Celebrating the Legacy of Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
1954 – 2013
Eva Golinger recently shared in her article titled, “Chávez“:
“The first time I met Hugo Chavez was at the United Nations in New York in January 2003. He asked me my name, as if we were chatting between friends just getting to know each other. When I told him “Eva”, he responded “Eva, really?”[i] “Yes, Eva”, I said. “My brother is named Adan”, he said, adding, “My mother wanted me to be a girl so that she could call me Eva, and look, I appeared!” He smiled and laughed with that laugh of his, so pure and sincere it’s contagious to all those near.
He appeared. Chavez, who even underestimated himself.
This man appeared, larger than life, with an immense heart full of his people, pueblo, beating with homeland, patria. A human being appeared, with a great capacity to persist and stand defiantly in the face of the most powerful obstacles.
Hugo Chavez dreamed the impossible and achieved it. He assumed responsibility for the grandiose and difficult tasks that remained undone from the time of independence, those that Simon Bolivar couldn’t attain due to the adverse forces against him. Chavez fulfilled those goals, turning them into reality. The Bolivarian Revolution, the recovery of Venezuelan dignity, social justice, the visibility and power of the people, Latin American integration, national and regional sovereignty, true independence, the realization of the dream of the Patria Grande, and much, much more. These are Chavez’s achievements, the man who appeared just like that.
There are millions of people around the world who are inspired by Hugo Chavez. Chavez raises his voice without trembling before the most powerful, he says the truth – what others are afraid of saying –, he kneels before no one, he walks with firm dignity, head held high, with the people, el pueblo, guiding him and a dream of a prosperous, just and fulfilled nation. Chavez has given us the collective strength to fight inequality, injustice, to build nations and to believe that a better world isn’t just a dream, it’s an achievable reality.
Chavez, a man who could spend time in the company of the world’s richest and most powerful, prefers to be with those most in need, feeling their pain, embracing them and finding ways to improve their lives.
Chavez once told us a story, or told it many times as he often does. He was driving in his motorcade, out in the Venezuelan plains, los llanos, on those long roads that seem to continue infinitely. A dog suddenly appeared at the side of the road, limping with a wounded leg. Chavez ordered the motorcade to stop and went out to get the dog. He hugged the wounded animal, saying it had to be taken to the vet. “How can we leave it here alone and wounded”, he asked. “It’s a being, it’s a life, it needs to be cared for”, he said, demonstrating his sensitivity.
“How can we call ourselves socialists without the lives of others mattering? We need to love, we need to care for all, including animals, which are innocent beings. We can turn our backs on no one”, he recalled.
When he told that story I cried. I cried because of my love for animals and the widespread mistreatment they suffer, and how necessary it was for someone like him, Chavez, to say something like that to awaken consciousness about the need to care for those who share our planet. But I also cried because Chavez confirmed something in that moment that I already knew, something I felt in my heart, but was unsure of in my mind. Chavez confirmed his simplicity, his sensitivity and his capacity to love. He confirmed he is a man whose heart feels pain when he sees a wounded animal. A man who not only feels, but acts. That’s who he is.
When Chavez assumed the presidency of Venezuela, the country was limping. He had seen its wounds and knew that he had to do all he could to help.
He took Venezuela into his arms, embracing it closely, soothing and seeking how to make it better. He gave everything he had in him – his sweat, soul, strength, energy, intelligence and love – to change Venezuela with dignity, growth, sovereignty, and nation-building. He looked after it day and night, never leaving it alone. He found its beauty, its strength, its potential and its greatness. He helped it to grow strong, beautiful, visible and happy. He led its rebirth and filled its pulse with force and passion, with people’s power and a dignified homeland.
Chavez has given everything he has and asked for nothing in return. Today, Venezuela grows and flourishes, thanks to his commitment and vision, thanks to his dedication and determination, thanks to his love.
Thank goodness you appeared, Chavez.”
Over the coming week I will feature select articles and videos that celebrate the life and achievements of Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution. Today messages of condolence are flooding the Venezuelan government and embassies. People across the world are mourning the passage of Hugo Chávez. Although he is gone, his spirit will be with us and the revolution will continue until victory. His great sacrifice will not be in vain.
Alexandra Valiente
Editor: Libya 360°, Viva Libya
Associate Editor: Jamahiriya News Agency, Libyan Revolutionary Committees Movement
Viva Venezuela!
Venezuela Bolivariana: People and Struggle of the Fourth World War
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Speaking Freely: Hugo Chavez
Maria Gabriela Chávez, Bids Farewell to Her Father
Revolutionary Brother, President Hugo Chávez Passed Away at 4:25PM Today
Rest in Power Revolutionary Brother, President Hugo Chávez
Venezuelan Embassy to the US Receives Messages of Solidarity
Hugo Chavez Frias – ‘There is No Turning Back’
Chavez’s Legacy, African Solidarity and the African American People
The Life and Legacy of Hugo Chávez
Fidel Castro: “We have lost our best friend”
The Achievements of Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez Transformed Venezuela
Hugo Chavez, A Humble Man Who Transformed the World
Hugo Chavez: New World Rising
50 Truths about Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution
A More Independent South America and the Chávez Legacy
Historic and Unprecedented: Venezuelans Honor Hugo Chávez
From “For Now” to “Forever More”: How Venezuelans Said Goodbye to Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez Frías: An Unforgettable and Victorious Permanence
President Chavez: A 21st Century Renaissance Man
Media Lies Exposed: Venezuela’s Economic and Social Performance Under Hugo Chávez
The Achievements of Hugo Chavez
Palestinians Mourn Chavez
Hugo Chávez, Dream Maker
Chávez
San Hugo de América
UN General Assembly Honors Hugo Chávez Frías
Maria Gabriela Chávez, Bids Farewell to Her Father
President Chavez Rests on the Flower of the Four Elements
President Hugo Chávez Frías Speech to the UN General Assembly September 28th 2011
Hugo Chavez: “My spirit and my heart are with you”
Venezuela’s Chavez to Africa – South America Summit: We Must Unite
General Assembly Pays Tribute to Late President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela
Revolutionary Voices Against Imperialism
I think Hugo Chávez Frías knew this was a battle he would have to leave to the people. He gave very revealing messages before his passage to the African-South American Summit and the 21 anniversary of the 1992 coup.
