Hugo Chávez, (born July 28, 1954, Sabaneta, Barinas, Venez.—died March 5, 2013, Caracas), President of Venezuela (1999–13). After graduating from the Venezuelan Military Academy (1975), he embarked on a career in the army. Tasked with capturing leftist guerrillas, he began to empathize with them and support their revolutionary ideology. In 1992 he and other military officers led an attempt to overthrow the government of Pres. Carlos Andrés Pérez. It failed, however, and Chávez was imprisoned until 1994. He subsequently formed the political party Movement of the Fifth Republic, and in 1998 he was elected president of Venezuela on a platform that advocated increased spending on social programs and redistribution of the country’s oil wealth. His initial popularity waned as he pursued constitutional changes that broadened his power, and in 2002, following a massive anti-Chávez rally, he was briefly ousted by the military. Reelected in 2006, he continued to implement his socialist political program (the “Bolivarian Revolution”) and suppress the opposition in Venezuela. In foreign policy, Chávez was noted for efforts to create Latin American unity and for his outspoken criticism of world leaders, in particular those in the United States.
Hugo Chávez summary
Below is the article summary. For the full article, see Hugo Chávez.
president Summary
President, in government, the officer in whom the chief executive power of a nation is vested. The president of a republic is the head of state, but the actual power of the president varies from country to country; in the United States, Africa, and Latin America the presidential office is charged
army Summary
Army, a large organized armed force trained for war, especially on land. The term may be applied to a large unit organized for independent action, or it may be applied to a nation’s or ruler’s complete military organization for land warfare. Throughout history, the character and organization of
government Summary
Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated. Most of the key words commonly used to describe governments—words such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy—are of Greek or Roman origin. They have been current for more than 2,000 years and have not
Venezuela Summary
Venezuela, country located at the northern end of South America. It occupies a roughly triangular area that is larger than the combined areas of France and Germany. Venezuela is bounded by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia
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president summary
Below is the article summary. For the full article, see president.
president, In government, the officer who serves as head of state and sometimes also as chief executive. In countries where the president is chief of state but not of government, the role is largely ceremonial, with few or no political powers. Presidents may be elected directly or indirectly, for a limited or unlimited number of terms. In the U.S., the president’s chief duty is to ensure that the laws are faithfully executed, which he does through various executive agencies and with the aid of his cabinet. He also serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, nominates judges to the Supreme Court, and makes treaties with foreign governments (contingent on Senate approval). The office of president is used in governments in South and Central America, Africa, and elsewhere. In western Europe executive power is generally vested in a prime minister and his cabinet, and the president, where the office exists, has few responsibilities (though France is a significant exception).
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A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an Indian scientist and politician who played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He was president of India from 2002 to 2007. His scientific achievements and popularity gained him the epithets “Missile Man” and “People’s
Corazon Aquino Summary
Corazon Aquino was a Philippine political leader who served as the first female president (1986–92) of the Philippines, restoring democratic rule in that country after the long dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Corazon Cojuangco was born into a wealthy, politically prominent family based in Tarlac
Idi Amin Summary
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Mary Robinson Summary
Mary Robinson is an Irish lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the first woman president of Ireland (1990–97). She later was United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR; 1997–2002). Robinson was educated at Trinity College and King’s Inns in Dublin and at Harvard University
