The legacy of Hugo Chávez

GEORGETOWN, Guyana - For the sake of continuing warmth in the bilateral relationship between Guyana and Venezuela, the Government of Guyana has made all the right diplomatic moves. President Donald Ramotar led the delegation to Hugo Chávez’s state funeral last Friday, declaring a day of national mourning on the same day, and an evening of reflection to honour the late leader was held at Red House on Monday. Elsewhere, however, Mr Chávez’s death has, unsurprisingly, aroused heated debate and divided opinion about his record in office and his legacy. His admirers point to his concern for the poor, his efforts to achieve a more equitable society in Venezuela and his generous support for hard-pressed, energy importing economies in the Caribbean and Latin America. On the other hand, his detractors take him to task for his authoritarian tendencies and the erosion of press freedom and other fundamental human rights. Perhaps one of the most balanced assessments came from ex-US president Jimmy Carter who, in a message of condolence on behalf of himself and his wife to Mr Chávez’s family, managed to communicate sincere appreciation for Mr Chávez’s achievement in cutting Venezuela’s poverty rates by half and empowering millions “to participate more effectively in their country’s economic and political life,” even as he expressed some disagreement in a respectful and gracious manner: “We came to know a man who expressed a vision to bring profound changes to his country to benefit especially those people who had felt neglected and marginalized. Although we have not agreed with all of the methods followed by his government, we have never doubted Hugo Chávez’s commitment to improving the lives of millions of his fellow countrymen.”