Hugo Chavez: “My spirit and my heart are with you”
Venezuela’s Chavez to Africa – South America Summit: We Must Unite
Thanks Alexandra for your wonderful coverage of events this past week. Chávez’ passing, like the death of Muammar Gaddafi, has opened wider the chasm in the alternative news world revealing those who are genuinely anti-imperialist and those who are deceivers, the controlled opposition, protectors of capitalism, imperialism and oligarchy.
Also noteworthy are the leaders of various nations who offered no condolences or blatant insults.
Only 30 + leaders bothered to attend his funeral. Mark these people as our allies against imperialism and friends of humanity.
Hugo Chavez Presente!: A wonderful human being has passed
By Cindy Sheehan
What do I do when I am angry, happy, or sad? I write.
Back in 2004, shortly after my son, Casey, was killed in Iraq, a grief counselor advised me to write a letter to my son in a journal every night. I filled up three journals in the terrible months after his death. I often wrote at his grave and those journals did help me deal with the unspeakable loss.
Today, I write from a great well of sadness, but not just for me, for the world. My dear friend in peace and justice, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, just lost his fierce and valiant battle with cancer.
Many people know about Hugo Chavez, the president, and constant thorn in the side to El Imperio the meddlesome and harmful Empire to the north. But I want to eulogize Chavez the man I knew.
He was my dear friend and comrade in a way where we were united in the struggle for peace and economic justice and equality. It’s not like I could text him, or we would chat about current events, but whenever I had the privilege to be with him, warmth radiated from his heart and I was able to connect with him in very real and human ways. Compared to the palpable realness of Chavez, most of the US politicians I have met with are walking and talking ice sculptures.
The first time I met him in Caracas was in early 2006 at the World Social Forum. I had been invited to sit on the stage while he gave a speech to those gathered there from around the world. He introduced me as, “Señora Esperanza,” “Mrs. Hope,” in contrast to his nickname for George Bush: “Señor Peligro,” “Mr. Danger.” However, our brother, Hugo Chavez, was the one who gave us much hope.
I have met and interviewed so many people in Venezuela whose lives were immeasurably improved by the vision and dedication of Hugo Chavez. How can one put a price on going from being illiterate to being able to read? A 65-year-old woman told me her life was transformed by the adult literacy program. It really made me appreciate the fact that I have always known how to read (it seems). What would I have done without my best friends, my books? Wow. I guess Capitalism would tally the cost of educating one student and, of course education here in the US is now just another commodity, but the look of wonder in my Sister’s eyes was priceless!
Another woman showed me her perfect teeth in a huge grin. She told me that her teeth used to be so bad, that she would never smile before, but now, due to her new set of false teeth provided by the national dental program, she walks around grinning like a lunatic all day, which made me laugh with joy! Again, Capitalism would say: One set of false teeth equals X amount of dollars. I say, being able to smile after years of embarrassing humiliation is worth more than any amount of gold.
Those are just two stories out of millions and my heart breaks with sorrow for the People of the Bolivarian Revolution that must be even more devastated than I, today.
I witnessed Chavez the proud “abuelo” (grandpa) once on a long flight from Caracas to Montevideo that I took with them. We chatted about out “nietos” (grandchildren) and felt a mutual connection there. I hugged my grandbabies a little harder today when I found out that Chavez died, because I know the wonderful connection that he had with his. My heart breaks for his children and his family, and his brother, Adan, who seemed to be constantly at his side.
It’s just a very hard day.
I was with Chavez in Montevideo, Uruguay, for the presidential inauguration of Felipé Mujica. I was amazed that Chavez could just plunge into the crowds and interact with the people without a phalanx of bodyguards, anti-aircraft missiles and assault weapons. His security detail was prepared, but not paranoid like up here in the Empire. Someone who is universally loved by the 99% need have no fear. Chavez had no fear.
Chavez’s courageous battle against the Empire was more successful than his battle against cancer. Chavez was able to inspire more leftist leaders in Latin America and my friends in Cuba will always be grateful for the friendship between Venezuela and Cuba. The struggle against neo-liberalism and the Empire has been far advanced under Chavez’s inspirational leadership.
This is a sad day and I am angry that the so-called leaders of my own country made Chavez’s life a virtual hell, but he survived one coup attempt and the many other attempts through the media and financing of his opposition to undermine the revolution.
When in the hell is this country going to mind it’s own goddamn business and realize that not every drop of oil belongs to our oil companies and not every democratically elected leader must pledge undying obsequiousness to the Evil Empire?
I am immensely proud of Chavez and I am immensely proud of the people of Venezuela who have worked with him to improve their lives and because they really understand the concept of “national sovereignty.”
I know the upper echelons of The Empire think they have won a victory today (if it didn’t give Chavez his cancer in the first place—don’t even start and say I am a “conspiracy theorist” everyone knows that the Empire is fully capable of it, they couldn’t kill him, or depose him, outright) and all the oil will now flow back into the hands of our big oil companies, but The Empire underestimates the people of Venezuela and their dedication to the Bolivarian Revolution and love for their leader, Hugo Chavez.
As we sorrowfully say, “vaya con la paz” to our Brother, Hugo Chavez, let’s also say, “long live the revolution.”
Chavez will never die if we honor his vision and continue our struggle against The Empire.
US Presidents come and go with destructive, yet boring and predictable regularity and are numbered for History’s convenience when they should all have had black and white striped clothing and be behind bars. However, it is my belief that Hugo Chavez Frias will go down in World History as one of the most significant figures of the early 21st Century and his passing is a tragic and profound loss to us all, as his life was an inspiration.
