Venezuela’s “democratically elected” Hugo Chavez urges his countrymen to embrace poverty, oppression, and a loss of human rights.

Speaking during his weekly radio and television program, Chavez called on Venezuelans to “leave behind any confusion or any type of fears, phantoms,” regarding socialism.

Chavez has repeatedly called for the expansion of state-run cooperatives and increased volunteerism under a socialist political and economic model. He has directed billions of dollars in oil revenues toward public and social programs.

In Sunday’s program, Chavez urged his countrymen to work “to build this road: Venezuelan socialism of the 21st century.”

Since taking office in 1999, Chavez has forged strong relations with communist-led Cuba. Numerous cooperation agreements have been signed between the two Caribbean countries.

The Venezuelan president has become a sharp critic of the Bush administration, accusing it of trying to topple his government and criticizing the U.S.-backed Free Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA.

Chavez often tells Venezuelans that “being rich is bad” while calling capitalism a “savage” economic system used by the world’s most powerful countries, including the United States, to “dominate and colonize” poor nations.

Many of the president’s opponents fear he is flirting with communism while becoming increasingly authoritarian.

“Flirting with communism” is putting it mildly. Chavez is being seduced by communism — and it’s the people of Venezuela who are going to get screwed. Does a haunting quote from Satayana ring a bell?

Yep, I’m sure Fidel Castro is proud of his own “Mini-Me”.

Meanwhile, a lively discussion on the subject is taking place over at Dean’s World.