The tenth anniversary of the death of Hugo Chávez, the revolutionary leader who ruled Venezuela and promoted the so-called Bolivarian socialism and petrodiplomacy, was recently commemorated. To celebrate his legacy, Nicolás Maduro hosted the “World Meeting for the Validity of Comandante Chávez’s Bolivarian Thought in the 21st Century,” which brought together leftist leaders and intellectuals from the region, including Bolivian President Luis Arce, former presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, and Honduras, Rafael Correa, Evo Morales, Raúl Castro and Manuel Zelaya, and the head of Nicaragua’s regime, Daniel Ortega.
Maduro spoke about how the people of Venezuela continue to fight for the defense of their homeland and to consolidate the Bolivarian project. He also called for political, ideological, spiritual, and moral unity to resist the dissolving forces that seek to destabilize the revolution. During the acts, homage was paid to the Cuartel de la Montaña, where Chavez’ mausoleum is located, but Maduro did not attend. However, some of the international guests and PSUV militants marched through Caracas to visit the tomb.
Despite international criticism for human rights violations against Venezuelan opponents, Daniel Ortega has been a regular guest at Chavismo’s political events and affirmed that Chávez is still present in the “battles” being fought throughout the region. Luis Arce highlighted that the most important legacy left by Chavez is that the construction of a new society is possible and that revolutionaries and socialists must fight with love to build a homeland that serves all Latin Americans.
In general, the meeting showed the continued support of some leftist leaders of the region for Chavez’s legacy and the Bolivarian project. However, there were also notable absences, such as Argentinean President Alberto Fernandez, who once identified himself as a Chavista but is now adopting more moderate policies. In addition, the Venezuelan Communist Party, once a supporter of Chavismo, is now standing up to Maduro and has broken its alliances with the ruling government.