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Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías Was Born
The former president of Venezuela Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was born -
The Youth Of Chávez
As a teenager, Chávez was heavily influenced by José Esteban Ruiz Guevara, a local historian, who introduced him to the teachings of Bolívar and Karl Marx, the German philosopher who was one of the fathers of communism, both of which had a profound impact on Chávez’s political philosophy. -
Chávez Joins The Military
Chávez joins the Military Academy in 1971 in Caracas, he wanted to be a soldier but also a professional baseball player. -
Graduation
Chávez was a poor and unruly student, however, and ultimately graduated near the bottom of his class in 1975 -
Bolivarian Movement 200
In 1982 Chávez and some fellow military officers secretly formed the Bolivarian Movement 200 to spread the insurgents’ revolutionary ideology within the military. Their goal was to take power in a civilian-military coup d’état. -
Attainment Of Power
On February 4, 1992, Chávez and a group of military officers led an attempt to overthrow the government of Pres. Carlos Andrés Pérez, the rebellion quickly collapsed. Chávez failed his operation to capture the president. -
Presidential Election
In December 1998 he won the presidential election with 56 percent of the vote. -
The Presidency of Chávez
Chávez took office in February 1999. During his first year in office, his approval rating reached 80 percent, and his platform—which advocated an end to corruption, increased spending on social programs, and redistribution of the country’s oil wealth—was widely applauded. Riding this wave of popularity, Chávez oversaw the drafting of a new constitution that gave him unprecedented control over the three branches of government. -
Mega-Election
The new constitution required new elections for every elected official in the country. In “mega-election” of 2000, Chávez was reelected to a six-year term. He increased his power in the National Assembly, but his party fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for absolute control.The pro-Chávez majority was large enough to pass an enabling law that allowed the president to implement certain laws by decree; the National Assembly also appointed all new pro-Chávez justices to the Supreme Court. -
Military Revolt
On April 11, 2002, a rally estimated at close to a million people marched on the president’s palace to demand Chávez’s resignation. The rally was met with pro-Chávez gunmen and National Guard troops, and a gun battle erupted, leaving dead and wounded on both sides. The violence sparked a military revolt, and, in a move widely condemned as an illegal coup d’état, the military took Chávez into custody. -
Third Election
In December 2006 Chávez was elected president for a third time, with 63 percent of the vote. Ensured another six years in power, he pushed ahead with plans for “21st-century socialism” by nationalizing key industries, including electricity and telecommunications, as well as what remained of the private oil sector. He became more vocal in his anti-American rhetoric, particularly in his attacks against Pres. George W. Bush, whom he called “the Devil” in front of the United Nations General Assembly
