Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the show-stopping socialist who once dubbed then-President George W. Bush "the devil" and scorned President Barack Obama as a "clown," probably won't be missed much in official Washington. Obama led a chorus of politicians saying they hoped that Hugo Chavez's death on Tuesday after a two-year battle with cancer would open a "new chapter" in relations between the United States and one of the world's top 20 oil exporters.
Hugo Chavez was an active Twitter user himself. His final message was full of trademark defiance—though some might say delusion.
In a Feb. 18, 2013 tweet, Chavez declared “I remain firm in Christ and trust in my doctors and nurses. Onwards to victory! We will live and we will triumph!”
"At this challenging time," Obama said in a written statement hours after Chavez's death was announced, "the United States reaffirms its support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government. "As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights," Obama said
Under Article 323 of the Venezuelan constitution, an election must take place within 30 days of the death of a president.
back ground stuff
HUGO CHAVEZ Will Not Go Away