It was with great sadness that I learned of Hugo Chavez’s death several hours ago.
Hugo Chavez, shortly after the 2002 coup against him was defeated.
Mr Chavez, for all his faults, represented an idea, an idea that another, better, world is possible.
He pioneered the idea of a socialism for the 21st Century.
There are criticisms that can be made of his leadership, both as President of Venezuela and as a sort of de facto leader of the Latin American left – which in turn helped to inspire movements throughout the world.
For me, though, it is the idea which he represented which is his enduring legacy.
There will be regional and global consequences of his death, and I fully expect certain factions throughout Latin America, no doubt with the support, active or ‘passive’ of the USA, to try and rollback some of the gains that Chavez’s ‘Bolivarian’ socialist movement had made, be it in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru and elsewhere. Cuba, certainly, will be affected.
In a way his death transforms Chavez from a flawed and all-too-human into a pure ‘idea’ of this better world and the movement to build it.
I’ll write more tomorrow. For now though, I think the message should be one of, sure, mourn, but don’t let down ones guard, be watchful of the reaction and imperialist plots, and recommit oneself to building that better world.
Hugo Chavez speaking to the people during the 2012 presidential election
"catch a fire" 
well said
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http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/chavez-brothers-amassed-billion/2013/03/05/id/493317
Thoughts?
Not much really. Despite questions about the source of the allegations and the lack of proof.
http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/15278/did-hugo-chavez-have-a-net-worth-of-2-billion-dollars-at-the-time-of-his-death
There is a huge amount of disinformation about Chavez and Venezuela under him. The Western media and most of the private media in Venezuela are vehemently anti-Chavez. They seem quite happy throwing out smears and misinformation without backing it up; they seem to think that if you throw enough mud some if will stick.
Even if the allegations are true, I don’t see how they take away from the idea that Chavez embodied and inspired.
Chavez was villified in life; I have no doubt that it will continue in his death.
I do think that there is extensive corruption in Venezuela though, but no more than in any of its neighbouring countries. It is a concern, and something that the revolution will have to tackle in the next stage, lest it lose its legitimacy.
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