I'm going to start with Venezuela since I am a Venezuelan-American and you might not like what my views are on the topic. First of all, I always assume good faith, even when it comes down to Sanders, unlike Michael Moore, for instance.
- Venezuela
Sanders expressed his support of Chavez in many of his writings. So, you might not consider him a Chavista, but he's definitely praised Chavez at least up to 2011 [1].
I know this is anecdotal, I visited Venezuela many times: 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013. Believe me, anyone with good faith could not have praised whatever was going down there in 2011. 2000? I can give you the benefit of the doubt. Chavez had only been in office for ~3 years by the time and hadn't shown what an awful dictator he was going to become.
- Cuba
Have you been to Cuba? Again, this is anecdotal, but nothing like first hand experience on a matter to make some people understand what the ugly reality is outside whatever some organization states on what the state of those countries are.
Trust me, you don't want to be in a Cuban hospital.
>> No need for the government to seize the means of production > I do not believe Sanders proposes that.
Here's a video [2] where Chavez is seizing the means of production on national TV.
I find deeply sad when some Americans try to justify certain candidates who have supported awful governments, like Chavez's or Castro's.
[1] https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/sanders-di...