Venezuala

Washington Post:

When Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez faced a coup d'état in April 2002, the international community roundly condemned the assault on Venezuela's constitutional order. Now, as he faces a recall referendum in August 2004, Chavez's own government threatens to undermine this country's fragile democracy through a political takeover of its highest court. The new law expands the number of Supreme Court justices from 20 to 32. It allows Chavez's governing coalition to use its slim majority in the legislature to obtain an overwhelming majority of seats on the Supreme Court. The law also allows his coalition to nullify the appointments of sitting justices. In short, Chavez's supporters can now both pack and purge the country's highest court.

Rule of law is a cornerstone of democracy. If you don't have that all a democracy can be is tyranny of the majority. Hopefully this anti-democratic move by Venezuala will fail and true democracy will reemerge from this nation.