The problem on study Chavez's ideology is that is a lie. Chavez pretty much came up with it on the run and by the supervision of the Castro Cuban strategists. It wasn't the 98's speech of making Venezuela less burocratic, more efficient and finally redistribution of the oil money. But change afte 2003 with the Cuban influence, we change to Bolivarian socialism. In 2006 it was the war against the Empire (it always sounds to me like a Star Wars plot) so that made it more exttreme. Later it became into de Socialism of the 21st century, with a radical motto that later got to be a mandatory phrase on the public institutions: Homeland, socialism or death. We will win!
But nowadays Venezuela is the biggest debt to China, Russia, Cuban leaders puppeteering the political bureau and now sold its soul to Goldman Sachs! What kind of socialism is this??
It's the same as every other form of socialism or dictatorship - it results in political power that is easily corrupt. And when one has the power of a government behind them, it is easy to continue taking from others until nothing is left.
I just want to point out that Venezuela is not socialist. Its just a corrupted state capitalism. Lets not demonize a political view that has work well in certain areas. I think the left and right is an old fight. Now is about progress, environment, technology and social fairness. Time to come up with new labels for the concepts of our time.