"Cualquiera que sea mi suerte en lo adelante, mi último suspiro será por mi país"

Simon Bolivar

Zeus, Zeus, Zeus, Hugo is dead!

One must at times make hard choices in life and the harsh reality is that those choices are not often the right ones.  Life, however, is full of twists and turns, and the price one pays for one's existence in the material world is often not worth the pain, tears and tumbles it brings to one. An example of that is Hugo Chavez's existence - his functional activities and continual changes preceding his tragic demise - he being a seasoned campaigner, who arrived at Miraflores in the spring of 1998 on a white horse from Sabaneta, a  town in Barinas state, and left for The Elysian fields in the winter of 2013 to be an immortal being of enduring fame. This is not a line of poetry but a sign of recognition of the life of an spirited man with the ability to cope with difficulties and ill luck, and who was always ready to do his best for the have-nots to whom he gave spark, true strength of will and voice in the political affairs of their country which had been denied to them for so long. Certainly, Hugo's political career was an emotional journey full of hopes, expectation and inspirational to say the least since he used the golden goose proceeds of his country to help the poor. I saw no defect in that part of his revolution even though there was an element of financial risk in his enterprise at the measured reaction that debt might get worse and worse. Today, I tip my hat to the memories of this great man - whom I first met in 1969 in a National Baseball Junior of the Criollitos de Venezuela League celebrated in Guanare and Acarigua, Portuguesa State -  today, let us all, including those who were not fond of his policies, celebrate his achievements instead of lamenting his passing or take pleasure in his quietus.  Glory be to God and Hugo's eternal rest.

P.Figueras