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Pallbearers carry the coffin of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez,

after a funeral parade in Caracas.

 

 

Hugo Chavez Frias: The Man Laid Bare (Al Raya, Qatar)

 

"One cannot mention the history of Latin America without remembering Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, who left this world just over a week ago. ... Chavez was a socialist who hated the capitalist model pursued by the United States. He saved many poor people from poverty through his policy of socialism and equitably distributing oil wealth. On paper, while this distribution seemed fair, in fact, the way he went about it was not. Rather than of teaching people how to fish, Chavez gave them the fish."

 

By Reem Al Harmi

 

Translated By Nicolas Dagher

 

March 21, 2013

 

Qatar - Al Raya - Original Article (Arabic)

After Hugo Chavez: Venezuelans face the future deprived of one of the most charismatic Latin American leaders ever. His successor will have to satisfy their demands while saving an economy that Chavez did so much to undermine.

 

BBC NEWS VIDEO: Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel on life after Chavez, March 19, 00:02:58RealVideo

The continent of South America, and all Latin America, holds a special and distinctive place on the world's map. It is a continent of contradiction, combining incredible beauty and shocking ugliness. For example, while there is abject poverty in the favelas, just meters away from these ghettos of tin is obscene wealth among skyscrapers. It's no wonder that Latin America is ranked as one of the poorest continents in terms of economic inequality, with the starkest divisions between poor and middle class - and super rich.

 

Along with the all of the contradictions that exist on this amazing continent, has come a marked increase in crime and violence. This is a result of several factors, the most important of which are a lack of “social justice,” civil war and country-destroying conflicts, high unemployment, the increased availability of drugs and weapons, and thus the emergence of armed groups and drug traffickers. These and other factors have contributed to making many Latin American nations cesspools of crime and witnesses to bloody violence almost every day.

 

But this hasn't prevented the emergence of personalities and illustrious names immortalized by history. In literature, Gabriela Mistral of Chile was awarded Latin America's first Nobel Prize in 1945. In art, there was the unique Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. And in politics, there were the revolutionaries, like Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Simon Bolivar - the Venezuelan military leader who liberated Latin America from the Spanish Empire, who was also called the George Washington of Latin America. In sports there is Pele. And there are hundreds of other names and personalities from that continent who to this day have altered history and contribute in their fields.

 

And one cannot mention the history of Latin America without remembering Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, who left this world just over a week ago. He may have died, but his stories and his character have not. Everyone is talking about him - either with admiration and gratitude, or sarcasm, irony and hate. Because the positions of this man are hard to classify and often appear at cross purposes.

 

On the economic level, Chavez was a socialist who hated the capitalist model pursued by the United States. He saved many poor people from poverty through his policy of socialism and equitably distributing oil wealth. On paper, while this distribution seemed fair, in fact, the way he went about it was not. Rather than of teaching people how to fish, Chavez gave them the fish.

 

So his socialism damaged businessmen and entrepreneurs, because government regulation and oversight, not to mention Chavez' policy of nationalization, did harm to Venezuela and its oil sector. The benefits showered on the poor by Chavez have not made up for the harm done to the country's entire economy, ranging from hyperinflation, rising unemployment and economic contraction. So despite Chavez' best efforts, his socialist approach has done little to improve Venezuela's economy.

 

Politically, Chavez was known for his charismatic personality and his hostility toward American imperialism and capitalism, even if he sold them petroleum. Chavez was close to Assad, Ahmadinejad and Fidel Castro of Cuba. He constantly criticized the United States and its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in a speech almost entirely in Spanish, he attacked the United States - and in the only English sentence, he described George Bush as a "donkey"! [see below]. The use of such an epithet was not unusual for Chavez, who is known for improvising words and revolutionary speeches that were often devoid of any diplomatic talk.

 

CHAVEZ CALLS GEORGE BUSH A 'DONKEY'

 

Rather than a head of state, many see in Chavez a man. After the 2009 Israeli aggression on Gaza, Venezuela was one of the first countries to expel the Israeli ambassador and recall its own. And that same year, Venezuela recognized Palestine as an independent state. Many in the Arab world sided with Chavez and fondly remember his life because of his positions. But there are plenty of people who say that he took such positions for one reason only: to annoy the United States.

Posted By Worldmeets.US

 

After a long struggle with disease Chavez is gone, and in 30 days an election will be held for a new president, resulting in new relationships within Latin America. Ecuador President Rafael Correa is likely to be the new superstar. But Correa doesn't enjoy the level of popularity of a Chavez - and Ecuador lacks the volume of oil of Venezuela. Furthermore, it appears that the United States, which was forever at odds with Venezuela, is "ready" to open a new page.

