Because Chavez is not Lee Kwan Yew. Like the others have said... read up on the state of Venezuela's state-owned agencies. Then you'll understand.

Lee Kwan Yew is a shrewd business man. Not a populist like Chavez. What we've been trying to point out is there's a big difference between exerting a tight grip on the economy for pragmatic reasons, and doing the same for political reasons.

Which is why I don't like Dubya, either... most of his foreign policy decisions seem to be motivated more by political posturing than a sober, rational analysis of what's best for his country. I don't disagree with all of his decisions, though... but a lot of what he does seems to tend in that direction.