RIP Hugo Chavez

By on March 5, 2013 in News 36

Picture: Marcello Cassal, Jr. (CC)

Multiple media outlets are now reporting that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died after a prolonged fight with cancer. Chavez was 58.

Chavez was born to a working class family, but rose to become a military officer, revolutionary, politician and leader of his nation. Chavez was a staunch critic of the United States’ foreign policy and an ally of various Latin American socialist and communist nations, most notably Cuba.

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  • Anarchy Pony

    CIA did it. Venezuelans better prep for a coup attempt.

    • Juan

      That was my first thought as well. After all, they tried to coup his ass a few years back.
      I’ve always admired him for standing up to the imperial machine that is the US. I especially loved what he said about the shrub at the UN.
      RIP Hugo Chavez.

      • http://twitter.com/DanielReasor Daniel Reasor

        Then-White House Spokescreature Ari Fleischer’s praise for the 2002 coup attempt as a triumph for democracy, followed just days later by a public uprising that reinstalled Chavez and showed the world what democracy really looks like, remains one of my favorite memories from the Bush era.

    • Calypso_1

      With the help of Big Cancer.

    • Ittabena

      Probably true. But either way, R.I.P. Hugo, thank you!

      BTW – Greg Palast started offering the download of “The Assassination of Hugo Chavez” for free download last month.

      http://www.gregpalast.com/chavezdownload/

      No, it is not the about some conspiracy to have him die of cancer – though I rule nothing out – rather it is the story of the attempted coup that was performed on his government during the Bush years.

      As soon as I had made this response I found that Greg had issued this offer again today through my email.

    • Ittabena

      Probably true. But either way, R.I.P. Hugo, thank you!

      BTW – Greg Palast started offering the download of “The Assassination of Hugo Chavez” for free download last month.

      http://www.gregpalast.com/chavezdownload/

      No, it is not the about some conspiracy to have him die of cancer – though I rule nothing out – rather it is the story of the attempted coup that was performed on his government during the Bush years.

      As soon as I had made this response I found that Greg had issued this offer again today through my email.

      • joe nolan

        Thanks for the link Ittabena!

  • http://twitter.com/TedHeistman Ted Heistman

    In all seriousness, this Guy proved that the US military/CIA is not invincible.

  • http://twitter.com/TedHeistman Ted Heistman

    In all seriousness, this Guy proved that the US military/CIA is not invincible.

    • MoralDrift

      I believe that honor should go to Fidel Castro, although Chavez is a venerable candidate

      • Anarchy Pony

        Castro is/was one hell of a survivor. After all the hare brained attempts that the CIA made on him, he still managed to keep on goin’.

        • lazy_friend

          Eh I don’t know, I think he is a double agent. Snipers can shoot from almost a mile away now. Not to mention drones, remote control vans, lasers, poisoning. even hypnotizing people to go and kill him. If they wanted him dead he would have been dead. But than again, I can only speculate whats going on there.

    • rtb61

      Of course now the US/CIA will strive to forment civil war in Valenzuela, with Mercenaries from Columbia. Few hundred thousand dead, so what as long as US corporations get to take over Venezuelan oil fields and get to execute all the union leaders and environmentalists they want.
      Now will be the race between how quickly Venezuelan leadership can establish and maintain democratic control and how quickly the US can crush democracy in Venezuela and establish an autocratic government that favours them.
      The Venezuelan people will be on high alert, extremely suspicious and be on a hair trigger. It would likely not be a good idea to be from the US in Venezuela or to promote US corporate corruption at this time. Chances of US success negligible, chances of pushing Venezuela tightly in with China, pretty bloody good, with the application of typical US ignorance and arrogance.

    • rtb61

      Of course now the US/CIA will strive to forment civil war in Valenzuela, with Mercenaries from Columbia. Few hundred thousand dead, so what as long as US corporations get to take over Venezuelan oil fields and get to execute all the union leaders and environmentalists they want.
      Now will be the race between how quickly Venezuelan leadership can establish and maintain democratic control and how quickly the US can crush democracy in Venezuela and establish an autocratic government that favours them.
      The Venezuelan people will be on high alert, extremely suspicious and be on a hair trigger. It would likely not be a good idea to be from the US in Venezuela or to promote US corporate corruption at this time. Chances of US success negligible, chances of pushing Venezuela tightly in with China, pretty bloody good, with the application of typical US ignorance and arrogance.

  • JaceD

    The next chapter is going to be an interesting one… Will Venezuela continue it’s independence from US interventions and special interests, or will the newly appointed president fall in line with US wants and “needs”.

  • salviad

    R.I.P. Chávez.

  • salviad

    R.I.P. Chávez.

  • http://twitter.com/BannedintheUSSA Forbidden Fruit

    Chavez said long ago that he believed the U.S. infected him with cancer. Here’s a recent article:

    http://rt.com/news/venezuela-chavez-diplomat-us-873/

  • Antediluviancurrent

    I’m sure our free market friends can’t wait to dance on the grave of a democratically elected leader. Just like they did with Allende.

    • Anarchy Pony

      May Pinochet burn forever in hell.

    • jnana

      It started with so-called “red” Arbenz of early 1950s Guatemala, a very cool non-communist democratically elected president who initiated land redistribution in opposition to American corporations’ greed, which CIA was not happy with, so they overthrew him and started a 40+year civil resulting in msssive death tolls and disappearances.
      But, 1st successful overseas CIA program! yippppeeeee!!!!!
      USA loves Latin America!!!!

