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
Born to a pair of schoolteachers in 1954 in Sabaneta, Venezuela, Hugo Chávez (center in this photo) went to live with his father's mother at an early age. He sold his grandmother's homemade candies to help the family raise money.
