Portside

The historical time is in our favour. What helps us in this fight is that the kind of society we propose is in the interests of the immense majority. The great question is: why does this not translate into an equivalent social and electoral support? Part of the reason is media disinformation. But we are also at fault. We have not been able to explain our project in understandable terms. And worst of all, we preach democracy but act in an authoritarian way.

Hugo Chavez's economic policies were successful but a close vote means the new president cannot become complacent

Not only have leaders from Ecuador to Venezuela delivered huge social gains - they keep winning elections too