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'''Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías''' (b. July 28, 1954 - d. circa Dec. 11, 2012) <ref>http://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 knew Chavez had died, Venezuelan [[communist]]s finally admitted Chavez was dead.<ref>[http://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>

'''Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías''' (b. July 28, 1954 - d. circa Dec. 11, 2012) <ref>http://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 knew Chavez had died, Venezuelan [[communist]]s finally admitted Chavez was dead.<ref>[http://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>http://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>

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>http://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>

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$4 billion dollars were spent paying paramilitary groups to attack unarmed protestors and other dissidents during and after the elections.<ref>http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/world/americas/2968-venezuela-a-new-junket-for-a-dictator-s-best-friend-jimmy-carter.html</ref>

$4 billion were spent paying paramilitary groups to attack unarmed protestors and other dissidents during and after the elections.<ref>http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/world/americas/2968-venezuela-a-new-junket-for-a-dictator-s-best-friend-jimmy-carter.html</ref>

The [[European Union]] condemned the conditions placed on election monitors as unacceptable and declined to attend.  The Carter Center was shut out for three days.  Experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have identified signs of fraud based on statistical analysis.<ref>http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/world/americas/3924-the-carter-stamp-of-approval-on-the-venueuzlan-election-less-than-worthless.html</ref>

The [[European Union]] condemned the conditions placed on election monitors as unacceptable and declined to attend.  The Carter Center was shut out for three days.  Experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have identified signs of fraud based on statistical analysis.<ref>http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/world/americas/3924-the-carter-stamp-of-approval-on-the-venueuzlan-election-less-than-worthless.html</ref>

In typical socialist rhetoric, Chavez made wild claims to fund the government by nationalizing foreign assets. Typical reasons included accusing companies of environmental damage and exploiting its workers. In 2010 alone, Chavez seized 195 companies.<ref>[http://english.eluniversal.com/2010/10/20/en_eco_art_a-total-of-195-busin_20A4631291.shtml A total of 195 businesses has been seized in 2010, El Universal, October 20, 2010]</ref> Spanish-owned farm supply and U.S.-based Ohio bottle company were recently taken over. Other recognized multi-national companies such ExxonMobil, steel maker Sidor, cement company CEMEX fell to the same fate.<ref>[http://wellsy.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/chavez-takes-over-venezuelan-plants-of-oh-company/ Chavez takes over Venezuelan plants of OH company, Wellsy's World, October 26, 2010]</ref> Venezuala is supposed to compensate the companies but nobody expects Chavez to provide other than peanuts for assets he steals.

In typical socialist rhetoric, Chavez made wild claims to fund the government by nationalizing foreign assets. Typical reasons included accusing companies of environmental damage and exploiting its workers. In 2010 alone, Chavez seized 195 companies.<ref>[http://english.eluniversal.com/2010/10/20/en_eco_art_a-total-of-195-busin_20A4631291.shtml A total of 195 businesses has been seized in 2010, El Universal, October 20, 2010]</ref> Spanish-owned farm supply and U.S.-based Ohio bottle company were recently taken over. Other recognized multi-national companies such ExxonMobil, steel maker Sidor, cement company CEMEX fell to the same fate.<ref>[http://wellsy.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/chavez-takes-over-venezuelan-plants-of-oh-company/ Chavez takes over Venezuelan plants of OH company, Wellsy's World, October 26, 2010]</ref> Venezuala is supposed to compensate the companies but nobody expects Chavez to provide other than peanuts for assets he steals.

Through Venezuela's state owned petroleum industry and membership in [[OPEC]], Chávez used powers granted to him by Parliament to increase oil prices, adding revenue for the Bolivarianist projects. Countries such as the United States have criticized Chávez for the increase in cost for crude oil.  Chavez was at the forefront of wanting to set crude oil prices at $60 a barrel minimum, according to the ''Asia Times''<ref>[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/HL07Dj01.html ''Bush, OPEC and Chavez of Arabia''], Pepe Escobar, Asia Times, 7 December 2006.</ref> The state owned oil company PDVSA is estimated to have spent in excess of $120 million dollars sponsoring the [[Formula 1]] team, Willaims F1, so that they would give the Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado a seat.

Through Venezuela's state owned petroleum industry and membership in [[OPEC]], Chávez used powers granted to him by Parliament to increase oil prices, adding revenue for the Bolivarianist projects. Countries such as the United States have criticized Chávez for the increase in cost for crude oil.  Chavez was at the forefront of wanting to set crude oil prices at $60 a barrel minimum, according to the ''Asia Times''<ref>[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/HL07Dj01.html ''Bush, OPEC and Chavez of Arabia''], Pepe Escobar, Asia Times, 7 December 2006.</ref> The state owned oil company PDVSA is estimated to have spent in excess of $120 million sponsoring the [[Formula 1]] team, Williams F1, so that they would give the Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado a seat.

