It seems to me that Hugo Chavez has done quite abit to help his people....he won't kowtow to bushie and his corporate interests....
I think a big issue in south america, that nobody seems to want talk about in the states is "water privatization"
taken from here
"Water wars in Bolivia: Corporations vs. citizens
In the semi-desert region of Cochabamba, Bolivia, water is scarce and precious. In 1999, the World Bank recommended privatization of Cochabamba's municipal water supply company, SEMAPA, through a concession to a private consortium, Aguas del Tunari, which involved International Water, a subsidiary of
Bechtel. A law was passed called the Drinking Water and Sanitation Law in October 1999 that withdrew subsidies from basic services and allowed privatization.
The private water company doubled water rates. In a city where minimum wage is less than $100 a month, water costs increased to $20 a month, nearly the cost of feeding a family of five for half a month. The water price-hike, which was the source of Bechtel's profits, was thus based on depriving already poor children of food, clothing, education, and health care.
In January 2000, a citizen alliance, "La Coordinara," was formed. The alliance shut down the city for four days. The government promised to reverse the price hike, but never did. La Coordinara organized a peaceful march in February, in a "symbolic taking of the city of Cochabamba" to demand the following: repeal of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Law, annulment of ordinances that allowed the privatization, annulment of the contract, participation of citizens in drafting a Water Resource Law. The protests were repressed violently.
The citizens' protests were directly against the logic of privatization of water. La Coordinara's fundamental critique of the concession was based on the negation of the community's property rights to water resources, traditional rights ("usos y costumbres"), and the rights and obligations of water corporations, committees, and associations.
The Cochabamba citizens' movement slogans were "Water is God's gift and not merchandise" and "Water is life." By reclaiming water from corporations and the market, the citizens of Bolivia have shown that privatization is not inevitable and that people and their democratic will can prevent corporate takeover of our vital water resources."
This is why alot of people don't like orgs like world bank...because they basically are screwing people
