WhenHugoChávezstormedtopowerinVenezuelain1998hepromisedtotransformthelivesofthepoorButnow20yearson,90percentoffamiliesinVenezuelasaytheydonothaveenoughtoeatandtheUnitedNationspredictsthatoverfivemillionpeoplewillhavefledthecountrybytheendof2019 Chávezwasatthehelmofthecountrywiththelargestprovenoilreservesintheworld,andsetaboutspendingVenezuela’svastoilwealthAroundtheworldhewashailedasanewhopeforSocialismbysomepoliticians Aprecursortomanyoftoday’spopulistleaders,ChávezbypassedtraditionalmediaandspokedirectlytothepeoplethroughhisweeklyliveTV版showToldbymanyofthosewhoknewhim,thisisthestoryofincredibleshorttermachievementsinhealthandeducation,butalsoofthetragiclegacyofhisidealism,populismandruthlesspursuitofabsolutepower Withpopulistmovementsincreasinglytakingpowerincountriesaroundtheworld,it’sastorythat'snowmorerelevantthanever PartofBBCTwo’sawardwiningThisWorldstrand
