New and severe respiratory infection had put cancer-stricken Venezuela President Hugo Chavez in a “very delicate” state and his breathing has deteriorated, Venezuela’s communications minister announced on Monday. He died Monday afternoon.
After a two-year battle with cancer, Hugo Chavez, 58, has died. He had been president of Venezuela since 1999 — describing his policies to be anti-imperialist, and he is a vocal critic of neoliberalism and laissez-faire capitalism. Hugo Chavez referred to the United States as the Evil Empire. He is known to have blamed the United States for giving him cancer. Chavez publically supported Iran’s nuclear program and assisted its development.
Concerns over the successor to Hugo Chavez will forthcoming. Venezuela is resource-rich country, and has some of the largest oil and natural gas reserves in the world. Venezuela consistently ranks among the top ten world crude oil producers.
Venezuela has the second-largest natural gas reserves in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela also possibly has about 50,000 tons of uranium in reserve.
President Hugo Chavez returned to Venezuela early Monday, February 18, 2013 after more than two months of treatment in Cuba following cancer surgery, triggering street celebrations by supporters who welcomed him home while he remained out of sight.