Growing Support for Venezuela, the Spirit of Hugo Chávez Lives On
By Kirtan Bhana - TDS
8 October 2025
The legacy of Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías, the revered former President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, continues to inspire revolutionary movements and the pursuit of justice across continents. Recently, Chávez was posthumously honoured at Freedom Park in Pretoria, South Africa, where his name was inscribed on the Wall of Names — alongside global heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom, equality, and human dignity.
This solemn tribute marked the recognition of Chávez as a global revolutionary as well as highlighting the deep and enduring bonds of solidarity between South Africa and Venezuela, two nations forged in resistance against oppression and imperialism.
A Nation of Beauty, Diversity, and Struggle
Venezuela, a nation of nearly 29 million people, mirrors the diversity of humanity itself. Its people are of indigenous, African, Spanish, and mixed European heritage, a reflection of centuries of migration, struggle, and cultural fusion. Strategically positioned between North and South America and bordered by the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Venezuela is both geographically and geopolitically significant.
Beyond its natural beauty and tropical charm lies an abundance of wealth: the largest proven oil reserves in the world, estimated at over 350 billion barrels. This immense resource, however, has often drawn unwanted interference and external manipulation, particularly from the United States, whose interests in controlling global oil markets have repeatedly brought it into conflict with Venezuela’s sovereign right to self-determination.
The Rise of a Revolutionary
Born on 28 July 1954 in the rural plains of Barinas, Hugo Chávez grew up amidst poverty and inequality — a reality that shaped his lifelong mission. After joining the Venezuelan military, Chávez witnessed first-hand the suffering of the marginalized and came to empathize with those he was ordered to confront. His understanding of the people’s struggle led him to champion their cause, ultimately giving rise to the Bolivarian Revolution.
When Chávez assumed the presidency in 1999, he transformed Venezuela’s oil wealth into a vehicle for social justice. His government launched sweeping programs in healthcare, education, housing, and food security, uplifting millions of impoverished citizens and redistributing national wealth in a way that had never been seen before in Latin America.
Honouring the Second Liberator
The emotional ceremony at Freedom Park brought together diplomats, scholars, activists, and artists who paid tribute to Chávez’s vision of equality and solidarity. Among them was Ambassador Carlos Feo Acevedo, Venezuela’s envoy to South Africa, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jane Mufamadi, CEO of Freedom Park, for immortalizing Chávez’s name in a place that embodies liberation and reconciliation.
The Ambassador invoked the Spirit of Hugo Chávez at a time when Venezuela faces renewed attacks and sanctions from the United States of America — acts widely condemned as violations of international law and sovereignty. He praised President Nicolás Maduro for carrying forward Chávez’s revolutionary mission, protecting Venezuela’s independence, and resisting economic warfare and political interference designed to destabilize the nation.
He reminded guests of Chávez’s deep affection for Africa, his recognition of the continent as the cradle of humankind, and his unwavering support for African liberation movements. Chávez often proclaimed that “African blood runs in my veins”, acknowledging the Afro-descendant roots of Venezuela’s people and the shared destiny that links Latin America and Africa in their struggles for dignity and development.
Shared Revolutionary Spirit: South Africa and Venezuela
The bond between Venezuela and South Africa runs deep, rooted in shared histories of resistance and revolutionary leadership. During his lifetime, Chávez shared a warm and profound friendship with Nelson Mandela, united by their visions of equality, justice, and a world free from imperial domination. Both men understood that the fight for freedom in one part of the world strengthens the cause of freedom everywhere.
Professor Tomás Camacho, former Deputy Minister of Communes of Venezuela, delivered a stirring keynote, hailing Chávez as the “Second Liberator” of the Venezuelan people — the first being Simón Bolívar, the great 19th-century revolutionary who inspired anti-colonial uprisings across Latin America. Camacho described Chávez as a visionary who reignited Bolívar’s dream of Latin American unity, forging alliances with Brazil, Argentina, and Caribbean nations through cooperation and mutual support rather than subservience to foreign powers.
A Call to Solidarity
Adding to the emotional resonance of the day, HRH Zolani Mkiva, President of the South Africa Solidarity with Venezuela (SASUVE) movement, delivered a passionate address reaffirming South Africa’s unwavering support for the Venezuelan people. Citing Chávez’s famous words — “Those who close the path for peaceful revolution are the same who open the path for violent revolution” — Mkiva reminded the audience that true peace is impossible without justice and equality.
He emphasized that Chávez’s identification as an Afro-descendant was not merely symbolic but a recognition of the shared revolutionary lineage between Africa and the Americas. The unity of these struggles, Mkiva said, forms the backbone of global resistance against exploitation and neo-imperialism.
Cultural Tribute: The Rhythm of Revolution
The tribute culminated in a celebration of Chávez’s life through music and culture, with performances by the Committed Artists for Cultural Advancement (CAFCA). The sounds of Marabi, a South African musical form born in the heart of Marabastad, Pretoria, echoed through the venue — a fitting reminder of the shared cultural rhythms that unite peoples of struggle and spirit across oceans.
The Spirit Lives On
As the world witnesses renewed attempts by the United States to undermine Venezuela through sanctions and disinformation campaigns, the international tide of support for the Bolivarian Republic continues to grow — from Africa to Asia, from Latin America to the Global South.
The tribute to Hugo Chávez at Freedom Park was a reaffirmation that the revolutionary ideals of justice, equality, and sovereignty cannot be extinguished. Chávez’s name now stands among the immortal heroes of humanity, a testament that the struggle for freedom, once born, can never die.