President Hugo Chavez says Don Quixote is a must-read for Venezuelans

In Venezuela the reality is that 1.4 million people learned to read and write in the space of a year. President Hugo Chavez says Don Quixote is a must-read for Venezuelans, and his government has printed 1 million free copies to mark the 400th anniversary of the classic tale of the knight who dared to dream.

To pay what Chavez calls "a social debt" left by past governments, he has spent millions on social programs that include a nationwide literacy program, scholarships to help people finish high school and Cuban doctors to improve health care in slums.

"The only way of ending poverty is giving power to the poor. Knowledge and consciousness are the main power!" – President Hugo Chávez.