Chávez’s life, beyond the cult of personality, is an appointment with dignity.
His existential journey sums up, as a great man, always controversial and unpredictable, a stellar hour for Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean, and for the world.
Loved by some and hated by others (he always jokingly sang that ranchera song by Cuco Sánchez: “I’m not a gold coin to be liked by everyone. That’s how I was born and that’s how I am. If they don’t love me, no way”. Whoever wants to humanize the world does not have to be sympathetic to the well-known stateless people, because Chávez —who, like Martí, cast his lot with the poor of the earth— was never a saint of devotion to those who look after their interests behind the backs of the people. Those who fight against the centers of economic and political power that exclude and exploit our people can have the approval of the bourgeoisies, with their powerful media networks.
A life devoted to helping others, as the Gospel says, will always be repudiated by the oligarchies.
Chávez was born from the people and, with his successes and mistakes, he never strayed from that people who saw him germinate and who led him to immortality.
We emphasize: perhaps one does not agree with the Chavista political conception, but it would be petty not to say (and now his own adversaries admit it with spite) that he was a world-class leader. And to a large extent, that fame rested on his humanity that characterized him: a vegero, a humble boy selling “spiders” (sweets), who despite reaching the First Magistracy in one of the richest countries in the region never betrayed the his.
His inheritance as a craftsman from his homeland —when we are a decade away from his planting— was the revolution of love and hope that he bequeathed to his land and the need for union as a guarantee of authentic independence.
The military world had a greater influence on his morning soul. At the age of 20, he had a degree in Military Arts and Sciences, specializing in Engineering, terrestrial mention. He graduated with the rank of second lieutenant from the Military Academy, the man who would break the contemporary history of Venezuela in two. By 1983 he was the captain and 7 years later lieutenant-colonel. The rest is known history.
With Chávez, citizen participation grew, expressed in 20 votes; poverty and inequality were reduced; increased social investment; school enrollment increased; there was more health and employment; the Human Development Index was increased; more access to technology was gained; to the number of pensioners.
All this and more in inclusion and social justice.
