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'''Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías''' (b. July 28, 1954 – d. circa Dec. 11, 2012) <ref>httphttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21476917 (obviously staged photo)</ref> was the [[leftist]] President of the Bolivarian Republic of [[Venezuela]] from 1999 to 2012. Chavez was not seen in public since he entered a Cuban hospital near death on December 11, 2012. Venezuela's [[socialist]] regime engaged in [[liberal denial]] about his death for nearly three months, even releasing a photo of an ostensibly fit and smiling Chavez. But on March 5, 2013, likely due to pressure from other nations that already knew Chavez had died, Venezuelan [[Communist]]s finally admitted Chavez was dead.<ref>[httphttps://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/05/hugo-chavez-dead-at-58-good-riddance.html "Hugo Chavez dead at 58] "How little we know about the manner in which - or when - he died"</ref><ref>[http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130311/DA4UKU7G0.html Venezuela candidate: Govt exploits Chavez death]</ref>
A self-proclaimed [[socialist]] and [[collectivist]], his disastrous economic policies led to food shortages, quotas, and rationing in his oil-rich country, causing thousands to flee.<ref>httphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/4938993/Venezuelas-Hugo-Chavez-tightens-state-control-of-food-amid-rocketing-inflation-and-food-shortages.html</ref>
After a campaign full of the promise of "esperanza y cambio" (hope and change),<ref>[https://www.prageru.com/sites/default/files/courses/transcripts/dsouza-hows_socialsim_doing_in_venezuela-transcript.pdf How's Socialism Doing In Venezuela?]</ref> Chávez assumed power as President in 1999 and pledged to aid Venezuela's poor majority.
Fraudulent elections were held in 2000 and in 2006, allowing Chavez to retain his [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] power. As such it would be accurate to describe him as a [[dictator]].
*{{Venezuela blunder}}
Due to an illness, in early April 2012 "Hugo Chavez weeps and calls on [[God]] to spare his life."<ref>httphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/9189962/Hugo-Chavez-weeps-and-calls-on-God-to-spare-his-life.html</ref> That contrasts with Jesus's request in his time of crisis, when [[Jesus]] prayed, "O Father, if You can, let this cup pass from Me. But ''don't do what I want, but rather what You want''."<ref>[[Matthew 20-28 (Translated)#26:39|Matthew 26:39]].</ref>
==Election fraud==
==2011–2012 Health Crisis and subsequent cover-up and Constitutional Crisis==
On June 30, 2011, the 56-year-old President admitted, in a televised speech, to having cancer.<ref>[httphttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13991906]</ref> He sought treatment, to no avail, in Brazil.<ref>http://latindispatch.com/2011/07/14/hugo-chavez-to-receive-cancer-treatment-in-brazil/</ref>
Despite being aware of his condition, Chavez chose to run again for President. On October 7, 2012, a terminally ill Chávez won election as president for a fourth time, defeating Henrique Capriles.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/08/venezuela-election-idUSL1E8L70WK20121008</ref>
==Personal Wealth==
Around the time that Hugo Chavez passed away, reports surfaced that he had amassed a personal wealth of over a billion dollars.<ref>[httphttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2289427/Was-Hugo-Chavez-worth-1bn-died-Claims-amassed-huge-fortune-countrys-oil-wealth.html#ixzz3kOYeG7al Was Chavez worth over $1bn when he died? Intelligence analyst claims he amassed huge fortune from country's oil wealth], [[Daily Mail]]</ref> Some reports put his personal wealth at $2 billion.<ref>[httphttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/9993238/Venezuela-the-wealth-of-Chavez-family-exposed.html Venezuela: the wealth of Chavez family exposed], [[Daily Telegraph]]</ref>
New reports have come out detailing his daughter's wealth. María Gabriela is reported to be a billionaire, worth over $4 billion,<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2015/08/10/iron-fisted-socialism-benefited-hugo-chavezs-daughter-to-the-tune-of-billions-reports-say/ Iron-Fisted Socialism Benefited Hugo Chavez’s Daughter To The Tune Of BILLIONS, Reports Say] [[Daily Caller]]</ref> which would make her the richest person in [[Venezuela]].<ref>[http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/08/10/hugo-chavez-daughter-is-richest-individual-in-venezuela-report-claims/ Hugo Chávez daughter is the richest individual in Venezuela, report claims], [[Fox News]]</ref>