So, If Socialism Is So Great, Why The Ongoing Protests?

A new slogan appearing on the T-shirts and banners of anti-government protesters in Venezuela sums up a growing sentiment about President Hugo Chavez after 11 years in power: "You struck out."

The list of strikes against Mr. Chavez keeps growing: Latin America's worst inflation, increased blackouts, runaway violent crime and a scandal involving bankers close to his government.

The socialist-inspired governing model that Mr. Chavez calls his Bolivarian Revolution — named after 18th-century independence leader Simon Bolivar — is weakened and hobbling. And though Mr. Chavez retains close ties with a bloc of leftist governments from Bolivia to Nicaragua, many Latin Americans don't see Venezuela's oil-funded populism as viable.

Among Venezuelans, Mr. Chavez's popularity slipped below 50 percent in polls late last year.

The protest slogan "you struck out" recently appeared on banners held up during Venezuelan baseball games, which Mr. Chavez himself follows closely, and spread to signs and shirts during street demonstrations.

State-imposed economic controls have failed to contain 25 percent inflation, rapidly eroding the earnings of the poor who have been Mr. Chavez's core of political support. Mr. Chavez's devaluation of the currency last month — aimed at allowing the government finances to boost public spending — is expected to push prices even higher.

To counter that, Mr. Chavez deployed inspectors and soldiers to check, threatening to expropriate any businesses engaging in price-gouging. Some have been temporarily shut down. The government recently seized a French-controlled retail chain, Exito.

Mr. Chavez's foes say such measures will only further discourage private investment, which fell 7.6 percent last year amid the nationalization of banks, coffee producers and oil-field service companies.

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