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The question is, is he insane (which I doubt but his opposition might get him removed if they can work that angle), or is he a megalomaniac (they say he's like an adolescent with raging hormones--might put him in that insane and/or Bill Clinton category), or is he a hard-line socialist jockeying for supreme commander designate, the Castro II of the western hemisphere (my personal belief)? Maybe all three.

He's re-written the constitution, held many elections to re-fit the Congress with his supporters (thanks to the re-written constitution), he's stocked the judiciary with judges who won't block his take over of private land, or rule against Chavez's orders that the government hold majority of any oil ventures and push fishing companies further off-shore. He's taken over the office of cultural affairs (which includes the schools) calling it his Bolivarian Revolution and brought in Cuban teachers and trainers to help him facilitate him in this ugly business.

He has started the infamous block-watch groups fashioned after the ones Castro has used so well to oppress the Cuban people by getting them to report on their neighbors. He's blocked ranchers from arming themselves against people taking over their land or from Columbian rebels crossing the border to kidnap them for ransom, while at the same time helping to arm those same the rebels. He buses supporters in from the countryside (sort of like the DNC and Castro) and has been giving Casto-length speeches.