Sir

Many of the assumptions made in your Editorial 'Venezuela's way ahead' about government benevolence (Nature 450, 922; 2007) overlook the realities. Although substantial funds are potentially available for research, support is not as widespread or as academically competitive as you imply.

Universities not under direct government control are being financially strangled. One example is the country's largest university, the Central University of Venezuela, whose budget allocation has been unchanged for four years, although the country has the highest inflation in South America (its “rapid economic growth” is mostly the result of massive state spending, supported by an ever-increasing reliance on oil income, not a consequence of real productivity). This year, the university is precluded from hiring new staff and promotions are ruled out.

There is no class struggle at Venezuelan public universities, which are free and have a nationwide entrance exam. Some private institutions give scholarships and levelling courses for underprivileged students. Venezuelan students are simply supporting universal rights such as freedom of expression and academic freedom, and taking a firm stance against political discrimination, coercion and imposition of a single ideology.

Governments distributed competitive research grants before Chávez came to power, but now political criteria are more important and the system is being undermined. Given autonomous universities' failure to elect government-sponsored candidates to governing bodies, the state has resorted to physical, legal and financial harassment. The proposed constitution criticized by the student movement could eventually destroy administrative and academic autonomy.

Referendum results have raised hopes of reconciliation and decreasing political polarization, and of slowing the exodus of talented young Venezuelans.