Remember the old days when American oil interests ran that poor country? A small fraction of the populace enjoyed huge wealth while the great majority of the people lived in squalor.
Chavez changed all that, and now the poor people enjoy a higher standard of living and the formerly filthy rich piss and moan about socialism. The French revolution comes to mind.

Chavez has one thing going for him; the great majority of his people, and he is fighting any way he has to to keep his country out of the greasy hands of the filthy rich exploiters. Been there, done that, got the poverty. If I could vote for him, I would.