Which is why socialists around the world mourned Chavez' election at the time, right? /s

Venezuela, like Cuba, North Korea, China and the USSR were feted by socialists the world over, right up until their failings (often in the form of millions of people starving to death) became visible to the world.

Then of course they ceased being real socialists.

It’s the other way around: the vast majority of socialists never “feted” Chavez, but your strawman argument depends on the premise that those people are not real socialists.

Come off it. Socialist groups were still fawning over him and his "success" as late as 2013.

http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?Articl...

Not all, of course. Socialism is a broad camp. But many.

Edit: and in fact they're still at it in Australia, where I live:

https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/venezuela-solidarity-gr...

Edit:... and how about Castro? Is he your idea of a real socialist? https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/hugo-chavez-and-fidel-castro...

It's seems like a permanent feature of any socialism-building effort: first, it "gives hope", then breaks economy, and inevitable proclamation "not real socialism" ends the cycle.