Hugo Chavez dies

[Hawk405359]

(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday.

In a national broadcast, Maduro said Chavez died Tuesday at 4:25 p.m.

Flanked by Cabinet ministers, Maduro teared up as he announced the news.

"We must unite now more than ever," he said, calling on Venezuelans to remain peaceful and respectful.

In the coming hours, Maduro said, plans for Chavez's funeral would be announced.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dies - CNN.com

[Larry OKC]

Didn't they say recently that he was recovering and rumors of his imminent demise were premature?

[s00nr1]

So long to another socialist tyrannical dictator.

[MadMonk]

Good riddance. We'll have to see if Maduro can maintain power, or if things go from bad to worse for the Venezuelans.

[frontallobotomy]

Didn't they say recently that he was recovering and rumors of his imminent demise were premature?

That's what happens when you go to Cuba for medical care.

[GaryOKC6]

He and Sadam Hussan are roasting marsmellows together they are waithing for the president of Iran to join them in hell.

[zookeeper]

U.S. propaganda has demonized Chavez. It's the American Way. If we can't plunder them for their oil and resources and have our own dictatorial puppet, we'll demonize their elected president. Even the young man that challenged him back in October admitted the election was fair and the people had spoken. U.S. propaganda is powerful but there is no question the masses of Venezuelans are much better off today than before Chavez's election in 1998. Nobody disputes this. The methods are debated, but the end result is a stronger Venezuela. The rich who fled the land they plundered and left a nation of very rich and very poor don't like him and are the voice of Venezuela as far as US media is concerned.

The people of that country have lost their president and even his detractors have been seen in tears saying he was larger than life and had led Venezuela with a sense of humor and charisma that lifted Venezuela from 100% inflation in 1999 to a country of great influence. In other words, just as Republican leaders would find nice things to say if President Obama were to die in office. He was not the monster the U.S. propaganda machine would have you believe.

I know better and if people didn't allow the corporate media to spoon feed them, they would know too.

RIP Comandante Chavez - not a perfect man, but he wasn't launching cowardly drone strikes that kill many innocent people either.

[WilliamTell]

I have an honest question - what did chavez ever do to me and you ?

The United States has a long history of propping up leaders in other countries with our money and weapons and the moment that they dont do exactly as told by the powers that be; the American public is sold the line that they are dangerous terrorist. If he was a ruthless dictator that secretly killed his enemys and anyone who opposed him, condoned high powered government officials living in the lap of luxury while rights and hard earned benefits were being stripped from the general population; a general population that were so intentionally divided by white, black, brown, yellow, liberal, moderate, democrat, and conservative that they could never truly organize and fight back their true oppressor...

Get what I mean.

[Mel]

The important question is will gas go up or down.

[rezman]

I have an honest question - what did chavez ever do to me and you ?

The United States has a long history of propping up leaders in other countries with our money and weapons and the moment that they dont do exactly as told by the powers that be; the American public is sold the line that they are dangerous terrorist. If he was a ruthless dictator that secretly killed his enemys and anyone who opposed him, condoned high powered government officials living in the lap of luxury while rights and hard earned benefits were being stripped from the general population; a general population that were so intentionally divided by white, black, brown, yellow, liberal, moderate, democrat, and conservative that they could never truly organize and fight back their true oppressor...

Get what I mean.

Yes, sounds quite familiar .... Hmmm.

[Stew]

U.S. propaganda has demonized Chavez. It's the American Way. If we can't plunder them for their oil and resources and have our own dictatorial puppet, we'll demonize their elected president. Even the young man that challenged him back in October admitted the election was fair and the people had spoken. U.S. propaganda is powerful but there is no question the masses of Venezuelans are much better off today than before Chavez's election in 1998. Nobody disputes this. The methods are debated, but the end result is a stronger Venezuela. The rich who fled the land they plundered and left a nation of very rich and very poor don't like him and are the voice of Venezuela as far as US media is concerned.

The people of that country have lost their president and even his detractors have been seen in tears saying he was larger than life and had led Venezuela with a sense of humor and charisma that lifted Venezuela from 100% inflation in 1999 to a country of great influence. In other words, just as Republican leaders would find nice things to say if President Obama were to die in office. He was not the monster the U.S. propaganda machine would have you believe.

I know better and if people didn't allow the corporate media to spoon feed them, they would know too.

RIP Comandante Chavez - not a perfect man, but he wasn't launching cowardly drone strikes that kill many innocent people either.

Thank you Zookeeper.

[GaryOKC6]

I have a very good friend that is from there. His family is still in Venezula. He tells a very different story. No corporate medeia information here just real life experience. People are afraid to speak out for fear of what he will do to them, their family or business. He takes what he wants from the people for his own profit. He is a very successful businessman in Norman but it would be different for him there.

