WhenHugoChávezstormedtopowerinVenezuelain1998hepromisedtotransformthelivesofthepoor.Butnow20yearson,90percentoffamiliesinVenezuelasaytheydonothaveenoughtoeat-andtheUnitedNationspredictsthatoverfivemillionpeoplewillhavefledthecountrybytheendof2019.                                   Chávezwasatthehelmofthecountrywiththelargestprovenoilreservesintheworld,andsetaboutspendingVenezuela’svastoilwealth.AroundtheworldhewashailedasanewhopeforSocialismbysomepoliticians.                                   Aprecursortomanyoftoday’spopulistleaders,ChávezbypassedtraditionalmediaandspokedirectlytothepeoplethroughhisweeklyliveTVshow.Toldbymanyofthosewhoknewhim,thisisthestoryofincredibleshort-termachievementsinhealthandeducation,butalsoofthetragiclegacyofhisidealism,populismandruthlesspursuitofabsolutepower.                                   Withpopulistmovementsincreasinglytakingpowerincountriesaroundtheworld,it’sastorythat'snowmorerelevantthanever.                                   PartofBBCTwo’saward-winingThisWorldstrand.