The Chavez Challenge

Hugo Chavez Frias was elected president of Venezuela in 1998. Since then, he has been nothing but a menace to the United States. He has called the President of the United States a "devil," a "donkey," and a "madman" and deliberately aligns himself with known antagonists of the U.S., such as Iran, North Korea, and Syria--all three of which having been officially identified as State Sponsors of Terror. Some people contend the U.S. is only concerned because a strong Latin leader has finally taken a stand to build up his country and reduce its economic and political dependence on the U.S. But if you take a closer look at his actions and agenda, you'll soon see that his radical jabs at the U.S. are more than just empty threats. As part of his "Bolivarian Revolution" he has totally revamped the Venezuelan government, including a new constitution and centralized control of all three branches of government. He has also nationalized practically every major industry in Venezuela, including oil, banking, steel, communications, and agriculture. When he was elected, he ran on the platform of eliminating government corruption and poverty throughout Venezuela.