Hugo Chavez, born Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, is serving his second term as President of Venezuela. The coup leader of the "Bolivarian Revolution" is a outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy and neoliberal globalization. His democratic socialist form of government and anti-imperialist views have made Hugo a famous dissident and political rival of U.S. policies.
Chavez received international media attention in September 2006, when he addressed the U.N. General Assembly promoting Noam Chomsky's book Hegemony or Survival (2003), an elaborate criticism of U.S. foreign policies; then, alluding to President Bush as the Devil.
Chavez was born the second son of school teachers, Hugo de los Reyes Chavez and Elena Frias de Chavez. His roots are a multiethnic combination of indigenous Amerindian, African, and Spanish decent. Growing up, Chavez witnessed the negative impact of America's foreign policy on the Venezuelan economy when US and Saudi Arabia oil producers increased production in a strategic attempt against the Soviet economy. Oil prices reached historic lows and the financial and social stability of Venezuela, previously established, dramatically declined.
Chavez earned a degree in Sciences and Military Arts from the Military Academy of Venezuela. He graduated as lieutenant in 1975 becoming a Lieutenant Colonel by 1990. He studied political science at the University Simon Bolivar but left without a degree. Chavez has received five honorary doctorates since his first term as president.
On February 27, 1989 these policies led to the uprising of Venezuela's poor in what is considered the most violent and destructive riot in the history of Venezuela. On February 4, 1992, Chavez led a military-civilian coup d'etat rebelling against what they deemed a corrupt social and political order of the Venezuelan government. Perez eluded capture, and although civil support aided in the seizure of three large cities, the coup failed. Chavez was sent to Yare Prison.
While in prison, Chavez developed an eye condition that severely damaged his vision. Chavez relates the experience to the importance of quality eye and health care, inaccessible to the poor for preventable and congenital health conditions. He was released from prison March 26, 1994 on a pardon from then president, Rafael Caldera.
Upon release from prison, he re-established the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) that unified a number of smaller political factions concerned with civil rights in Venezuela. Chavez received illicit campaign funds from foreign banks such as Banco Billbao Vizcaya Argentaria and Banco Santander, each a Spanish bank and owner of one of the largest banks in Venezuela.
Chavez was elected president of Venezuela December 6, 1998 as champion for the interest of Venezuela's poor. He received the largest majority of popular votes in four decades. on February 2, 1999 he was sworn in as president.
In 1999, Venezuela adopted a new constitution drafted by The Constitutional Assembly under Chavez. Changes to the constitution included an increase
the presidential term from 5 years to 6 years, a presidential two-term limit, and renaming the country Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela.
By the end of his first term, Chavez introduced several reforms that considerably improved social welfare. He implemented a government-funded health care system and free education; thereby, lowering infant mortality rates and increasing elementary school enrollment by one million.
In 2000, Chavez traveled to Iraq on tour of OPEC nations, he was the first head of state to visit Iraq since the Gulf War.
In April of 2002, Chavez's presidential term was interrupted when a sudden coup led
by commander in chief of Venezuela's armed forces, Lucas Rincon Romero, captured Chavez.
In February of 2005, on his morning radio show Hello President, Chavez accused President George Bush of assassination plots from tips he received from Cuban president Fidel Castro. Chavez stated on the air, "If I am assassinated, there is only one person responsible: the president of the United States."
In August of 2005, Pat Robertson, host of the 700 Club called for the assassination of Chavez. On his show he stated, "You know I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he [Chavez] thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war." Robertson spoke these sentiments after accusing Chavez of ruining the Venezuelan economy and making the country a platform for infiltration by communist and muslim extremists.
Chavez is a patron of the arts and literature. In speeches he's referred to the Pablo Neruda poem "Chant to Bolivar" to encapsulate the ideology of the "Bolivar Revolution."
He is a big fan of Venezuelan baseball.
Chavez is separated from second wife, journalist and children's rights activist Mariaisabel Rodriguez, they have one child, Rosa Ines. Chavez has four other children from his first marriage to Nancy Colmenares, a woman from his hometown, Rosa Virginia, Maria Gabriela, Hugo Rafael, Raul Alfonzo. During his 18 year marriage to Colmenares, he had a nine year affair with historian Herma Marksman. | 