A-dios, Señor Esperanza.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul. Your light is far too bright to be extinguished by something as cruel as death and your light shines in all of us whose hearts burn with revolution and love for all the people.
My life and our world are far better today because of your life and the struggle continues until victory!
http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-loving-memory-hugo-chavez-frias-1954.html
Transcript of Cindy Sheehan’s Interview with Hugo Chavez
Friday, March 26, 2010
Transcribed by Regina Freitag
Original Translation by Eva Golinger
Interviewer: Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan: Welcome to this video and audio audition of Cindy Sheehan’s SoapBox.
Presidente Chavez, thank you for being on the show, thank you for this interview and thank you for allowing me to bring the truth about Venezuela and about you and about your revolution to the people of the United States.
Before the revolution, Venezuela was a nation that was ruled and used up by the oligarchy, the elite. How did your revolution begin, how did it manage to remain relatively peaceful?
Hugo Chavez: Thank you Cindy, for this interview, for your efforts, that are so honorable and notable, to try to find out our truth and to contribute to its diffusion. And we wish you much luck in your struggles, which are ours as well, against war, for peace, for freedom and equality and against imperialism. We accompany you in your struggles. You and the people of the United States. We love them the same. The bourgeoisie of Venezuela has always dominated the country, for more than a hundred years. And they dominated it with force, using violence, persecution, assassination and disappearances. Unfortunately, the Venezuelan history is a history full of a lot of violence, violence from the strong against the weak. In the 20th century, Venezuela, which was dominated by the oligarchy and the bourgeois state, the rich, the wealthy, produced a reversed type of miracle, we could say. Venezuela was the first exporter of oil from the beginning of the 1920s until the 1970s. One of the largest producers of petroleum in the world throughout all the 20th century. And when the 20th century ended, with the domination of the bourgeoisie, despite all the wealth, Venezuela had more than 70% poverty and 40% extreme poverty, misery, misery, misery. So that generated an explosion, a violent one. All explosions are violent. An explosion of the poor, to liberate themselves. We were remembering just 2 days ago in Caracas. You were there with us, with our people. 21 years ago, the people woke, arose in a big explosion. And as military we were used by the bourgeoisie to massacre the people, children, women, and older people. And then that awoke something in the young military folks, a consciousness of pain and then we joined with the people. We had two rebellions, military rebellions, popular (inaudible ). A revolution isn’t exactly peaceful. As you said it was relatively peaceful.
Cindy Sheehan: Yes, relatively, yeah
Hugo Chavez: Just like all true revolutions.
Cindy Sheehan: But doesn’t the violence of revolutions sometimes come from the counter-revolution? And the Bolivarian revolution that has transferred power and wealth to the people is an inspiration and has remained relatively peaceful.
Hugo Chavez: Yes, we got the power in a peaceful way.
Cindy Sheehan: Right.
Hugo Chavez: Exactly, and we have been able to maintain it relatively peaceful. We’ve never used violence. They’ve used it against us. The counter-revolution. So the central strategy of our peaceful and socialist revolution is to transfer the power to the people. I’m sure you have been able to see some of it with your own eyes, in the neighborhoods of Caracas.
Cindy Sheehan: Yes I have.
Hugo Chavez: We have made efforts were to help the people to be sovereign. When we talk about power, what are we talking about, Cindy? The first power that we all have is knowledge. So we’ve made efforts first in education, against illiteracy, for the development of thinking, studying, analysis. In a way, that has never happened before. Today, Venezuela is a giant school, it’s all a school. From children of one year old until old age, all of us are studying and learning.
And then political power, the capacity to make decisions, the community councils, communes, the people’s power, the popular assemblies.
And then there is the economic power. Transferring economic power to the people, the wealth of the people distributed throughout the nation. I believe that is the principal force that precisely guarantees that the Bolivarian revolution continues to be peaceful.
Cindy Sheehan: Wonderful. In a speech the other day, you said that the United States demonizes you, demonizes Venezuela and the revolution. I of course have seen it with my own eyes and have been a defender of you and Venezuela and the revolution. Why do you think the Empire makes such a concerted effort to demonize you?
Hugo Chavez: I think for different reasons. But I came to the conclusion there is one particular strong reason, a big reason. They are afraid, the Empire is afraid. The Empire is afraid that the people of the United States might find out about the truth, they are afraid that something like that could erupt on their own territory. A Bolivarian movement. Or a Lincoln movement. A movement of citizens, conscious citizens with the goal to transform the system. Imperial fear killed Martin Luther King. The only way to stop him was to kill him and repressing the people of the United States. So, why do they demonize us? They know – those who direct the Empire – they know the truth. But they fear the truth. They fear the contagious effect. They fear a revolution in the United States. They fear an awakening of the people in the United States. And so that’s why they do everything they can. And they achieve it, relatively, that a lot of sectors in the United States see us as devils. No one wants to copy the devil.
Cindy Sheehan: Right.
Hugo Chavez: Unless they are devils too. And the people aren’t devils. The people are the voice of God.
Cindy Sheehan: Well, one of the biggest names they call you in the United States is dictator. Can you explain to my listeners and the people, for the benefit of this documentary why you are not a dictator?
Hugo Chavez: In the first place, personally, I am against dictatorships. I’m an anti-dictator. We are here in Uruguay, in Montevideo. You know how many dictatorships were in this country. The Guerilla army. I’m an anti-Guerilla. In addition to that, from a political point of view, I’ve been elected one, two, three, four times, by popular vote. In Venezuela, we have elections all the time. Every year, we have elections in Venezuela. One time, Lula, the president of Brazil… when he was in Europe, someone asked him “Why are you friends with that dictator Chavez?” And Lula said a big truth: “In Venezuela, there is an excess of democracy. Every year there are elections. And if there aren’t any, Chavez invents them. Referendums, popular consultations, elections for governors, mayors. Right now, soon we are starting national assembly elections, this year. In 2012 there is going to be a presidential election again. What dictator is elected so many times? What dictator convenes referendums? I’m an anti-dictator. I am a revolutionary. A democratic revolutionary.
