Yesterday, Friday 4 October, the Venezuelan government and supporters of late President Hugo Chavez met to mark the one year anniversary of the final rally for Hugo Chavez’s re-election campaign as president. On that day, 4 October 2012, all seven main avenues in central Caracas were turned red with Chavistas in what was likely one of the largest political gatherings in Venezuelan history. Chavez was re-elected to a third term in office three days later with 56% of the vote. On 5 March this year the historic president died of cancer, causing great mourning and distress among his supporters and leaving then-Vice President Nicolas Maduro as the leader of the Bolivarian movement.

“You will always be our guide towards the great and the good, into the future,” President Nicolas Maduro told supporters yesterday.

“Today we continue together with the same people, full of love that you sowed and combating with resolve, for the nation that goes on,” said the Venezuelan president. “With the blessing of the peoples, he [Chavez] will be with us in all the battles of this century, the century of our socialism,” declared Maduro to fellow Chavistas, several of whom were visibly moved by the occasion.

Text by Venezuelanalysis.com