the only way south american states resemble Africa - is because they were also arbitrarily carved up by colonial invaders, who governed them and treated their inhabitants like slaves.
Chavez is doing good work for the people of Venezuela.
And (I refer you to michael moore's 'Sicko') - I'd rather be in Cuba if I had a medical problem to be treated, than the supposedly 'free' US - where its a one-way ticket to heavy debt, bankruptcy, and homelessness.
In future, try linking to a news source that isn't a Neocon right-wing PR exercise, like Fox is.
This pretty much shows where the politics lie, of the user known as 'Alan.'