Born in poverty, Hugo Chávez rose through the military and survived a failed coup to become one of the most influential figures in Latin America. The socialist leader, a demagogic populist who consolidated power and was in his fourth term as president, died March 5 at the age of 58 after a secrecy-shrouded battle with cancer.
Rise of Chávez: The Late Venezuelan President’s Path to Power
Flor Figueredo / Handout / Reuters
The young Chávez (second right) excelled at baseball and played on a national team when he got older. Though he was tempted by a career in sports, he ultimately chose to join the military, studying engineering at Venezuela's national military academy.
