Venezuela's future should be in the hands of the Venezuelan people.No one can face this challenge for them, but democracies like theUnited States can and should stand with them and give strength tothose laboring to build a pluralistic society and an open economy.
“My political awakening came in the late 1960s when I saw my father cry over the death of Argentine revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevara.” (Gustavo Petro, former “urban-guerrilla,” and hard-left
narrator: tonight on frontline . how are you, fidel? narrator: he calls castro his idol. very well, thank you. and you? very well. narrator: and the united states an enemy. he s convinced george bush goes to bed thinking of ways to assassinate hugo chavez. narrator: to his followers, he is venezuela s hope. ( people shouting ) to his critics, he as at worst a dictator, and at best, a master of the media. ( speaking in spanish ) he sings, he can be funny. he can seem bafoonish. he obeys none of the rules for what is expected of a head of state, or, for that matter, a public official on television. narrator: is he a real threat to america. venezuela s selling about 1.5 million barrels per day of crude and products to the united states. narrator: .or is he his own worst enemy? despite many billions of dollars of oil rough, we see, in fact, that most of hugo chavez s revolutionary programs simply have not worked. narrator: tonight on frontline , who is