Cindy Sheehan: Well, I have witnessed this revolution. I’ve witnessed the empowerment of the people of Venezuela, which is very inspiring, because the people in the United States don’t feel this empowerment. I even rode the Metrocable, and I’m afraid of heights. But I went out to San Augustin and then walked down the steps and saw how that so-called dictatorship has made the life of the people much better here in Venezuela. Also in the commemoration of the Caracazo you announced that you will again going to run for president in 2012. You’ve come a long way, but there is still a long way to go. What do you still think needs to be accomplished as far as infrastructure and the needs of the people in Venezuela?
Hugo Chavez: To tell you in a mathematical way, despite everything we’ve done in education, healthcare, infrastructure, housing, employment, social security, etc., mathematically, I believe, of everything we’ve done and we have to achieve for the people, we have achieved about 10%. It’s been 200 years of abandonment. The people have been abandoned. All the wealth of the country was in the hands of the elite. We talk about the bicentennial cycle, 2010 to 2030, we have to work really hard. In every aspect, infrastructure etc. I hope that you, in a few years, won’t just go up in the metrocable in San Augustin, but all of Caracas is going to have metrocables, and everywhere, every place, housing, reconstruction in poor neighborhoods, the construction of new cities for the people and dignified housing, there is still a lot to do, to achieve what Simon Bolivar said. Bolivar taught us…
(Pres. Evo Morales comes in)
Hugo Chavez: Oh look! Evo is here. Evo, come and sit down! Bolivar taught us that the best government is the one that gives the people the best amount of happiness. That’s our goal. The best, the largest amount of happiness.
My friend Evo, the president of Bolivia, who just got here, he is an indigenous leader! Brother how are you?
Evo Morales: Good, good.
Cindy Sheehan: Presidente Morales. Mucho gusto. So nice to meet you.
Hugo Chavez (introduces Cindy): Cindy Sheehan. She is a fighter for peace, against the war. She is a US citizen. One of her sons died in Iraq. So, she’s interviewing us. And maybe you want to answer a question.
Evo Morales: (gives Indian blessing)
Hugo Chavez: To live well. It’s a Mala Indian philosophy. To live well, a good live. To live well, spiritually, intellectually, physically, that’s what it’s about.
Cindy Sheehan: Thank you, that’s what it should be about. I have one final question.
Thank you for your generosity. This has been really wonderful. Maybe Presidente Morales could have some input about this too. We see your rise to power in Venezuela as kind of a grassroots movement that has been spreading and has helped President Morales in Bolivia, and we see people all over South America taking back the power. Because the power belongs in the hands of the people. A couple of weeks ago in the United States, a man flew his airplane into the tax building in Austin, Texas. Did you hear about that?
Evo Morales/ Hugo Chavez: Yes.
Cindy Sheehan: There is much frustration with the system. And there is a lot of that frustration in the United States. But instead of flying planes into buildings we should find each other and organize. In the United States of course, we are now a system that is also for the elite, ruled by the elite, it’s a “corporatocracy”, it’s for the corporate elite. Of course, in my opinion, I believe the United States need the same grassroots revolution, power back to the people, that you’ve all had here in South America. Can you give us some words of inspiration to encourage us, to give us the courage and heart for a true revolutionary change?
Hugo Chavez: We were the same, dominated, persecuted, and also there was a lot of desperation, just like that man who flew the plane into the building. There is a lot of that, of lot of those impulses, suicidal tendencies. Now, that’s NOT the path. The path is consciousness, a conscious awakening. Evo was persecuted, from very young, I met him when he was an Assembly member, and they threw him out of Congress, and they persecuted him, they jailed him, a lot of his fellow strugglers died. And us too, we had our own experiences. A lot of our brothers died as well, a lot of us went to prison. But consciousness. That’s why you’re doing the right thing. The path is not to fly a plane into a building. It’s to create consciousness. And then the rest will come on its own. I’d like to take this moment to say hello to people of the United States. And us here in the South, we have a lot of faith. And the people in the North are going to wake up. Just like you have woken. Just like many have had an awakening. You can do great changes in the United States, and in a peaceful way, I hope. Because, what happens in the United States, those changes in the United States depend a lot…the future of the world depends on that a lot.
(Pres. Chavez addresses Pres. Morales) Evo, would you like to say something?
Cindy Sheehan: Please!
Evo Morales: I just finished a meeting with Eduardo Galliano.
Cindy Sheehan: Oh, I know him.
Evo Morales: He’s so inspirational with the people, about nature. Galliano is also going to the inauguration of Pepe Mujica. (Pres. Morales and Pres. Chavez talk to each other.) And he’s going to bring some strategies, proposals, and we’re going to have a meeting with Galliano and the cocoa workers …
Cindy Sheehan: Oh. Very wonderful.
Evo Morales: To talk about equality and our experiences. The difficult things, how to unite us and to raise our consciousness. What you’re talking about. The power resides with the people. I was just with Commandante Borhez, Thomas Borhez from Nicaragua. We were talking about issues of consciousness in Peru, in Colombia, on how to build a big political movement. But the issue is unity. In my experience, first the (inaudible), the marginalized, we united first, the farmers and the indigenous. And from that it went on. Just like that unity, we need to do that with the political parties on the left and then the workers unite. Those are the forces that we have, the power that the people have. To get there is hard, you have to raise consciousness.
Cindy Sheehan: My documentary is called “We are all Americans”. It comes from when I was being interviewed on Fox News and Sean Hannity told me how could I meet with the anti-American dictator Hugo Chavez. And I said: ”But Sean, he is an American”. We are all Americans and that’s where the consciousness has to be raised and the unity has to come from in realizing that.
