Hugo Chávez's actions as leader of Venezuela could not be further removed from the principles espoused by José Martí. Upon entering office in 1998, Chávez ordered the constitution rewritten to keep himself in power and established Cuban-style neighborhood spy committees, called “Bolivarian Circles,” to inform on citizens who harbor dissident thoughts. Chávez's policies provoked protests that forced his temporary retreat from office and sparked strikes that shut down the state oil company. Dissidents were shot or incarcerated.

Chávez enacted new laws to seize private property, to close commercial radio and TV stations for airing content deemed “contrary to national security,” and to jail ordinary citizens for voicing criticism of public officials. He has consolidated single-party rule by stacking Venezuela's courts with provisional, partisan judges, and won a 2005 referendum on his leadership only after padding the electoral rolls and intimidating his opponents.