I was wrong

In early 2007, I had a conversation with a young woman who left Venezuela for college in America. 

She explained to me how a thug like Hugo Chavez was able to threaten all opposition, including or especially the news organizations who initially supported him. 

Now, Ol' Hugo had the gift of gab and was a "man of the people" but so was Uncle Joe Stalin. 

I listened to her but really thought such a takeover of a free people couldn't have happened because someone would have told Hugo "NO, this shall not pass!"  Sorta like what we the people would do here in the good ol' USA.

I was wrong.