erosion of human and civil rights in his country. In his commitment to a modern Venezuela, Goicoechea emphasizes tolerance and the human right to seek prosperity.

Venezuela's student movement emerged in May of 2007 in response to a government-ordered shutdown of the nation's oldest private television station, RCTV.  In the face of ongoing death threats and continual intimidation due to his prominent and vocal leadership, Mr. Goicoechea has been indispensible in organizing massive, peaceful student protest marches that have captured the world's attention.

By December of 2007, the student movement was credited with defeating a proposed constitutional reform that would have concentrated unprecedented political and economic power in the hands of the government.

"Yon Goicoechea is making an extraordinary contribution to liberty," said Edward Crane, President of the Cato Institute. "We hope the Friedman Prize will help further his non-violent advocacy for basic freedoms in an increasingly militaristic and anti-democratic Venezuela."

Goicoechea may not exactly have best life in the world, right now; as you can tell in the pictures, he was physically attacked by Chavez supporters for his anti-regime advocacy and ended up with a broken nose in the process (I am sure that the regime has more in store for him). It is dangerous to make an enemy out of Hugo Chavez. But it is extraordinarily brave as well and it is to be hoped that the international attention that comes with the award of the Friedman Prize will help ensure that nothing untoward will happen to Goicoechea. Dissidents in Venezuela need all the support that they can get, after all.