    • jnana

      It started with so-called “red” Arbenz of early 1950s Guatemala, a very cool non-communist democratically elected president who initiated land redistribution in opposition to American corporations’ greed, which CIA was not happy with, so they overthrew him and started a 40+year civil resulting in msssive death tolls and disappearances.
      But, 1st successful overseas CIA program! yippppeeeee!!!!!
      USA loves Latin America!!!!

  • phil barnes

    Whats do folks think of the Frontline story on Chavez? I don’t really know how much I’m being manipulated here? Was he a budding dictator looking to permanently install himself in a democratically elected office, or was he just a very popular politician expertly playing the populist fiddle? I really don’t know.

  • phil barnes

    Whats do folks think of the Frontline story on Chavez? I don’t really know how much I’m being manipulated here? Was he a budding dictator looking to permanently install himself in a democratically elected office, or was he just a very popular politician expertly playing the populist fiddle? I really don’t know.

    • InAwe

      Why would you believe what I tell you?
      Read many sources, but apply your brain. It’s common knowledge that most ‘big’ media in the west are just a tool for disseminating false info in the hopes of achieving the said agenda of a few. But luckily for you, you have the internet and can be more critical when choosing your sources.

      Regardless, I think Chavez was one of the good guys and for that reason he shall be greatly missed.

      To the other South American leaders who are considered to be a thorn in the side of (pick your favorite word absolved of any actual meaning: ‘free’ ‘democratic’ ‘capitalistic’). Take care of yourself, you’re presence and influence on this planet is a menace to elitist powers.

    • InAwe

      Why would you believe what I tell you?
      Read many sources, but apply your brain. It’s common knowledge that most ‘big’ media in the west are just a tool for disseminating false info in the hopes of achieving the said agenda of a few. But luckily for you, you have the internet and can be more critical when choosing your sources.

      Regardless, I think Chavez was one of the good guys and for that reason he shall be greatly missed.

      To the other South American leaders who are considered to be a thorn in the side of (pick your favorite word absolved of any actual meaning: ‘free’ ‘democratic’ ‘capitalistic’). Take care of yourself, you’re presence and influence on this planet is a menace to elitist powers.

  • Guest

    Just watching this re-run on bbc news just now, half decent interview from a few years ago. RIP Hugo.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkmETcsNuas

  • Joevl

    Watching this re-run on bbc news just now, half decent interview from a few years ago. RIP Hugo.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkmETcsNuas

  • Steve Brown

    His “I smell sulfur” comment at the U.N. a few years back was one of mt fav moments from the Bush era as well. Hugo was fine by me. He will be greatly missed.

  • Steve Brown

    His “I smell sulfur” comment at the U.N. a few years back was one of mt fav moments from the Bush era as well. Hugo was fine by me. He will be greatly missed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/veronica.balsells Verónica Balsells

    It’s amazing how people comment and they know absolutely nothing about this character. I’m a venezuelan, and Chávez is the worst thing that’s ever happened to my country. Thanks to him, everyone except people in the Government is at least 70% more poor, crime rates have raised alarmingly. Every weekend hundreds of people die because of violent crimes. You’re not safe even in your house. Expropriations in Venezuela led to thousands of people losing their jobs. Now we can’t even leave the country because they control the ammount of dolars and euros we can buy. The devaluation of our currency has led to an amazing rise in the prices of everything, from food to medication to everything else. You should inform yourselves better before you make this kind of stupid ass comments.

  • http://www.facebook.com/veronica.balsells Verónica Balsells

    It’s amazing how people comment and they know absolutely nothing about this character. I’m a venezuelan, and Chávez is the worst thing that’s ever happened to my country. Thanks to him, everyone except people in the Government is at least 70% more poor, crime rates have raised alarmingly. Every weekend hundreds of people die because of violent crimes. You’re not safe even in your house. Expropriations in Venezuela led to thousands of people losing their jobs. Now we can’t even leave the country because they control the ammount of dolars and euros we can buy. The devaluation of our currency has led to an amazing rise in the prices of everything, from food to medication to everything else. You should inform yourselves better before you make this kind of stupid ass comments.

    • jnana

      is he the cause of all that or something else? maybe other nations’ policies concerning your nation? not that I agree with his policies either, or even know all that much about them and their consequences. it’s just best not to judge someone so simply. There are too many unknowns.

    • http://twitter.com/TedHeistman Ted Heistman

      So is your family background rich or poor?

  • joe nolan

    Chavez was no angel and he has left behind a greatly weakened economy along with a legacy of assaults against the freedom of the press. He also lowered the poverty rate from 80% to %20, brought health care to people who had never seen a doctor and many reports say that his education initiatives have all but wiped out illiteracy in the process. Whether the policies he’s used will have left the country’s monetary situation in such a state that all the progress will be unsustainable remains to be seen. I’ve been posting here and on FB and Twitter about Chavez as well. My goal is to offer alternatives to the US propaganda against him as well as to highlight the hypocrisy of America’s support for democracy as long as it’s a democracy that does what it’s told. Chavez was elected three times by a majority of his country that had never even been considered by previous corrupt regimes. My point is not that Chavez is a good guy, but that his story and the story of Venezuela is far more complicated than the one that has been created by the media in the US.

    • http://twitter.com/TedHeistman Ted Heistman

      you are probably preaching to the choir on this website.