Chavez millions of fans not Bush or rich

CARACAS, Venezuela
Despite policies that irk the Bush administration and Venezuela`s upper class, President Hugo Chavez` popularity remains with the common people in Caracas.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Chavez` social policies such as free food, medical care, housing and education to poor families, drive his popularity.

However, in he leafy neighborhoods where the rich live, Chavez is despised for creating a government that leans more to socialism than capitalism.

In recent months Chavez has strengthened ties with Iran, threatened to kick U.S. airlines out of Venezuela, embarked on an arms-buying spree and begun training civilians as a military reserve.

In the past week, Venezuelan officials have seized control of oil fields from French and Italian firms after the companies refused to agree to state-controlled joint ventures. Venezuela sits atop one of the world`s richest deposits of oil, providing as much as 15 percent of U.S. oil imports.

He also has threatened to oust the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela.