Chavez: Life and times

Published March 6, 2013
In this undated photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, right, sits with his brother Adam in Barinas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this undated photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, right, sits with his brother Adam in Barinas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this undated photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez is seen in a family photo in Barinas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this undated photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez is seen in a family photo in Barinas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this April 1971 photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, receives a dagger during his ceremony to enter the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this April 1971 photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, receives a dagger during his ceremony to enter the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
This file picture shows Venezulean President Hugo Chavez (C) alongside with mother Elena Frias (L) and father Hugo de los Reyes Chavez, upon graduating as a Lieutenant from military academy in Caracas on July 5, 1975.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezulean President Hugo Chavez (C) alongside with mother Elena Frias (L) and father Hugo de los Reyes Chavez, upon graduating as a Lieutenant from military academy in Caracas on July 5, 1975.?Photo by AFP
In this Feb. 4, 1992 file photo, paratroop commander Hugo Chavez talks to reporters at the Defense Ministry after he surrendered to the troops loyal to the government of Carlos Andres Perez in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavaz surrendered in the western city of Valencia and was transported to Caracas, where he called his followers to give up their arms.?Photo by AP
In this Feb. 4, 1992 file photo, paratroop commander Hugo Chavez talks to reporters at the Defense Ministry after he surrendered to the troops loyal to the government of Carlos Andres Perez in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavaz surrendered in the western city of Valencia and was transported to Caracas, where he called his followers to give up their arms.?Photo by AP
This file picture shows Venezulean President Hugo Chavez (R) before graduating as a Lieutenant from military academy in Caracas on July 5, 1975.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezulean President Hugo Chavez (R) before graduating as a Lieutenant from military academy in Caracas on July 5, 1975.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezulean President Hugo Chavez speaking during a military academy event in Caracas in 1973.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezulean President Hugo Chavez speaking during a military academy event in Caracas in 1973.?Photo by AFP
In this March 1972 photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, bottom row, right, poses with his baseball teammates during the internal games at the Military Academy in Caracas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this March 1972 photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, bottom row, right, poses with his baseball teammates during the internal games at the Military Academy in Caracas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this undated photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, center, looks at the camera during a military exercise in Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this undated photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, center, looks at the camera during a military exercise in Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, top left, poses with fellow members of the failed coup as they serve time in Yare II jail near Caracas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Hugo Chavez, top left, poses with fellow members of the failed coup as they serve time in Yare II jail near Caracas, Venezuela.?Photo by AP
Cuban President Fidel Castro (C) introduces on December 14, 1994 former Venezuelan officer Hugo Chavez (L) to University of Havana students as Mario Vela (R), the rector of the University, listens.?Photo by AFP
Cuban President Fidel Castro (C) introduces on December 14, 1994 former Venezuelan officer Hugo Chavez (L) to University of Havana students as Mario Vela (R), the rector of the University, listens.?Photo by AFP
Handout picture released by the presidential press office of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez playing the guitar during a meeting with ministers at the  Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on September 20, 2012.?Photo by AFP
Handout picture released by the presidential press office of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez playing the guitar during a meeting with ministers at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on September 20, 2012.?Photo by AFP
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gestures after a meeting with Belarus' Assistant to the President for Special Commissions, Viktor Sheiman, at Miraflores presidential palace, in Caracas on October 3, 2011.?Photo by AFP
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gestures after a meeting with Belarus' Assistant to the President for Special Commissions, Viktor Sheiman, at Miraflores presidential palace, in Caracas on October 3, 2011.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezuelan presidential candidate Commander Hugo Chavez (C) accompanied by his wife Marisabel (2nd R) during a march across Caracas to officially open his campaign on August 8, 1998.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezuelan presidential candidate Commander Hugo Chavez (C) accompanied by his wife Marisabel (2nd R) during a march across Caracas to officially open his campaign on August 8, 1998.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez alongside Pope Benedict XVI during a private audience at the Vatican on May 11, 2006.?Photo by AFP
This file picture shows Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez alongside Pope Benedict XVI during a private audience at the Vatican on May 11, 2006.?Photo by AFP
In this April 18, 2009 file photo, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, hands President Barack Obama the book titled "The Open Veins of Latin America" by Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano at a UNASUR countries meeting during the Summit of the Americas in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.?Photo by AP
In this April 18, 2009 file photo, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, hands President Barack Obama the book titled "The Open Veins of Latin America" by Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano at a UNASUR countries meeting during the Summit of the Americas in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.?Photo by AP
In this Nov. 24, 2004 file photo released by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, right, greets Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in Tripoli, Libya.?Photo by AP
In this Nov. 24, 2004 file photo released by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, right, greets Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in Tripoli, Libya.?Photo by AP
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (L), smile at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on January 9, 2012.?Photo by AFP
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (L), smile at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on January 9, 2012.?Photo by AFP
In this file photo released on Feb. 15, 2013 by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, center, poses for a photo with his daughters, Maria Gabriela, left, and Rosa Virginia at an unknown location in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013.?Photo by AP
In this file photo released on Feb. 15, 2013 by Miraflores Presidential Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, center, poses for a photo with his daughters, Maria Gabriela, left, and Rosa Virginia at an unknown location in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013.?Photo by AP
?Photo by AFP
?Photo by AFP
FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2006 file photo released by Cuba's Communist daily newspaper Granma, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, right, and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez hold hands as Castro recuperates from surgery in Havana, Cuba. Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 that Chavez has died.  Chavez, 58, was first diagnosed with cancer in June 2011. (AP Photo/Granma, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2006 file photo released by Cuba's Communist daily newspaper Granma, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, right, and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez hold hands as Castro recuperates from surgery in Havana, Cuba. Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 that Chavez has died. Chavez, 58, was first diagnosed with cancer in June 2011. (AP Photo/Granma, File)

Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 that President Hugo Chavez has died at age 58 after a nearly two-year bout with cancer. During more than 14 years in office, Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally. He polarized Venezuelans with his confrontational and domineering style, yet was also a masterful communicator and strategist who tapped into Venezuelan nationalism to win broad support, particularly among the poor.—Text by AP, Images by Agencies

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