THE LIFE OF HUGO CHAVEZ
How He Changed Venezuela
Essential Question
Was Hugo Chavez good or bad for the Venezuelan people as a whole (both rich and poor)? Explain your answer.
BIOGRAPHY
Hugo Chavez (1954 - 2013) was a former Army Lieutenant Colonel and President of Venezuela. Chávez instituted what he calls a “Bolivarian Revolution” in Venezuela, where key industries were nationalized and oil revenues were used in social programs for the poor. Hugo Chávez was a vocal critic of the United States of America, in particular former President George W. Bush, who he once famously and publicly called a “donkey.” He was very popular with poor Venezuelans, who in February of 2009 voted to abolish term limits, allowing him to run for re-election indefinitely. He unfortunately died on March 5, 2013.
Quote
"The left is back, and it's the only path we have to get out of the spot to which the right has sunken us. Socialism builds and capitalism destroys."
– Hugo Chávez
Painting of Hugo Chavez
The poor fell in love with Hugo and they should have. He gave most of the profits from his oil empire back to the poor.
Hugo Chavez
Chavez was smart to get all the poor people of Venezuela because the majority of the population was poor.
Hugo Chavez Political Followers
Coups against Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chavez suspected the United States of America to be in on the coup attempts against him and many of his followers believe so too. He thinks this because of all the oil he is in control of. He has more oil then our main supplier, Saudi Arabia. The tension between Venezuela and the United States was because of oil. Venezuela was the life line to the U.S. oil because Iraq, Iran, and many other countries surrounding the Iraq and Iran borders stopped oil exports to the U.S. so Venezuela was the only oil supply the U.S. could have had.
The Coup Against Hugo Chavez - BBC, Greg Palast
Rap
Hugo Chavez was a very powerful man,
he had more oil then Iraq or Iran.
There were coups against him,
the rich wanted him dead.
The poor adored him,
with an iron fist he lead.
Hugo was deep in dat oil,
the United States attitude was about to broil.
We say Venezuela is ready for some democracy,
to get rid of Hugo Chavez's hidden hypocrisy.\
Word,
and I'm out!