[Jim Kyle]

Interesting. I also have a friend who's there and he reports a very different story. According to him, the country had been ruled by an aristocracy for many years, that kept all power and privilege within their own ranks, and Chavez began dismantling that structure as soon as he came into power. The result, my friend says, is that the living standard of the average person has greatly improved, but the ousted aristocrats still seize every opportunity to try to undermine the Chavez government.

If we truly believe in a peoples' right to self-determination, we should just keep our hands away from the country and let the people themselves decide.

[WilliamTell]

I used to work closely (literally sat in a cube next to him) with a younger engineer for about a year and he always had positive things to say; but I noticed when someone who didnt know him very well asked about the country he would immediately downplay/ slightly talk negative about the situation so he didnt have to explain himself or look like he was a sympathizer.

Biggest negative I heard him talk about was the price of electronics and how when he went back home he would take ipods (this is around 2007) because they were 2-3 times the price there.

[MadMonk]

I've got no problem with them electing him. They have to live with the choice they made just like we do. However I don't have to idolize the socialistic blowhard (Chavez that is). Judging by some of the responses here I wouldn't be surprised to learn that screen printers are already cranking out Che-style t-shirts with Chavez's image. Happy marshmallow roasting indeed.

[Jersey Boss]

It would be hard to make an argument that Venezuela and the average citizen there is not better off than they were before him. Yes he was a strong nationalist and ruled in the same manner as many Latin American strongmen. In view of this he was elected twice by popular vote gaining 56% in his first election. He did not sacrifice the interests of his nation to satisfy the interests of a foreign power. Can the same be said for the despots that the CIA installed in El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, etc.? There will be plenty of CIA puppets in hell. Idolize? no. Respect what he did for his country? yeah. Certainly not a sell out. Had the USA not supported the coup leaders in 2002 who held power for all of 2 days, he might not have been so antagonistic to the USA. Never the less, he still provided the bulk of his petro exports to America.

[RadicalModerate]

I've got no problem with them electing him. They have to live with the choice they made just like we do. However I don't have to idolize the socialistic blowhard (Chavez that is). Judging by some of the responses here I wouldn't be surprised to learn that screen printers are already cranking out Che-style t-shirts with Chavez's image. Happy marshmallow roasting indeed.

Ernesto "Che" Guevara:


Hugo "The Dearly Departed" Chavez:


I'd buy a Hugo Tee . . . it's way cooler . . . and more colorful.
(does the parrot with a beret signify that he's was a Jimmy Buffet fan? or just a mouthpiece for Fidel?)

[anniemae]

Those who love Socialism will be saddened.

[okcboomer]

He and Sadam Hussan are roasting marsmellows together they are waithing for the president of Iran to join them in hell.

I was unaware God posted on okctalk!

[frontallobotomy]

I was unaware God posted on okctalk!

Only on special occasions.

[Jersey Boss]

Those who love Socialism will be saddened.

Plutocrats will rejoice.

[Just the facts]

People like socialism - we get that. But why do people who like socialism support people who use socialism as a front for personal wealth and power? That is the part I can't figure out.

Analyst estimates Chávez?s family fortune at around $2 billion

In 12 years Chavez amassed $2 billion. My guess is he didn't do it trading cattle futures.

[RadicalModerate]

Plutocrats will rejoice.

Neptunians are throwing a big shindig. The price of parrots is going through the roof.
Sounds like, in addition to "Das Kapital", 'Ooooogo Chavez read and internalized that slogan from "Animal Farm":
"All Animals Are Equal, But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others"

[Achilleslastand]

Did Sean Penn send flowers?

[Bunty]

U.S. propaganda has demonized Chavez. It's the American Way. If we can't plunder them for their oil and resources and have our own dictatorial puppet, we'll demonize their elected president. Even the young man that challenged him back in October admitted the election was fair and the people had spoken. U.S. propaganda is powerful but there is no question the masses of Venezuelans are much better off today than before Chavez's election in 1998. Nobody disputes this. The methods are debated, but the end result is a stronger Venezuela. The rich who fled the land they plundered and left a nation of very rich and very poor don't like him and are the voice of Venezuela as far as US media is concerned.

The people of that country have lost their president and even his detractors have been seen in tears saying he was larger than life and had led Venezuela with a sense of humor and charisma that lifted Venezuela from 100% inflation in 1999 to a country of great influence. In other words, just as Republican leaders would find nice things to say if President Obama were to die in office. He was not the monster the U.S. propaganda machine would have you believe.

I know better and if people didn't allow the corporate media to spoon feed them, they would know too.

RIP Comandante Chavez - not a perfect man, but he wasn't launching cowardly drone strikes that kill many innocent people either.

So as justhefacts asked, where did his $2 billion in wealth come from? Or is that a lie from the propaganda?