Why are people listening to Hugo?

It is very hard to conceive why someone with the least bit of intelligence is listening to Hugo Chavez. He preaches about “Socialism of the 21 Century” and how this new economic/political model will launch Latin America out of poverty.
His prescription:

• Take from the rich, give to the poor
• Nationalize private property
• Undermine and end free trade agreements with the US
• Take away individual liberties of citizens
• Structure a society and state based on Fidel Castro’s Cuba (has said so publicly)

This prescription looks very much alike those of Dr. Death

The Facts:

1959 , before Fidel Castro, Cuba’s GDP per capita was twice as large as that of Spain, and a third larger than that of Chile. Forty seven years later, Spain’s GDP is six times larger than that of Cuba’s; Chile is four times as large.

Why not choose an alternate prescription. The prescription taken by the four Asian Dragons, Spain, Ireland and New Zealand that allowed them to take a leap into the First World and increase the welfare of all their citizens.

The alternate prescription:

• Absolute respect for the institution of Private Property
• Free Markets
• Limited Government: Minimal (preferably none) regulation, low corporate and individual taxation