Hugo Chávez

Hugo Chávez was born on July 28, 1954, in Sabaneta, Barinas, Venezuela, into a middle-class family with Amerindian, Afro-Venezuelan, and Spanish descent.

At the age of twenty-eight, Hugo Chávez and a group of his comrades formed the Bolivarian Revolutionary Movement 200 (MBR-200) in Venezuela. The group aimed to reform the army and initiate changes towards building a new republic.

On February 4, 1992, Hugo Chávez planned an attempted coup in Venezuela, inspired by the MBR-200 and the concept of the 'tree with three roots'. Although the coup failed, it marked the beginning of a new phase in Venezuela's political history.

A group of air force planes allied with Chavez launches a second coup attempt, attacking the office complex of President Carlos Andres Perez. The plot is foiled by armed forces loyal to the president. Chavez, who is in jail at the time, records a video message of support from prison that is broadcast by rebels who overtake a state-run television station. The rebellion leads to rioting and attacks on police in slums surrounding the capital.

On December 14, 1994, Fidel Castro welcomed Hugo Chávez at the University of Havana, marking a key moment in the region's history. The meeting laid the groundwork for the future state policies and cemented the relationship between Cuba and Venezuela.

On July 22, 1996, Hugo Chávez released the Bolivarian Alternative Agenda, outlining his economic and social agenda of radical nationalist nature, which later became the basis for his 1998 electoral platform.

Hugo Chávez was elected as the president of Venezuela on December 6, 1998. His election brought hope to many, but it eventually led to 25 years of repression and chaos in the country.

Hugo Chávez was elected as the president of Venezuela in 1999 after founding the Fifth Republic Movement political party and winning 56.2% of the vote.

Starting on 27 February 1999, Hugo Chávez initiated Plan Bolívar 2000, a social welfare program aimed at improving infrastructure, healthcare, and living conditions for Venezuelans. The program faced later scandals and allegations of corruption.

On April 25, 1999, Hugo Chávez called a successful public referendum to form a constituent assembly and rewrite the Venezuelan constitution with strong support from the voters.

On July 25, 1999, Hugo Chávez's supporters overwhelmingly won the election of the constituent assembly, leading to the drafting of a new constitution that granted more power to the executive branch.

On August 12, 1999, the new constituent assembly in Venezuela voted to give themselves the authority to abolish government institutions and dismiss corrupt officials, leading to concerns about the assembly being dictatorial.

On July 30, 2000, Hugo Chávez was re-elected as president under the new constitution with a significant majority, consolidating his power in Venezuela.

On January 10, 2001, Hugo Chávez began his second presidential term under the new constitution in Venezuela, which required new elections to re-legitimize the government and president.

In April 2002, the George W. Bush administration attempted to overthrow Hugo Chávez through a classic coup d’état, but the Venezuelan people's support for Chávez prevented the coup from succeeding.

Up to one million Venezuelans protest against Chavez's appointment of political allies in PDVSA, leading to clashes with Chavez supporters resulting in 19 deaths. Chavez is overthrown by the military high command and replaced by Pedro Carmona, who dissolves Congress and suspends the constitution.

After Carmona declared himself president of an interim government following the attempted coup, protests in support of Chávez and insufficient backing for Carmona led to the latter's resignation. Chávez was returned to power on April 14.

Chávez became highly critical of U.S. foreign policy, opposing the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and condemning the NATO-led military intervention in Libya.

On August 15, 2004, a recall referendum was held in Venezuela to remove President Hugo Chávez. Despite a 70% voter turnout, 59% voted against the recall, thwarting the right-wing opposition's attempt to oust Chávez.

An interview with the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, titled 'Where Is Chávez Going?' was conducted by Manuel Cabieses Donoso and published on October 19, 2005. The interview delved into the future direction and plans of Chávez for Venezuela.

In December 2006, Hugo Chávez was re-elected as president with a significant majority, promising an 'expansion of the revolution' in Venezuela.

On June 2, 2010, Hugo Chávez declared an 'economic war' on Venezuela's upper classes due to shortages, which arguably began the crisis in Venezuela.

In 2011, the opposition in Venezuela managed to break Hugo Chavez's majority in the National Assembly, signaling a shift in political power.

Chavez announces that he will undergo another operation after a lesion is found in the same area where he had a tumor.

The president undergoes surgery in Cuba for his medical condition.

Chavez announces that he will undergo radiation treatment in Cuba as part of his medical care.

The president returns to Venezuela after his latest operation in Cuba.

Chavez returns to Havana to start his first cycle of radiation therapy.

Chavez returns to Cuba for more radiation treatment, missing the Summit of the Americas in Colombia.

On July 9, 2012, Hugo Chávez declared himself fully recovered from cancer just before the 2012 Venezuelan presidential election, which he went on to win. This declaration came after undergoing medical treatment for several months.

Chavez wins re-election in the presidential poll.

In October 2012, Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela, chooses Nicolas Maduro as his vice president amidst rumors about his health. This decision comes after securing reelection for a fourth term and promising to continue the country's path of Bolivarian socialism.

This event involves the complete transcription of the speech delivered by President Hugo Chávez during his last national broadcast on December 8, 2012.

On December 30, 2012, Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro revealed that President Hugo Chavez was facing 'new complications' after his cancer surgery in Cuba.

On February 13, 2013, Nicolas Maduro disclosed that Hugo Chavez was undergoing 'complex' alternative treatments in Cuba.

On February 18, 2013, Hugo Chávez returns to Caracas and announces via Twitter that he will continue his cancer treatment in Venezuela.

Hugo Chávez, the longtime president of Venezuela, passed away at the age of 58 due to cancer. His death marked a significant turning point in Venezuelan politics.

On March 5, 2013, Vice President Nicolás Maduro announced the death of Hugo Chávez on state television. Chávez had battled illness for nearly two years before passing away from a massive heart attack. His death triggered a presidential election in Venezuela.

On 5 March 2014, Oliver Stone and teleSUR released the documentary film Mi amigo Hugo (My Friend Hugo), a documentary about Hugo Chávez's political life released one year after his death.

On December 8, 2018, teleSUR commemorated the 'Día de Lealtad y Amor a Chávez' (Day of Loyalty and Love for Chávez) by highlighting his unforgettable last speech.

A discussion on the impact of Hugo Chávez's revolutionary ideas and legacy, a decade after his passing.