And so, it’s been my highest honor to sit with you, Presidente, thank you for your hospitality and that of Venezuela and to finally meet you. I was invited to Bolivia to help to support you for your recall, but I was running for Congress against Nazi policy in the United States. It was a bad time. I lost. (laughs) I didn’t win.
Hugo Chavez: But we will prevail.
Cindy Sheehan: We will be victorious. Thank you so much.
Hugo Chavez: We have to end, but I want to say something to you. Just about 5 days ago, we were in Cancun. We were on our way out from the hotel and the press was there, and there were some tourists – from California. So I went up to them and I said hi to a woman and her child and another woman. A lot of affection. It was spontaneous. And then I told my friends. I found tourists. I found US tourists. Older adults, young women, men, adolescents. I’ve met with them in Japan, Moscow, Beijing, in the Caribbean, everywhere in the world, in Buenos Aires. I’ve never felt one look of hate, but rather affection, so I think that despite everything, I believe the people of the United States in the depths of their hearts, they know how to appreciate where lies are and where the truth is. That’s why we have such hope. And here is my heart for those people of the United States. They call us anti-US-leaders, anti-American leaders, but we are not. We are anti-imperialist. But we love the people of the United States. We love humanity.
Cindy Sheehan: Muchas Gracias!
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE
http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2010/03/transcript-of-cindy-sheehans-interview.html
President Chavez’s Letter to the UN on Palestinian Statehood.
Chavez adviser on el Comandante: ‘he was truly courageous’
Published on 12 Mar 2013
Juan Carlos Monedero, a previous adviser to the late Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, speaks about his former employer in Caracas on Sunday. “He was a strong believer — but never scared to tell the Pope ‘you are wrong, you are poking your nose into things that are none of your business’”, Monedero said about the former leader. “He felt free to stand up against the IMF or the World Bank. He was truly courageous and knew he was backed by his people. Will we see a similar leader any time soon? Perhaps soon enough in Latin America. Take President Correa, who enjoys about as much popular support, or Evo Morales … but in Europe, I am sure it will take long before we see another leader who would be backed by his people as unconditionally as Hugo Chavez.
The late president was in office for 21 years and was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. He underwent extensive treatment for his illness in Cuba until his sudden and unexpected death on March 5, 2013.
Chavez has been credited with changing the face of Venezuelan society through the leftist social movement, the ‘Bolivarian’ revolution, which he led. Through the introduction of various social programmes, unemployment in Venezuela fell from 14% to 7% in 10 years. There was more equality in Venezuelan society with poverty falling drastically from 23% to 8%.
His charisma and social programmes made him very popular among Venezuelans, including those who had previously experienced extreme poverty prior to the Bolivarian revolution. Chavez’s policy of nationalising Venezuelan industries made him unpopular with Western governments, including the US, with some critics calling his brand of governance a ‘dictatorship.’
Monedero added about his former boss: “Those who call President Chavez a dictator allowed Goldman Sachs to place Papademos at the helm in Greece and put Monti into the presidential office in Italy without any elections. These people belong to a huge economic clique that is responsible for the crisis in Europe.”
Monedero, a Spanish professor of political science at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain, was political adviser to the Venezuelan government between 2005 and 2010.
The Venezuelan Vice-President, Nicolas Maduro, is now serving as interim president of Venezuela until the national elections to elect a president on April 14. He is running against Henrique Capriles, leader of the opposition ‘Justice First’ party.
Hasta la victoria siempre
Por Adán Chávez Frías
La primera frase que puede venir a mi mente en este momento, lleno de tantos sentimientos es “Por Ahora”….esa frase imponente con la que los venezolanos y venezolanas, conocieron a Hugo Chávez Frías, aquel 4 de Febrero de 1992. Esa frase marcó el inicio de una etapa hermosa para este país y hoy te digo….hermano mío… Ese “por ahora”, se convierte en “un Para siempre” que está y estará grabado en la mente y en el corazón de Venezuela y los países de Latinoamérica, El Caribe y el mundo….
Tantos recuerdos, detalles, anécdotas que pudieran describir cómo dos hermanos, provenientes de una familia humilde, en nuestra querida Sabaneta de Barinas, más que hermanos se convirtieron en compañeros de lucha…partícipes en la lucha de doscientos años y más de nuestro pueblo, por nuestra Libertad y Soberanía; por la unidad e integración de nuestro continente, por la solidaridad con todos los pueblos del mundo que luchan contra la injusticia y los intereses hegemónicos del imperio.
Un día me escribiste, hace aproximadamente 30 años, palabras más, palabras menos: si un día, uno de los dos cae a la orilla del camino, es el compromiso del otro, recoger el morral del caído y seguir adelante, con ambos a cuestas y continuar el camino, hasta el final, hasta lograr la victoria definitiva. Nunca lo imaginé, pero me ha correspondido a mí, querido compañero, levantar tu morral y seguir adelante!!… Pero estoy seguro que seguirás a mi lado, que seguiremos juntos con nuestro pueblo…de la forma que sea, de la manera que sea necesaria, llegaremos a la meta y concretaremos la victoria perfecta!!.
Aprovecho este espacio para agradecer, en nombre de toda la familia Chávez Frías y en nombre del pueblo venezolano, las manifestaciones de amor y el compartir sincero del dolor que hoy nos embarga, a todos los países de Latinoamérica, el Caribe….de los cinco continentes de este planeta, representados por los dignos mandatarios que nos acompañaron en los actos fúnebres, rindiendo tributo a Nuestro Comandante Hugo Chávez….Es una muestra, indudablemente, que el proyecto bolivariano, la propuesta revolucionaria que impulsó el Comandante, trascendió nuestras fronteras, como quizás, no lo habíamos imaginado hasta ahora. Bien lo dice nuestro propio pueblo: Chávez ya no es nuestro solamente…es del mundo entero.
