I guess for me, I think of Chavez' "populism" as mirroring Mugabe in Zimbabwe - the leader following a policy of "the resources for the people" by nationalizing farms so that the "whiteys" are sent packing; then watching inflation soar to 100,000%; watching the infrastructure crumble completely away; then pillaging the country to keep his army loyal. Absolutely no concern for the average bloke on the street, as they kill each other fighting over the bare necessities of life. Vennie just happens to be at the beginning of the spiral into chaos, IMO.