No, Venezuela was a bureaucratic mess before this.
Nowhere near what it is now, but it was way too dependent on the government owned petroleum revenue stream, and the old problem of corporatism. A lot of money was getting directed to the old boy network. Very Latin American.
Its GDP growth from 1980-2000 was next to nil, and per capita negative.
A very statist place. Its no surprise Chavez found enough unhappy people to back him. He did not make anything better of course. But there is usually a reason you get the likes of Chavez.