Su partida de este mundo terrenal, marcará un antes y un después de nuestro recorrido de lucha…será el paso hacia una nueva etapa…como las tantas de las que en el seno del Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, con el Polo Patriótico y diferentes espacios de la política nacional…hemos demarcado como forma pedagógica de organizar y formar a nuestro pueblo en la teoría y en la acción revolucionaria. Significa entonces, estoy seguro de ello, del paso hacia la etapa definitoria de la Revolución Bolivariana….Qué gran compromiso compañeros, camaradas… Nuestro Comandante nos dejó instrucciones muy precisas…instrucciones que el pueblo, sabio como siempre ha sintetizado en la consigna que ya recorre el país por los cuatro costados: “Con Chávez y Maduro el pueblo está seguro”.
Hugo, incansable pensador, hacedor de ideas y extraordinario estratega…nos dejó el camino arado…y sembró la semilla bolivariana en niños, niñas, jóvenes, adultos y ancianos…en hombres y mujeres, a quienes hoy nos toca regar y cuidar esa semilla…para que se haga grande y fuerte…así como el Camoruco de Sabaneta…y lleguemos más temprano que tarde, al punto de no retorno….a la Consolidación del Socialismo Bolivariano.
Como dijo nuestro Cantautor eterno… Alí Primera…tristeza a veces, alegría a veces…Ahora nos toca la tristeza que nos deja la partida física del Comandante…pero seguro que ésta se convertirá en una energía incalculable para seguir impulsando con fuerza nuestros objetivos, que hoy más que nunca son históricos y trascendentales para el rumbo de esta patria, de Nuestra América y de los países del mundo…
Pero también nos toca la alegría de ver en nuestra Venezuela los logros de estos 14 años de Revolución Bolivariana; vivo ejemplo de la lucha del Comandante…Constancia de que seguirá con nosotros para siempre construyendo Socialismo Bolivariano. La alegría de saber a nuestro querido Hugo Rafael en el viento de la sabana, en el frío de los andes, en el serpentear de nuestros ríos, en el ondear de los samanes, en el vuelo de las gaviotas en el atardecer de nuestras costas…y sobre todo, dirigiendo la lucha de la Consolidación Bolivariana!!.
Le digo a este pueblo querido y a los pueblos hermanos del mundo…No desmayemos…que nadie se rinda…Mucha unidad, disciplina, conciencia del deber social y sigamos enrumbados en este camino tan difícil pero cierto y correcto….para que termine de morir lo que debe morir…el viejo estado burgués y nazca lo que debe terminar de nacer…el Nuevo Estado Socialista….Vamos hermanos y hermanas…Continuemos con Chávez construyendo Patria!!. Chávez Vive, la lucha sigue!!. Viva Chávez, Carajo!!.
Independencia y Patria socialista
Viviremos y Venceremos!!!
sentirbolivarianobarinas@gmail.com
Barinas, 11 de Marzo de 2013
Fuente: http://www.aporrea.org/actualidad/a160974.html
I thought you might enjoy this interview with Chavez from BBC HARDtalk in 2010.
Nicolas Maduro’s Speech at the Funeral of President Hugo Chavez
By Nicolas Maduro
Published April 2nd 2013
Dear Mrs. Elena [Frias de Chavez]; dear daughters and sons, grandchildren, teacher Hugo de los Reyes, relatives of our Commander President, father and guide, Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias. Dear and respectedpresidents, prime ministers and princes. From all four corners of our planet you have come to express your support and solidarity with your love and presence to our glorious people of Venezuela, to our Commander Hugo Chavez. We thank you from our heart, for having come from your lands to bring this great tribute, to bring us with your embrace and your words the encouragement that we need at this hard and tragic hour in the history of the 21st century.
Dear leaders who have come here, leaders of social and political movements from all across the world, who walk in the streets with the people…
Dear Gustavo Dudamel, maestroAbreu, who has brought our youth’s music to fill with a fresh breath the soul of this pure man whom we have here.
Comrades, both men and women, of President Hugo Chavez’s Bolivarian government. Governors: we are here before him, in a way we would have never wished to be, with the greatest pain of which our humanity is capable—here we are, Commander.
Yesterday a woman gave us some words of encouragement. While she was speaking to us we felt the real magnitude of what has taken place. She said, “Be strong because his soul and his spirit were so strong that his body could not endure it anymore, and he freed himself, and his soul and his spirit are going across this universe, expanding, filling us with blessings, with love, gathering all the blessings of all the nations, of all the love that can be found in this universe to bring it to us, and we know it is this way, Commander, and that is how we feel”.
Our prayers say that it is time for forgiveness, and you taught us the most infinite love that went all the way to forgiveness, in the most difficult of circumstances. There has been no leader in the history of our homeland, more reviled, more slandered, and more despicably attacked than our Commander President. Never in 200 years were there so many lies about one man, neither here nor in the world. Although, certainly, our Bolivar was betrayed, they did not dare slander him, neither in his own days, nor after his days. But neither lies, nor hatred were able to defeat our Commander, because our Commander is here.
And why weren’t they able to defeat him? Do you know why they weren’t able to defeat him, dear heads of state who have brought your most pure love for this man, beyond ideologies and political frontiers? Because within him our Commander had the strongest shield that a human being can have, which is his purity, the love of Christ. The love of a true son of Christ saved him from slanderous allegations, infamy, and here he is undefeated, pure, transparent, unique, truthful, and alive forever, for all times, for this one and all future times—Commander, they were not able to defeat you, they won’t ever be able to defeat us, they never will—Attendees: Long live Chavez! The struggle goes on, long live Chavez! The struggle goes on, long live Chavez! The struggle goes on, long live Chavez!
In life we were loyal to him, all of us, all of us, all the great men of this Venezuelan land, and we learned [loyalty] because he taught it to us, we didn’t know it. Many of us, almost from childhood, joined the revolutionary ranks, and we were traveling different paths, some military paths, such as the generation of sons—I ask you to stand up, all of you of the generation of military sons—here are your sons Commander, here are your National Bolivarian Armed Forces, made a people, made spirit, made flesh, with their firearms, with their sword…An army of peace, that is what our Armed Forces are, an army of men and women [who are] liberators.
