Chavez: more proof that the Cold War isn't over

Any competent observer of Venezuela's demagogue and populist leader Hugo Chavez can predict Hugo Boss's eventual move toward a socialist (possibly totalitarian) state. The signs are so painfully clear. The January legislation which allows Chavez to rule by decree is not unprecedented in Latin American politics, and is a first step toward perpetuating such sweeping powers indefinitely. Not only is he pushing toward his own egomaniac ambitions, he is using Venezuelan's oil money to prop up other socialist leaders in the region. Daniel Ortega, the Marxist Sandinista leader who was ousted in 1990 is back in power. Without the help of Chavez's money machine there is no doubt Ortega would have not lost the election this summer (which he won with 35% of the popular vote). I was in Nicaragua this summer during the "election campaigns", any one could have sworn Ortega was the only candidate running. No other candidates could have dreamed to match the Chavez funded Western style Sandinista campaign (his theme song was "give peace a chance" by the Beatles in Spanish, I wanted to puke).
Yesterday, Chavez once again blatantly exposed his dream of creating another Cuba in Latin America. He warned all political "allies" to dissolve and join his part or they will have to leave government.
This is simply the historical pattern that socialist dictators have taken in Latin America. I'm just amazed that after all the examples of dismal socialist states Chavez somehow thinks he will be the one to pull it off. Chavez can also rely on the full support of spoiled North American University nit wits. I guarantee is approval rating among Canadian leftist liberals ranges in the 90th percentile.
This also reinforces the misconception that we won the Cold War. The West defeated Fascism but we let Socialism sneak by. The Cold War is not over. The audacity of Socialist maggots like Chavez is proof of the resilience of this persistent disease.