Hugo Chavez passes away

[Kirkland Laing]

Chavez changed the face of Venezuela. Before Chavez it was a banana republic with oil. The economy, the land and the oil had been owned and run by a small roup of families. Chavez gave huge chunks of the land to the people, brought electricity, education and healthcare to millions who didn't have it before and basically was the first guy to share Venezuela's oil wealth with the people.

Venezuela isn't perfect and Chavez didn't solve its problems but it was never going to go from banana republic to Switzerland in a few years. The energy boom brought huge wealth to Venezuela and it went from already having the highest murder rate in the world to an even higher one, but inflation has been really low at times depite the petrodollars and is still lower than when Chavez took office. But hey, the guy changed the face of the country. It'll never be the same again.

[El Kabong]

I'm surprised if miles & Kirkland aren't openly weeping as Chavez was a socialist & hated the Jews & Israel

[El Kabong]

Chavez lead a country rich with natural resources and NEVER improved it. Think of the oil the United States bought from Venezuela, you would assume that the kind of money needed to buy what America needs would be substantial but did the poor people that Hugo championed benefit from Chavez's dictatorship?

NO

27.4% of the people live below the poverty line (2012)
26.1% Inflation (2012)
-4.9% of GDP budget deficet (2011) and grew to about -5.2% of GDP in 2012 despite record oil prices.

Meanwhile Chavez leaves his family an estate valued at around 2 Billion dollars....yes, champion the poor & line your own pockets. Just another 2 bit thug dictator

[bradlee180]

Rest in Peace, he was a Great Man and beloved Leader of his people which is why their entire nation will mourn for days to come, and will always revere and remember him. He wouldn't be bullied by the Americans is all, so in America, the gov't-controlled media will put their spin on his reign.

[El Kabong]

The media is liberal and they are mourning him....he was a despot plain and simple