Video by Anna King

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez surprised the assembled press last night by showing up unannounced to a special screening of Oliver Stone’s new documentary, South of the Border, at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater. He stood by Stone’s side while the director was asked (as he was at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month) to defend his new documentary, which portrays Chavez in nothing but the most superflattering light. (Watch our video above for the director’s response.) Stone, of course, is no stranger to being criticized for his not-strictly-accurate characterizations of historical figures in feature films; think JFK, The Doors and Nixon.

After the screening, which Chavez watched with his young niece on his knee (Stone, Danny Glover and Susan Sarandon sat alongside him), both director and politician fielded questions, as did Evo Morales, president of Bolivia and another of South of the Border’s subjects. Again, the question of Stone’s affection toward his subject came up, when an audience member suggested the doc played like an infomercial.

The problem here is that the real Chavez is neither the evil, anti-American dictator depicted by Fox News (footage of which is shown in the doc) or Stone’s altruistic socialistico, but something else entirely. As Chavez reminded the Lincoln Center audience after the screening, he has been repeatedly and democratically elected to office (well, there was that failed coup thing back in ‘92). During the course of his presidency, said Chavez, Venezuela has seen progress: Its literacy rates have risen and infant mortality rates are down. But there’s also the Chavez who, critics warn, is growing steadily authoritarian, has clamped down on private media and been accused of stifling the budgets of his opposition. Oh, but we just remembered a final point in Chavez’s favor: He frequently breaks into song. Aló, Presidente!