President Hugo Chavez dies: R.I.P.

Perspective is everything. Being a passionate follower of the ‘beautiful game’, I was saddened for a team, I don’t support - Manchester United- who were possibly denied one of their greatest victories in European Football by a poor refereeing decision, against the mighty Real Madrid.

But then 30 minutes after the game the news came through that the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had died. In an instant perspective diminished, to almost insignificance United’s defeat, with the news of the death of one of the last great heroes, who can be easily described as the 'People’s champion'.

Take a cursory look around the globe and in broad terms, you’ll see one of two types of politicians. The first, and dominate type is that of the privileged leader: He or she will undoubtedly come from the social elite; private schooling, very best university, and a career trajectory which normally includes banking or law. With a small margin of difference society’s status quo is maintained, including the media, banking, and the captains of industry who’ll pay themselves salaries more than they could ever spend, whilst those on the bottom struggle to survive on minimum wage, with contracts that offer zero stability. The other type of leader is the relatively new one: unbridled power for him, his family and his cronies. The gulf between the rich and poor becomes breath-takenly sad. Whilst the sons of these leaders have garages full of million pounds super-cars, literally millions of poor children die for want of clean water, or cheap vacinnes

And then out of the blue, from heavens knows where a Hugo Chavez emerges. Like all leaders power hungry-it comes with the territory-but the motivation, the shear force of nature is about social justice.
It was during his time in the army. he would see first-hand how the armed forces like the nation itself was corrupt and engaged in the most brutal abuses of human rights. He joined forces with other disgruntle officers and led a failed coup to topple the Government.

However, when he took the electoral route some 14 years ago he was swept to power with some 56% of the vote.

After a shaky start, Chavez took to dismantling the old system of power, in particularly re-nationalizing the country’s greatest source of wealth, oil. This he said would be used to ‘feed and educate’ his people. These populist and social programmes funding by oil money would prove crucial in keeping Chavez in power for many years.

He argued he was neither the left nor the Right. It was he claimed, ‘21st-century socialism’.

Of course, he wasn’t without his critics, not least the powerful elite he had wrestled power from. This opposition, financially backed by the then-President George Bush sought to destabilize him every way they could. And whist it is true that Chavez, like the Oligarchy before him, gave jobs to his ‘boys’, Chavez skillfully used their number one foreign backer, George Bush- who he referred to as 'El Diablo,' (devil), as a reason to tell the people to vote for him.

Chavez was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, and went back and forth to his beloved Cuba for the best medical treatment. After undergoing more surgery a few months ago it seems he returned two weeks ago to Venezuela to die.

President Hugo Chavez was imperfect to say the least: His outspoken outbursts were undignified. It is said that he not only wanted to defeat his opponents but crush them too. However, what cannot be taken away from this 21st century leader of socialism is how he sought to give back to the poorest people in his country. He was a rare breed of leader who saw it as his mission to give them the dignity they so richly deserved.

When such a charismatic leader dies, they invariably leave a power vacuum. Who knows what will happen to-as Chavez renamed hit- the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela?

One thing is for sure; the world would be a better, fairer place if there were more leaders like Chavez who sought to give the poor, hope, opportunities and above all dignity.

His Excellency President Hugo Chavez,

REST IN PEACE

Simon Woolley