Before his death from cancer this week, Hugo Chavez had been President of Venezuela since 1999.
In that time he became a divisive figure, making serious economic reforms in the country, seizing private property, and clamping down on criticism. Critics say that the Venezuela he created is simply not sustainable.
Even so, he had millions of supporters. Last year, while seriously ill from cancer, he was able to come back and win an election by a margin of 10 points, down from 25 percent in 2006.
One approval rating from last year gave him a 64 percent positive rating — 15 points higher than Obama received in the same poll.
We've selected some images that will give you a glimpse into Chavez's Venezuela — a Venezuela that could be about to change for good.
Venezuela's quality of life improved at the third-fastest pace worldwide during his time as leader.
Source:Business Insider
He helped cut the country's poverty rate to 29.5 percent in 2011 from 48.6 percent in 2002, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America.
Source:Business Insider
Venezuela moved seven spots to 73 out of 187 countries in the UN's index of human development from 2006 to 2011.
Source:Bloomberg
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