I sat in lodge with Hugo Chavez at The Grand Lodge of Freemasons in Texas. It was 1995 or 1996 I think. it was right after he was elected president. The Brother that introduced him said " your elected for life down there in Venezuela aren't you" and the other 4000 of us just kind of laughed. I think that some of us thought it was a joke. Afterwards I shook his hand and said "Bienvienidos" which I thought was Welcome. He looked at me like I was crazy, or he was scared or both. It was either a "who do you think you are ?" or it was a "is he trying to kill me?" I am just concluding this because of how he looked at me. I never realized that he was a communist dictator, or at least one in training. However I had my suspicions when his speech that he gave at Grand Lodge contained numerous references to "My people". I stand 6'3" and I had to look up at Chavez. He wasn't as fat then and he was very impressive in stature. I remember thinking "That's the biggest 'mexican' I've ever seen. His hands were enormous when we shook hands. Not too long ago Chavez announced that he planned on serving another 20 years. I just thought someone might find this interesting. I figured the conspiracy nuts would have a ball with Chavez being a Freemason.
JustRage
http://www.justrage.com/article.php/20060921131223285