7:23am, Wed 6 Mar 2013Hugo Chavez dies aged 58
Jimmy Carter's tribute to 'bold' Hugo Chavez
Last updated Wed 6 Mar 2013

Former US President Jimmy Carter has paid tribute to Hugo Chavez, the Carter Center observed the 2000 elections in Venezuela.

“
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.

President Chávez will be remembered for his bold assertion of autonomy and independence for Latin American governments and for his formidable communication skills and personal connection with supporters in his country and abroad to whom he gave hope and empowerment.

“
During his 14-year tenure, Chávez joined other leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean to create new forms of integration. Venezuelan poverty rates were cut in half, and millions received identification documents for the first time allowing them to participate more effectively in their country's economic and political life.

'He was a baseball man': Venezuela's baseball team mourns death of president Hugo Chavez
By The Associated PressMarch 6, 2013 12:03 AM

JUPITER, Fla. - Venezuela's baseball team was taking pregame batting practice when players heard that president Hugo Chavez had died.

"He was a baseball man," manager Luis Sojo said after a 6-5 loss to the Miami Marlins in a warmup game for the World Baseball Classic. "At the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009, the first call in the morning was his. And after the game, he used to call me, too. It's a very sad moment for our country. We wish the best to his family, we know they are going through a tough time right now."

Chavez died Tuesday at age 58 after a nearly two-year fight against cancer.

"It's sad what's happening to our country," first baseman Miguel Cabrera said. "We send our condolences to his family. This is something you don't wish on anybody.

"I don't know how his family is right now. He's no longer with us — it's very sad. I cannot comment a lot on it because I feel a lot of pain, and I'm not there in Venezuela."

More: http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/baseball+Venezuelas+baseball+team+mourns+death+president+Hugo/8054611/story.html#ixzz2MkB6rE7G

Unlike remarks from elsewhere totally lacking class.

UK got it right too but then we always did have class :

On hearing of the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Foreign Secretary William Hague offered his condolences.

I was saddened to learn of the death of President Hugo Chavez today. As President of Venezuela for 14 years he has left a lasting impression on the country and more widely. I would like to offer my condolences to his family and to the Venezuelan people at this time.

http://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-offers-condolences-on-death-of-hugo-chavez

... Chavez's mantra was that the only way out for Latin America would be better integration; thus his impulsion of myriad mechanisms, from ALBA (the Bolivarian Alliance) to Petrocaribe, from the Banco del Sur (the Bank of the South) to UNASUR (the Union of South American countries).

As for his "socialism of the 21st century", beyond all ideological straitjackets he did more to explore the true spirit of common values - as an antidote to the putrefaction of turbo-charged, financial capitalism - than tons of neo-Marxist academic analyses.

No wonder the Goldman Sachs gang and cohorts saw him as worse than the Black Plague. Venezuela bought Sukhoi fighter jets; entered strategic relationships with BRICS members Russia and China - not to mention other Global South actors; maintains over 30,000 Cuban doctors practicing preventive medicine living in poor communities - what led to a boom of young Venezuelans studying medicine.

Stark numbers tell most of the story that needs to be known. Venezuelan public deficit is a mere 7,4% of GDP. Public debt is 51,3% of GDP - much less than the European Union average. The public sector - defying apocalyptic "communist" accusations - accounts for only 18,4% of the economy; less than state-oriented France and even the whole of Scandinavia. In terms of geopolitics of oil, quotas are established by OPEC; so the fact that Venezuela is exporting less to the US means it's diversifying its customers (and exporting more and more to strategic partner China).

And here's the clincher; poverty accounted for 71% of Venezuelan citizens in 1996. In 2010, the percentage had been reduced to 21%. For a serious analysis of the Venezuelan economy in the Chavez era, see here: http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/7513 ...

/... http://www.atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-02-060313.html

Palast's site is quite busy this morning. Pages were slow to load.
http://www.gregpalast.com/

Vaya con Dios, Hugo Chàvez, mi Amigo

By Greg Palast

For BBC Television, Palast met several times with Hugo Chàvez, who passed away today.

As a purgative for the crappola fed to Americans about Chavez, my foundation, The Palast Investigative Fund, is offering the film, The Assassination of Hugo Chavez, as a FREE download. Based on my several meetings with Chavez, his kidnappers and his would-be assassins, filmed for BBC Television. DVDs also available.

http://www.gregpalast.com/chavezdownload/

Going to check it later, when the traffic slows down. Would not miss this for anything.

Thank you, so much.