“Chávez. That was their cry. Chávez. It was enough.” –from the Introduction

Hugo Chávez’s speeches are a call to action, challenging us to take up the task of building a socialism that emerges from our own histories and is for our own people. The Bolivarian Revolution bravely put forth a path to liberation for Venezuela and the continent, declaring socialism as the only way of defeating capitalism and imperialism. And the socialism Chávez proposes finds its roots in the legacy of Venezuelan and South American struggles for independence from imperialism. From Simón Bolívar, to revolutionary Cuba, to Indigenous leaders who knew their vengeance would come centuries later, Chávez weaves history and theory to present a socialism that emerges from the people – a heroic creation of its own.

Chávez left behind thousands of hours of speeches, and this book collects seven of them, presenting his theories, perspectives, and his visions of 21st century socialism. An almost encyclopedic blend of songs, stories, and dreams of the Venezuelan people, his words are a tool for young people seeking to understand the ideas of Chavismo and the Venezuelan process of building socialism in South America.

HUGO CHÁVEZ (1954–2013) was the former President of Venezuela and leader of the Bolívarian Revolution. He nationalized key industries, used oil revenues for social programs for the poor, and passed important reforms in the fields of health, housing, and education.

JORGE ARREAZA is the Minister of Popular Power (and Vice President of the PSUV VP) for Communes and Social Movements. He served as Vice President of Venezuela from 2013 to 2016, and as Foreign Minister from 2017-2021.

MANOLO DE LOS SANTOS is the executive director of the People’s Forum and is a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research.

VIJAY PRASHAD is an Indian historian, journalist and author of forty books, including Washington Bullets and Red Star Over the Third World. He is the Chief Correspondent for Globetrotter and the Chief Editor of LeftWord Books.

ISBN: 978-1-7368500-6-0

Page count: 138 pages