The Venezuelans have had President after President that has done nothing to for the chronic poor.
The people in the slums like Chavez as he actually does things for them. They get doctors, the kids get meals in schools, every household gets a collection of classic literature.
Don't blame Chavez for taking what was on offer. If the elite had actually done anything for their country then they would not be in this position.
This is baloney. If you would bother to read the Venezuelan blogs, which you don't, you would hear from nurses in public hospitals in Venezuela, talking about how their hospitals are out of supplies and can't give proper care any more because Chavez has stolen all their funds and given it to CUBAN, repeat, CUBAN doctors, who are not there to be doctors. These Cuban doctors can give out bandaids and certainly make housecalls (the better to see what's inside your house) but if you need cancer surgery, well too bad, the hospital that would have treated you, free, pre-Chavez, is now out of supplies and money. This is very sick stuff going on. Chavez has defunded the real medical centers that help people, free of charge, and forked it over to Castro for god knows what. Net result, no medical care, lots of spies. You ought to get more informed about this communist descent in this beleaguered country.