Before his reelection as Venezuelan president last month, Hugo Chávez declared that his goal was to receive 10 million votes and thereby a mandate to greatly accelerate what he calls a 21st-century socialist revolution. In the end, despite a one-sided campaign that left a majority of Venezuelans believing they might be punished if they did not cast their ballots for him, Mr. Chávez received only 7 million votes; an opposition candidate won 4 million. The president's push to transform his country nevertheless is well underway -- and the model looks a lot like Cuba in the 20th century.
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Some will see in Mr. Chávez's actions a threat to U.S. interests. Certainly, those who caution that it is unwise to count on Venezuela to continue supplying up to 15 percent of U.S. oil imports have a point. If assets of U.S. companies are seized without fair compensation, Venezuela should be subject to penalties. But the main threat posed by Mr. Chávez is to Venezuela's 26 million people. If he follows through on his threats, they can look forward to steadily diminishing freedom and -- if the history of socialism is any guide -- national impoverishment.

"We're heading toward socialism, and nothing and no one can prevent it," Chávez, who won a third term in a landslide election in December, said in a speech in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.
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Last week, Chávez decided to not renew the broadcast license of RCTV, a Caracas television station long critical of his administration. That move prompted swift condemnation from press freedom groups.
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In his bid to accelerate economic reforms, Chávez said he would seek to have the National Assembly give him special powers that would permit him to approve economic laws by decree. The plan would have little or no opposition in the 167-member body, which has not had an opposition politician in its ranks since the president's foes boycotted elections in 2005.