Despite being in power for 12 years and bringing plenty of new schools and clinics to poor areas, Chavez has failed to fix Venezuela's housing shortfall -- currently at 2 million units. That, says critics, demonstrates the failure of socialism in Venezuela, where the 500,000 new homes built during Chavez's rule, about two-thirds by the private sector, is no better than the rate of construction under his predecessors. Not surprisingly, Chavez has sought to take the initiative with a new Grand Housing Mission -- his eighth such construction plan -- aiming to build 2 million new units by 2017 with funds available from higher global oil prices (Reuters).

Three-year-old Leyerly stand at the door of her shack in Las Mayas slum in Caracas behind May 31, 2011. Reuters.