Ten years onto his death, revolutionary leader Hugo Chavez lives on
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Millions across the world are paying tribute to the late Venezuelan leader and expressing their pride in carrying on his legacy of resisting hegemony and powers of oppression.
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Late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (Reuters)
Supporters of former President Hugo Chavez headed on Sunday to the "Mountain Barracks 4F," a converted shrine-like place that served as Chavez's base during the 1992 coup.
#ENVIDEO | Hugo Chávez jugó un protagonismo importante en Sudamérica y con su llegada a la presidencia de #Venezuela🇻🇪 marcó un antes y un después en el proceso de integración y consolidaciones de las naciones de la región pic.twitter.com/Xvp9UPdKHy
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) March 6, 2023
"He was the best, a commander, a chief, a wonderful leader with his people. He taught us a lot. He left us so many things that 10, 20 years can go by and you still feel it," Luisa Adrian, 56, said to AFP, as she stood in line in Caracas to enter the barracks where former President Chavez's remains are located.
"You have to transmit the legacy to the new generations. That's why I'm here with my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson," she added.
Rosaris Izturiz, a 43-year-old worker at state-owned water management institution Hidrocapital, said the late Venezuelan leader "continued there at the forefront despite all the adversities."
Since Friday, Caracas has been organizing events honoring President Hugo Chavez on the tenth anniversary of his passing, while millions across the world have been paying tribute and expressing their pride in carrying on his legacy of resisting the powers of oppression.
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Chavez was the 61st president of Venezuela, and he became president of the country on February 2, 1999. He was known for his socialist democratic government and his calls for Latin America's political and economic integration in the fight against imperialism, in addition to his sharp criticism and opposition of neoliberal globalists and the US foreign policy.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro considered that Chavez represented love, loyalty, and victory.
"To say Chávez, is to say love, loyalty and victory," said Maduro on his Twitter account.
"10 years after his sowing, the People transformed pain into strength to continue mobilizing in the streets, fighting daily for the defense of the Homeland and to consolidate the Bolivarian project that they dreamed of," he added.
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¡Decir Chávez, es decir amor, lealtad y victoria! A 10 años de su siembra, el Pueblo transformó el dolor en fortaleza para seguir movilizado en las calles, luchando a diario por la defensa de la Patria y para consolidar el proyecto bolivariano que soñó.
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) March 5, 2023
Maduro also shared a video on his Twitter account in honor of the late leader, which included pictures of Chavez's revolution.
"Eternal is the one who lives in the heart and soul of the People," the Latin American President said in the tweet.
¡Decir Chávez, es decir amor, lealtad y victoria! A 10 años de su siembra, el Pueblo transformó el dolor en fortaleza para seguir movilizado en las calles, luchando a diario por la defensa de la Patria y para consolidar el proyecto bolivariano que soñó.
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) March 5, 2023
Among the attendees of the national event held at the Teresa Carreno Theater in the country's capital were Bolivian President Luis Arce, Cuba’s former President Raul Castro, Bolivia’s former President Evo Morales, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Ecuador’s former President Rafael Correa, and Honduras’ former President Manuel Zelaya.
Participamos en la Clausura del Encuentro Mundial por la Vigencia del Pensamiento Bolivariano del Comandante Chávez en el siglo XXI. Agradezco a las lideresas y líderes sociales y políticos de más de 60 países que nos acompañaron con la verdad de sus pueblos. pic.twitter.com/gmhNMNegSb
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) March 6, 2023
On his Twitter account, the Bolivian President shared pictures of the commemoration, remembering Chavez's love for Bolivia and his lessons that contributed to building its society.
Su amor por #Bolivia y su lucha por la integración de la #PatriaGrande nos enseña que la construcción de una nueva sociedad con más oportunidades, inclusión y justicia social para nuestros pueblos, es posible.
— Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (Lucho Arce) (@LuchoXBolivia) March 6, 2023
¡Honor y gloria! pic.twitter.com/GgWWJl5KAe
Bolivia’s former President Evo Morales shared on his Twitter account pictures of him paying respect to the late Chavez by laying flowers at his final resting place.
"In addition to recovering the oil looted by the US for the Venezuelan people, he refounded Venezuela and strengthened the integration of Latin America," Morales said, adding that his solid and unwavering belief "is the strength of the revolution."
Nuestro hermano comandante Hugo Chávez pasó a la inmortalidad un día como hoy hace 10 años. Además de recuperar para el pueblo venezolano el petróleo saqueado por EEUU, refundó Venezuela y fortaleció la integración de América Latina. Su convicción es la fuerza de la revolución pic.twitter.com/7tH8QSJhih
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) March 5, 2023
Chavez's steadfast support for Palestine and its Resistance in the face of the Israeli occupation and their American sponsors did not leave the minds of his supporters.
On their Twitter account, user "Tibou" posted a picture of former President Hugo Chavez, reminding people of his stance on Palestine and the occupation.
"A friend of Palestine & its resistance," who "rightly called a terrorist & genocidal state that served as the "killer weapon of the United States."
IN LOVING MEMORY
— Tibou (@Tibou33969029) March 6, 2023
Hugo Chávez, a friend of Palestine & its resistance, was a staunch anti-Zionist & anti-imperialist who severed ties with the Zionist enemy, which he rightly called a terrorist & genocidal state that served as the "killer weapon of the United States". pic.twitter.com/5uRxJBm3KJ
Remembering the later leader and his legacy in the Global South in its fight against imperialism and neoliberal powers was not limited to Latin America.
Vijar Parshad, Director of Tricontinental Social Research Institution, chief correspondent of and senior fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of China's Renmin University, remembered on his Twitter account the moment the news came out about Chavez passed away.
"It was a very sad day for all of us globally, as a reference for our movement left us."
[thread] When news came to us in Delhi that Hugo Chávez had died on 5 March 2013, I went immediately to Jawaharlal Nehru University, where we had hosted him in 2005. It was a very sad day for all of us globally, as a reference for our movement left us.#YoSoyChavez pic.twitter.com/Zbm7LHeKHK
— Vijay Prashad (@vijayprashad) March 5, 2023
