Hugo Chavez loses his battle with cancer

March 6th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com)  Venezuelan Vice President, Nicolas Maduro announced yesterday at approximately 4pm in Costa Rica that Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, had died.

The announcement was made in a national broadcast in Venezuela.

Maduro teared up as he announced the news.

The socialist leader of Venezuela was 58 years old.  Chavez succumbed to cancer after months of treatments in Cuba.  The Venezuelan president had been in power for a total of 14 years.  In Venezuela, Chavez was a hero to impoverished peasants, while his Bolivarian Revolution hectored the United States routinely.

Chavez, who had been battling cancer for two years, had not been seen in public nor heard from since undergoing surgery in Cuba on December 11th.

Maduro has accused Venezuela’s enemies and the United States for causing Chavez’s cancer.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro is taking over leadership, and was Chavez’s hand-picked successor.  However, the government of Venezuela is promising free and fair elections for Chavez’s replacement in 30 days.

Yesterday, Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla sent her condolences to the Venezuelan people in a statement.

“I want to express on behalf of myself and the Government of Costa Rica our solidarity with the Venezuelan government and people, and particularly the family of Hugo Chavez,” Chinchilla said as part of a statement.

The Ambassador of Venezuela in Costa Rica, Mahuampi Aura Rodriguez, thanked the people of Costa Rica for their solidarity and condolences.

Many Venezuelans living in Costa Rica say they are pleased with the news.  One such person is Moises Socorro, who wrote to Inside Costa Rica.

“That is the best news in 14 years, because that means thats we have a new oportunity to a have a better Venezuela, recover our country and that we can work to make it again a prosperous country as some years ago,” Socorro said in an email.

Marjurie Subero, group manager for the Facebook group “Venezuelans in Costa Rica,” said the news of Chavez’s death has brought joy to most Venezuelans living in Costa Rica, though it comes with a great deal of uncertainty about the country’s future.  ”Now what is next?” she said as part of a statement.