For the first post, about Chavez, I suspect that it was downvoted because it wasn't negative enough about him. People will often downvote a comment they disagr

For the first post, about Chavez, I suspect that it was downvoted because it wasn't negative enough about him. People will often downvote a comment they disagree with regardless of its merits. (Although on the plus side it's already received a couple of upvotes since you posted this link.) The second one I'm not really sure. I think the reply to yours got a boatload of votes because it speaks to the consensus here at HN.