==Anti-semitism==

==Anti-semitism==

==Religious views==

==Religious views==

Though Chavez claimed to be a devout Catholic, he has had public disputes with the Church before.Chavez demanded that [[Pope Benedict]] apologize for saying the Roman Catholic Church purified Indians in Latin America. Chavez called the treatment of Indians after [[Christopher Columbus]] landed in 1492 a "holocaust".<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1819661120070519 Chavez demands Pope apologize for Indian comments], [[Reuters]], May 19, 2007</ref>

Though Chavez claimed to be a devout Catholic, he has had public disputes with the Church before.Chavez demanded that [[Pope Benedict]] apologize for saying the Roman Catholic Church purified Indians in Latin America. Chavez called the treatment of Indians after [[Christopher Columbus]] landed in 1492 a "holocaust".<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1819661120070519 Chavez demands Pope apologize for Indian comments], [[Reuters]], May 19, 2007</ref>

In addition, he denoucned Catholic leaders, claiming they cared more about the rich than the poor. After his condition continued to deteriorate due to cancer, Chavez became more overtly religious,calling on God to help him.<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-significance-of-hugo-chavezs-death-and-faith-91410/</ref>

In addition, he denounced Catholic leaders, claiming they cared more about the rich than the poor. After his condition continued to deteriorate due to cancer, Chavez became more overtly religious,calling on God to help him.<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-significance-of-hugo-chavezs-death-and-faith-91410/</ref>

==2011-2012 Health Crisis and subsequent cover-up and Constitutional Crisis==

==2011-2012 Health Crisis and subsequent cover-up and Constitutional Crisis==

Chavez should have taken the oath of office on January 10, 2013, the necessary step to assume the presidency for his new period. However, Venezuela's Supreme Court ignored the provisions of the Venezuelan Constitution (reformed by Chavez himself in 1999) and allowed Chavez to become president without taking the oath of office, thus doing away with any remaining semblance of constitutional government.

Chavez should have taken the oath of office on January 10, 2013, the necessary step to assume the presidency for his new period. However, Venezuela's Supreme Court ignored the provisions of the Venezuelan Constitution (reformed by Chavez himself in 1999) and allowed Chavez to become president without taking the oath of office, thus doing away with any remaining semblance of constitutional government.

On February 18, it was announced by the Chavez regime that Chavez had returned to Venezuela to finish his recovery.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/18/president-chavez-returns-to-venezuela-from-cuba-after-months-medical-treatment/</ref> The then-Venezuelan vice-president [[Nicolás Maduro]] claimed that Chavez had been flown in secrecy from [[Havana]] to [[Caracas]] in the early hours of the morning to avoid possible attacks from his enemies. The two top floors of Caracas' military hospital were sealed from the public, with Chavez supposedly recovering on the eighth floor and the seventh floor closed to guarantee his security. On March 5, the Venezuelan ''de facto'' government finally ended the charade and announced that Chavez had died, claiming also that his cancer and death had been the result of an assassination plot by "the historical enemies of the Fatherland" (referring to the United States and the Venezuelan democratic opposition). On March 7, Maduro announced that Chavez's body should be embalmed and put on permanent display inside a glass tomb, thus imitating the treatment given to the corpses of other Communist dictators like [[Vladimir Lenin|Lenin]], [[Joseph Stalin|Stalin]], [[Klement Gottwald]], [[Georgi Dimitrov]], [[Mao Zedong]], [[Ho Chi Minh]], [[Kim Il-Sung]] and [[Kim Jong-Il]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/07/chavez-body-embalmed-to-be-permanently-on-display/ Chavez's body embalmed, to be permanently on display], [[Fox News]] (March 7, 2013)</ref> But this was canceled because Chavez`s body would otherwise have to be brought for a time to Russia to do the enbalming.

On February 18, it was announced by the Chavez regime that Chavez had returned to Venezuela to finish his recovery.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/18/president-chavez-returns-to-venezuela-from-cuba-after-months-medical-treatment/</ref> The then-Venezuelan vice-president [[Nicolás Maduro]] claimed that Chavez had been flown in secrecy from [[Havana]] to [[Caracas]] in the early hours of the morning to avoid possible attacks from his enemies. The two top floors of Caracas' military hospital were sealed from the public, with Chavez supposedly recovering on the eighth floor and the seventh floor closed to guarantee his security. On March 5, the Venezuelan ''de facto'' government finally ended the charade and announced that Chavez had died, claiming also that his cancer and death had been the result of an assassination plot by "the historical enemies of the Fatherland" (referring to the United States and the Venezuelan democratic opposition). On March 7, Maduro announced that Chavez's body should be embalmed and put on permanent display inside a glass tomb, thus imitating the treatment given to the corpses of other Communist dictators like [[Vladimir Lenin|Lenin]], [[Joseph Stalin|Stalin]], [[Klement Gottwald]], [[Georgi Dimitrov]], [[Mao Zedong]], [[Ho Chi Minh]], [[Kim Il-Sung]] and [[Kim Jong-Il]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/07/chavez-body-embalmed-to-be-permanently-on-display/ Chavez's body embalmed, to be permanently on display], [[Fox News]] (March 7, 2013)</ref> But this was canceled because Chavez`s body would otherwise have to be brought for a time to Russia to do the embalming.

==Personal Wealth==

==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>[http://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>[http://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>

Around the time that Hugo Chavez passed away, reports surfaced that he had amassed a personal wealth of over a billion dollars.<ref>[http://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>[http://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 dollars,<ref>[http://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>

New reports have come out detailing his daughter's wealth.  María Gabriela is reported to be a billionaire, worth over $4 billion,<ref>[http://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>

Socialist dictators are known for ransacking the people they claim to support.  [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] was one of the richest people in the world when he died.  Neither Gaddafi nor Chavez did anything in their lives that would have earned them this kind of wealth.

Socialist dictators are known for ransacking the people they claim to support.  [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] was one of the richest people in the world when he died.  Neither Gaddafi nor Chavez did anything in their lives that would have earned them this kind of wealth.