Maybe you've heard that Venezuela produces a fair amount of oil, most of which they export to the US and China. (I'm not interested in correcting Micheletti's or US conservatives' delusions.) Not to mention that it very much participates in capitalist wage and class relations, even if it does redistribute wealth, or tries to, more than most. In fact, I'd say Venezuela is more integrated with the world market than Colombia is.
> Although Chavez has not as yet improved the condition of
> the poorest all that much he has given them some hope and some power:
Well, the article you quote is pretty old now, and even Wilpert, from what I hear, has soured a bit on Chavez. Plus there are actual, vibrant social movements going on in Venezuela, and they have repeatedly rejected Chavez's attempts to turn them into his movement.