One way to identify a dictator in a police state is the existence in the country of two armies, one is the regular army and one is the personal army of the dictator. (Think of the German SS.) Hugo Chavez is importing arms from Brazil, even though the Venezuelan army is already well armed. Apparently he is going to arm another group that will be loyal to him, whcih the regular army probably is not. There is probably civil unrest that is causing Hugo to rattle his saber at Columbia. A foreign conflict is always a good way to distract people from troubles at home.