WhenHugoChávezstormedtopowerinVenezuelain1998hepromisedtotransformthelivesofthepoor.Butnow20yearson,90percentoffamiliesinVenezuelasaytheydonothaveenoughtoeat-andtheUnitedNationspredictsthatoverfivemillionpeoplewillhavefledthecountrybytheendof2019. Chávezwasatthehelmofthecountrywiththelargestprovenoilreservesintheworld,andsetaboutspendingVenezuela’svastoilwealth.AroundtheworldhewashailedasanewhopeforSocialismbysomepoliticians. Aprecursortomanyoftoday’spopulistleaders,ChávezbypassedtraditionalmediaandspokedirectlytothepeoplethroughhisweeklyliveTVshow.Toldbymanyofthosewhoknewhim,thisisthestoryofincredibleshort-termachievementsinhealthandeducation,butalsoofthetragiclegacyofhisidealism,populismandruthlesspursuitofabsolutepower. Withpopulistmovementsincreasinglytakingpowerincountriesaroundtheworld,it’sastorythat'snowmorerelevantthanever. PartofBBCTwo’saward-winingThisWorldstrand.
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