Hugo Chávez positioned the Venezuelan revolution in 1999 as a response to perceived U.S. economic imperialism. He advocated for sovereignty over the economy and a more equitable distribution of oil revenues to support social programs. Large numbers of poor people who never saw the oil wealth democratically elected Chavez. While his and Maduro's inept and corrupt socialism didn't work as promised, we also know that going back to the prior system will not address the systemic inequity. Sane people know good governance does not happen easily, intimidation won't create it, and our president's greedy and misguided intentions won't succeed.