Socialism or death?

To be sure, Spain is a modern country with excellent medical care.  On the other hand, if you're a rich European with a life-or-death medical condition, you're probably going to fly to New York City -- not Madrid. But at least one of Spain's top surgeons was good enough for whatever problem Castro had.  But what about sophisticated cancer surgery and subsequent treatment?

In the U.S., Chavez would be under the care of miracle workers: brilliant physicians utilizing the most sophisticated equipment, and carrying out the most dazzling medical procedures -- heart transplants, face transplants, and all manner of sophisticated cancer treatments, including for prostate cancer.  And such medical care is available at major cities across the country: Washington, New York, Cleveland, Houston, Phoenix; they're just a few names that come to mind with legendary medical centers.

Ironically, this high-quality care is possible thanks to something that Chavez, Fidel, Michael Moore, and other leftists won't admit -- it's due to American capitalism. Free-enterprise is why we have the medical miracles that we do - from cutting-edge technology and pharmaceuticals to medical centers staffed by the world's best physicians.

Interestingly, Chavez also could get First World medical care in Caracas at a few top-notch medical clinics, including at the venerable Clinica de Caracas.  That's the where I went for routine care (and once for stitches to my forehead) when working in Venezuela as a foreign correspondent; this was during the years Chavez came to power.  My personal physician was trained at a top-notch U.S. medical school -- Ivy League or something in that category.  And like more than a few of the clinic's able physicians he was Jewish.  To Chavez, however, Clinica de Caracas is bourgeois, and given his anti-Semitism he probably wouldn't be keen on visiting a medical center he considered too Jewish.  No, Chavez wouldn't be caught dead at Clinica de Caracas; no pun intended.

Whether Chavez lives or dies, it's likely his medical condition will always remain   a mystery. It would be out-of-character for Venezuela and Cuba's information ministries to be transparent -- tell the truth as in a democracy. Even when President Jimmy Carter had hemorrhoids, it was a matter of public information -- and the butt of jokes on "Saturday Night Live." But authoritarian governments don't announce that sort of thing. It's because at bottom they are not strong but insecure. Cuba never reveled anything about the medical condition afflicting Fidel Castro; it was regarded as a "state secret." Cubans couldn't be trusted with such details.

Speaking of political insecurity, there's plenty of it in Venezuela right now due to uncertainty over Chavez's health -- and what the future holds if he dies. Chavez surrounds himself with "yes" men and has no credible successor.  In true narcissistic fashion, he always fancied that he would rule forever -- and to ensure that happened he pushed through constitutional changes ending presidential term limits. "I need more time in the presidency to finish this," Chavez gushed, when campaigning for the end of term limits so that he could bring full-blown socialism to Venezuela. "We are only beginning. Maybe until 2020 or 2027. I'd be old if I'm still alive."

Finally, if Chavez dies, don't expect a timely announcement of his passing from Caracas or Havana.  Before making any announcement, they'll be scrambling to determine how they'll maintain their grip on power in Venezuela, where thousands of Cuban security agents are operating.