Toucan, ya, The US keeps calling Chavez a "dictator", but in fact he has won - by massive majorities - TWO elections, AND a referendum, that international observers considered legit. He has also used state oil money to help the poor, and they rewarded him by keeping him in office, and helping to thwart the coup and his kidnapping.

The US would love to control Venezuela.. but there is a "crisis of democracy" happening all over South America these days. The US has pissed of the entire continent over the years (with terrorist wars.. know your history!), and the Chinese are now courting all those countries (give or take). Oops. Strategic Error. So much for the Thousand Year Reich. ha ha. Teach your children chinese, yo.