We were traveling along our paths since we were very young, 11, 12 years old, some starting at our homes, the homes of our fathers, of our mothers. But while traveling on the path [that leads to] the redemption of our homeland, we had never known our own history. If one wants to correctly put together the legacy Hugo Chavez leaves behind, the first thing that must be done is to recognize that he led us to rediscover the history of our homeland; he raised the flags of the liberator Simon Bolivar. He embodied them, he embodied them. And he taught us love and forgiveness. He also taught us to love our history. That is why we say from our heart today—I ask permission from his daughters, his mother—Commander, here you are undefeated. In your name and with the love of Christ, we forgive those who slandered you; you [Commander] are free from all the faults they tried to impute to you.
And in that history, all of our leaders, beginning with the greatest of all, Simón Bolívar, were not allowed to enter the united provinces of Venezuela. The Grand Marshall of Ayacucho was threatened with execution were he to step on the land of the already separated provinces of Gran Colombia, the first Colombia, our Colombia, which is beating with desires to be born, of being once again re-founded.
All died, expelled from our land by those who ruled and betrayed us. Some betrayed Bolivar and he died there in the Gran Colombia, in Santa Marta—the same place where on a certain occasion our Commander went to sit down with president Juan Manuel Santos, to shake his hand and say, “Let us work together.” And so it happened, President Santos, we thank you.
The cadaver of the Grand Marshall of Ayacucho was left lying on the ground and the wretched of the earth picked up his body and they looked after it until they were able to take it to Quito. It spent 70 years hidden, lost. It wasn’t until that great Bolivarian general Eloy Alfaro came [onto the scene] in 1900 to vindicate him, bringing him out of his ostracized status and taking him where he was supposed to be, in the cathedral of Quito, there with our brothers, with president Rafael Correa, with the Bolivarian people of Ecuador.
Why did the final hour of our great founders have to be this way? Why did the final hour of those who walked barefooted from here, from the Caribbean to Potosí, to procure our freedom have to be this way? How do we explain so many betrayals, some much envy, so much selfishness? How do we explain so much evil? The reason is the vested interests that ultimately prevailed, those interests that were not the supreme interests of the newborn homeland; interests that were not the supreme interests of the peoples. Those were times of confusion, and the great Bolivar and the great Sucre did not have enough strength to bring together the land and the people that they had liberated.
Ezequiel Zamora was another great person we had here, general of the sovereign nation, a redeemer who took upon himself the task of raising Bolivar’s betrayed flags, and also died of one bullet wound January 10th of 1860, as he was coming to Caracas with his victorious troops of toothless paupers. Our master and teacher taught us this.
And [we also had] Cipriano Castro 100 years ago. Petroleum had already been discovered in our Venezuela. Cipriano Castro was a nationalist. He fell sick and departed [from Venezuela] in 1908. His ship had barely set sail when the betrayal of the acting vice president prevailed. Venezuela went through 20 years of the worst dictatorship we have ever known in the 20th century, and they came for our petroleum and they plundered it. Venezuela was the first producer of petroleum in the world in the decade of the 20s, in the 20th century. They plundered our country.
And so, Commander, once you related that to us, speaking in the presidential airplane, you were reading this story to Commander Fidel Castro, Commander in Chief of the liberating nations of our Latin America and the Caribbean. He told us that after listening attentively and in silence, Commander Fidel Castro answered, “Hugo, that’s a very sad story. I didn’t know it, but be certain that neither you nor I will die that way: when we have to go, we’ll leave with our victorious nations standing up, with the blessing and love of the women and men who are just”.
Fidel’s prediction was fulfilled, here you are Commander: with your men standing up, all your men and women, loyal as we sworn before you, loyal even beyond death, and you, President-Elect of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, here in your homeland, under your command, under your unique command.
We have broken the curse of treason against the homeland and we will break the curse of defeat and regression. We have broken that curse. Here is the unsheathed sword and your eyes looking towards Christ.
In previous days, hours before the announcements of December 8th, a group of comrades visited him in Havana: Diosdado, comrade and brother in these battles, but above all of the battles to come—Diosdado Cabello Rondón, a revolutionary, also a man with a pure soul, son of our Commander Hugo Chavez—comrades Rafael, Elias, Cilia, were accompanying him. As always Rosa, María, Rosinés, Hugo, Adán, all of his siblings, comrade Jorge Arreaza, life-partner of our beloved Rosa Virgina, whom our commander adopted as his own son.
And one difficult day, in the early hours of the morning I had to go there, to his bedroom. We were there together Jorge and I. Jorge always writing everything in his notebook. And there the Commander asked us to help him with a task, he said to us: “I believe I have to write some final words as a testament” and as always he gave us an order, Hugo Chavez’s testament. “Help me with an outline, some ideas, so that I can sit down to write them down during these hours.”
We did not fulfill that order, we weren’t able to, it was impossible. He had already fulfilled that order because our Commander’s entire life has been a testament: his word, his passion, his action, his work! His people, the people of Venezuela are his testament, the humble of the world, the poor, the hopeless, the oppressed of all times and all hours, we the grandchildren of the slaves! We are his living testament! He left his testament signed and sealed by the people. The first one of them is here.
If anyone wants to know who Hugo Chavez truly was, and wants to tear down the veil of lies, the mean lies of the media, [and] the worldwide psychological warfare against this man, get to know this letter written by him…his constitution approved by the people, discussed by the people. And get to know his word and his action. Everything we are today is here. Here is our guide. If anyone has any doubt, about anything, any time, here is the supreme word of the homeland, the letter of peace, everyone’s letter.
