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French press review 7 March 2013

Where now for Venezuela? That's the question posed by three of this morning's Paris dailies in the wake of the death of President Hugo Chavez.

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Communist L'Humanité salutes a man who was the embodiment of his nation's social revolution, claiming that he listened to the cries of the poor and refused to toe the line set by the great powers.

Chavez can certainly be credited with having reduced poverty levels and improving literacy. But Venezuela's economy remains almost completely dependent on crude oil production and state spending has been in the red since 2005. The public spending debt is currently estimated at around 7.5 per cent of gross domestic product.

Catholic La Croix is less enthusiastic, saying that El Comandante failed to live up to his early promise, was prone to authoritarianism and weak on corruption.

Now, warns La Croix, there's a danger that the opposition may try to profit from the political vacuum in the great man's wake, provoking disturbances with a view to weakening the administration.

Washington's praise for a man who consistently criticised American neo-colonialism was also limited. President Barack Obama left it at an expression of hope that Venezuela will open the next chapter in its history with a respect for democratic principles and human rights.

Chavez's likely succesor, Nicolas Maduro, is seen by most commentators as a worthy heir of the Bolivarian mantle but as a complete nonentity in terms of charisma. Perhaps that what Venezuela needs: less form and more content. Elections have to be organised within 30 days.

Right-wing Le Figaro looks at another succession battle . . . the negotiations surrounding the choice of the next Roman Catholic pope. The cardinals have been having pre-conclave talks, before the 115 electors go into the closed session which will see them choose one of their number to be the next pontiff.

Already, according to Le Figaro, there are clear lines of battle in this holy war, with a broadly Italian clan trying to put up a united front against the foreigners, led by the German and American cardinals.

There's likely to be plenty of fire but don't expect white smoke any day soon.

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