President Hugo Chavez's criticism of US policies represents the long ignored sentiments of Latin America at large. Chavez is popular in Venezuela, very popular. Reporter Guy Taylor reports that women faint when they meet him, men stampede to keep up with his caravans.

This doesn't sound like the person we've heard about, Pelosi calls him a thug, Rumsfeld compares him to Hitler, and constantly we here the term "tinpot dictator." Yet, support for his government continues to grow. Many Americans claim that this is a result of Chavez' great charisma, despite his dictatorial style and oppressive nature.

The Bush administration has promised yet another battle, a battle for the "future of Latin America." What Bush, and the Western World, are fighting for is to retain hegemony over South America. Starting with Chavez one Latin American country after another has turned left.

Chavez laid out his plans in a speech he made in 2005. His goals include:

To encourage UN reform, moving the UN building south, into an international building.
Reduce the amount of oil used for energy production, which is hurting the environment.
Highly industrial countries should reduce their dependence on oil
To endorse the UN charter and insist on restraining the use of force in international affairs.

Yet what do Americans remember about that speech? That he called Bush the devil. Never mind that during Chavez's speech his words were greeted by long applause, so long in fact that officials had to make the people stop cheering. People were supporting his highly popular platform.

Why does Chavez enjoy so much support?

Simply, not since Brazil's populist democratic government in the 60's has a Latin American leader put so much into the hands of the lower class.

Chavez has:

Channeled Venezuela's oil revenues to the poor
Formed thousands of Community Councils
Worked with Cuba to supply doctors to Jamaica
Provided oil for low income households in America

Chavez is loved because he champions the lower class. He has re-established the concept of a popular Democracy as the model for Latin America. And the rest of Latin America is paying attention.

According to Greg Grandin, today roughly 300 million of Latin America's citizens live under governments that are actively looking to create a more equitable global economy, one opposed to American hegemony.

Elections in Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and others have seen

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