When this constitution was discussed, we came out into the streets to debate it and a referendum was called for. Some Venezuelans came out to vote in favor of the “No”, so as not to approve it. Life has its ways, for Chavez said to us that year in 1999—we were constituents—he said: “Patience: what is just is just and this letter will come to be recognized by all sooner rather than later.”—Today, we can say Commander, this is the letter of all, women and men, even those who opposed it today have made it their own. All are welcomed, Venezuela is for all us and belongs to all us, and this letter is our guide for unity, for peace, for coexistence. It is a letter for making revolution, democratic revolution.
And if one wants to take a closer look: what was the dream of our undefeated Commander?—as the general of armies, Raul Castro said yesterday in his words from Santiago, Cuba: “Undefeated”—if one desires to know, what did he think that 21st century Venezuela would be?—Jorge, comrade, he himself wrote his testament June of the year 2012, with his own hand and fist. Elias Jaua who was executive vice president knows this, he was directly involved in the testament.
Here Commander Chavez left us five historic tasks. They are five historic tasks of a thought which is part of a system of values, of principles, inspired in Bolivar our founding father; inspired in the liberators; inspired in the wisdom of our indigenous peoples, of our great Guaicaipuro; inspired in Christ.
If someone were to ask, what does a man or woman look like, what is a human being like when one undertakes becoming a true child of Christ our redeemer, and one devotes oneself, giving away one’s entire life, body and spirit for a people, for the oppressed, for the poor? [If someone were to ask this] one would have to recognize that Hugo Chavez was an authentic Christian of the streets. A Christian, a redeemer in Christ! A protector in Christ, of the poor of this earth and of the lands of the world!
And so he left us five historic tasks. They are absolutely unified. They are democratic tasks, because after a democratic debate in this Homeland of men and women who are conscious and free, our people approved our Commander’s testament. He never lied in politics, or in anything. When he discovered in his own path that under capitalism, not to mention neoliberal capitalism, it was impossible to stabilize society, to give equality and happiness to the nations, and that it was impossible stably to sustain true democracies, he said one day in December of 2004, he said to us:
I will raise the flags of our American, Indigenous, Bolivarian and Christian socialism. We will dare build humanity’s dream with audacity, and will do this in democracy and in socialism…. And here he leaves a system of principles, values. They are five.
The first one of them:
To maintain and consolidate the independence we have already conquered during these 14 years of democratic, popular, and Bolivarian revolution.
The second:
To build our own socialism: diverse, democratic, ours, American.
The third one of them:
To build Venezuela as a powerful nation in the context of the great powerful Latin America—
which will be built in these years to come, and which we have seen here standing up, represented by the diversity of presidents, men and women that have come. We have to be a great power.
It was right here—dear presidents, men and women—right here in this patio where Chavez the cadet received his formation. Who would have known that 30, 40 years later that cadet would be presiding here the foundation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States? [A community] which the president of Chile Sebastian Piñera has presided with dignity, to whom we extend our thanks for all of his generosity and all of his respectful and affectionate gestures towards president Hugo Chavez! And [a community] which today is presided by the General of Armies Raúl Castro Ruz and the Cuba of dignity, heading this organization.
And the fourth objective:
To build a balanced world—Bolivar: the balance of the universe—[to build a world] without empires.
There are some representatives here that we want greet and show appreciation for. We have Jesse Jackson, but also former Congressman William Delahunt and Congressman Gregory Meeks whom we greet. They have been sent by president Obama, we welcome you. We care for all and love all of the nations of our America, but we want relations marked by respect, cooperation, and true peace. We want, just as Commander Chavez wrote, “a world without empires”, without hegemonic nations, a world of peace, a world in which international law is respected, a world of nations capable of coming together to cooperate, to live, to be just, in terms of equality. And why can’t this be possible when all the will of one world is here, all of the strength of one world? And Latin America has the historic task of creating that new world, of unifying ourselves in our diversity and saying to the world: here is the Latin America of liberators; here we are standing up, together, [saying]: this world has to change.
And a fifth objective which I will read, because without this the very existence of the human species will be impossible. At the end of the day this fifth objective is the one that brings together each of the points in this testament which Commander Hugo Chavez left us. The fifth objective is very simple, and we say it with great humility, but with the greatest anguish for humanity. Commander Hugo Chavez says in his fifth historic objective:
To contribute to the preservation of life in the planet and to the salvation of the human species.
Neither capitalism nor socialism nor any of our religions will exist if we are unable, from where we are, each of us with our own political and religious ideologies, to save this planet, putting an end to nuclear bombs, eliminating all those powers of destruction, of contamination of rivers, of seas, of global warming. Here it is, Commander, your testament.
A number of years ago, some times during pressing moments, sometimes when we made mistakes, the Commander President would always say to us, “Nicolás, Elías, Rafael, Yadira, Jorge, what will you all do when I die?”
We always said to him, “Please, Commander, don’t say that.” “What will you all do when I die? How will you all manage?”
He left everything arranged; now it is up to us whether we do it or not. We call our nation to do it.
What will we do when you die Commander? You can go in peace, our prayers and our love in Christ, and from our heart we wish you the greatest peace possible in that new realm of life. What will we do? We will continue, we’ll go on together, the people, the Armed Forces, your constitution, with your political testament, with your example and with our love. We’ll continue protecting the poor, we’ll continue giving food to those who need it, we’ll continue building the education of our children, we’ll continue building the Grand Homeland, we’ll continue building peace, peace, peace for our continent, the peace of our people—So Commander, mission accomplished, Commander President! The battle goes on. Chavez lives!—Attendees: the battle goes on!—Long live Hugo Chavez!—Attendees: Que viva!—Long live our people!—Attendees: Que viva!—Long live love and unity!—Attendees: Que viva!—Onward to victory Commander!—Attendees: Chávez lives, the battle goes on! Chávez lives, the battle goes on! Chávez lives, the battle goes on!
8 March 2013, Caracas
Translation by Sergio Gomez Diaz Ureña for Venezuelanalysis.com
Source: Minci