 

One can imagine how a man like Chavez, because of his policies, could draw some people toward him, and at the same time, drive others away. There are many others on the left and right, socialists and capitalists, who persuade people to stand with or against them. But what matters is that we not transform presidents into gods to be worshipped. Their deaths are always assured. Leaders always die, and their states and people remain. Can the election in Venezuela bring a new leader, who knows that the institutions of the state and the people are more important than he is? Or will it produce another Chavez, who whose cult of personality dwarfs the institutions of state and the people?

 

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SEE ALSO ON THIS:

Le Figaro, France: Obsequies for Chavez were Just a Warm-Up for Fidel's

Al-Wahdawi, Yemen: Hugo Chavez: 'More Arab than the Arabs of Oil'

Ahora, Cuba: Glory to the 'Irreversible' and 'Immortal' Hugo Chavez!

Guardian Unlimited, U.K.: Claim that Chavez will be Resurrected with Jesus 'Went Too Far'

El Nacional, Venezuela: Maduro Asserts: U.S. 'Infected' Chavez with Deadly Illness

Novosti, Russia: With Chavez' Death, Communist Chief Sees a U.S. 'Cancer' Plot  

Kayhan, Iran: The Mahdi is Reappearing to Rid World of 'Devils in Human Form'  

Die Welt, Germany: Ahmadinejad Announces Iranian Plans to 'Administer the World'

Iraq of Tomorrow, Iraq: Ahmadinejad Told to 'Corroborate' American Threat to the 'Mahdi'

Kayhan, Iran: Ahmadinejad: Egypt Revolution Reveals Hand of the 'Mahdi'

Carta Maior, Brazil: Why the Right 'Hates' Latin America

Ahora, Cuba: What Barack Obama Should Be Told about Hugo Chavez

La Tercera, Chile: Death of Hugo Chavez Opens Way for Democratic Recovery in Venezuela

La Razon, Bolivia: President Morales Says 'Empire Has All the Tools' to Poison Chavez

Guardian, U.K.: Death of Chavez Brings Chance of Fresh Start for U.S. and Latin America

Global Times, China: Demonized by the West, Hugo Chavez was a Friend to China

Mehr News Agency, Iran: Ahmadinejad: Chavez Will Be 'Resurrected with Christ the Savior'

Guardian Unlimited, U.K.: Claim that Chavez will be Resurrected with Jesus 'Went Too Far'

El Nacional, Venezuela: Maduro Asserts: U.S. 'Infected' Chavez with Deadly Illness

Novosti, Russia: With Chavez' Death, Communist Chief Sees a U.S. 'Cancer' Plot  

La Voz Mundo, Venezuela: Facing Reelection Fight, Hugo Chavez Plays 'Obama Card'

Diario de Cuyo, Argentina: Hugo Chavez and Barack Obama: A Common Electoral Challenge  

El Tiempo, Colombia: What Good is Our New, U.S.-Free 'Community'?  

Estadao, Brazil: In Latin America, Rhetoric Triumphs Over Reality  

La Razon, Bolivia: Latin America Has Excluded the U.S. … So What Now?

ABC, Spain: Hugo Chavez Calls Terrorism Indictment a U.S.-Spanish Plot  

Folha, Brazil: Latin American Unity Cannot Be Dependent on Excluding the U.S.  

La Jornada, Mexico: Latin America's March Toward 'Autonomy from Imperial Center'

La Jornada, Mexico: Militarization of Latin America: Obama 'Ahead of Bush'

O Globo, Brazil: U.S. Navy Shows That What U.S. Can Do, Brazil Can Also Do  

Clarin, Argentina: Resurrected U.S. Fourth Fleet Creates Suspicion Across South America

Le Figaro, France: U.S. Navy 'Resurrects' Fourth Fleet to Patrol Latin America

Semana, Colombia: Hugo Chávez Isn't 'Paranoid' to Fear the U.S. Marines  

Tal Cual, Venezuela: President Chavez 'Puts Early End' to Honeymoon with Obama

El Universal, Venezuela: Obama is No 'Black in Chavez' Pocket'

Gazeta, Russia: Latin Americans Will Sooner or Later Come 'Crawling' to the U.S.

Gazeta, Russia: Castro and Chavez Split Over Obama

El Tiempo, Colombia: 'Tropical Napoleon' Melts Before Obama's 'Empire'

El Tiempo, Colombia: Survey: Obama 'Most Popular Leader' in the Americas

El Espectador, Colombia: Cuba in Obama's Sights

El Mundo, Colombia: Obama: A Man Who Takes His Promises Seriously

La Razon, Bolivia: President Morales Suspects U.S. Behind Attempt on His Life

 

 

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Posted By Worldmeets.US Mar. 21, 2013, 7:59am