Documentary

52 minutes

2004
English / Spanish
Ligia Blanco

Les Films du Village , Planète , Zarafa Films

TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS HUGO CHAVEZ

Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, is undoubtedly the most singular, paradoxical and colourful figure of all the politicians who have marked the history of the Latin-American continent in the past twenty years. This forty-six-year old former paratrooper officer admires Simon Bolivar, the Che and Jesus Christ he very often quotes. When he came into power the social and economic situation of the country was disastrous - despite its oil. For the past two years he has been fighting all battles with the enthusiasm of the crowds of underprivileged, whose hero he is, as sole support. Is he going to eradicate misery as he has bet he will? Is he going to fall into the trap of fascism, as his opponents, most of them belonging to the ruling class, fear he might? Who is this Christian and revolutionary Bolivarian who, according to our criteria, seems to be so unreasonable in his believing that miracles can happen?