Hugo chavez biography 2012 ford

Known for brash statements aimed at other world leaders and rousing televised speeches, Chavez, 58, faced one of his toughest challenges against his opposition rival Henrique Capriles.

Yet Chavez was returned to the presidency in October 2012, capturing 54 per cent of the popular vote to win a fourth term in office.

Born in 1954, the second son of two school teachers in the village of Sabaneta, the young Chavez was interested in becoming a baseball star, not a politician.

Humble origins 

He joined the military at 17, apparently in order to be moved to Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, where he could be viewed by talent scouts.

Lacking major league skills, he ended up staying with the military and was deployed to fight a rag-tag rebel army.

After hearing suspected rebels being tortured – allegedly beaten with baseball bats covered in wet cloths and speaking with his brother, a Marxist professor, Chavez apparently had an epiphany.