Communism and communists were famously targets of McCarthy in the USA. Today Socialism is also a taboo word, not only in North America but across Europe. New Labour threw it out after Clause 4 was banished so now it is excluded from political discourse. Even at a conference organised by Compass, which puts itself on the left of New Labour attempts to refer to Socialism or its language (Common ownership) was taboo in the sessions I attended.
Now in Latin America there is a resurgence of socialism, and the reviled (in Western media) Hugo Chavez calls for a Fifth Socialist International
To illustrate the problem states like Venezuela face, criticism of Venezuela’s efforts to help Haiti was made in the Huffington Post. Why? It seems that Venezuela has not allied itself with a group effort because it was felt that much aid effort had the aim of landing lucrative contracts to rebuild this shattered nation. Already Haiti is the subject of continuing colonialisation. This is not what the socialist states of Venezuela and Cuba see themselves joining with.