Opening his presentation, Ambassador Jorge Rondon Uzcategui outlined the context of Venezuela when Hugo Chávez began his career. From 1958 to 1993, Venezuela experienced a profound economic and social crisis in the 1980s. Unemployment and poverty increased, the state failed to meet the basic needs of the people, and corruption was rampant, leading the country into the hands of transnational corporations, the International Monetary Organization, the World Bank, etc. At that time, Hugo Chávez successfully led a military uprising in 1992 and became the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution. Thanks to strong popular support, he won the elections in December 1996 with his Bolivarian plan, which aimed to: promote the constitutional process, re-establish the state, empower the people, promote democracy, and strengthen poverty reduction and social inclusion.
The Bolivarian Plan has left Venezuela with many significant achievements, such as a 54% reduction in inequality (measured by the GINI coefficient), a reduction in poverty from 70.8% (1996) to 21% (2010), a reduction in unemployment from 11.3% to 5.5%, a reduction in malnutrition to 5%, and a high Human Development Index of 0.764. Venezuela is also recognized by UNESCO as the fifth-largest university student population in the world, with an increase from 28% in 1999 to 86.2% currently.
The success of the Bolivarian Revolution was greatly contributed to by the political thought of Hugo Chávez. This thought was inspired by Simón Bolivar's principles of justice, freedom, and Latin American integration; Simón Rodriguez's progressive ideas and people-education; and Ézequiel Zamora's principle of military-civilian solidarity for a just cause. In particular, Hugo Chávez's 21st-century socialist doctrine transformed the perceptions of the Venezuelan and Latin American people, changing their national identity. For him, Venezuela's history showed that an oil-rich nation could not develop through capitalism, but through the unity, struggle, and victory of revolution. Chávez's anti-imperialist stance was strongly demonstrated after the April 2002 coup. Chávez successfully re-promoted and interwoven democratic and socialist elements, laying the foundation for the National Independence and Socialist Fatherland Plan for the period 2013-2018.
Ambassador Jorge Rondon Uzcategui introduced the ideas of Hugo Chávez.
In international affairs, Chávez advocated for the restoration of Bolivarian ideology, patriotism, and the integration of the American peoples, while simultaneously opposing imperialism through a multipolar relationship among fraternal nations. His policies helped Venezuela integrate with Latin America and the Caribbean, contributing to the establishment of organizations such as PETROCARB, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), etc. Furthermore, Venezuela's foreign policy also impacted Africa, revitalizing the activities of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Venezuela also strengthened agreements signed in various fields across all five continents.
Regarding Vietnam specifically, Venezuela officially established diplomatic relations in December 1988. In January 2006, the Venezuelan Embassy was established in Vietnam. On July 31, 2008, President Hugo Chávez paid an official visit to Vietnam, paving the way for cooperation opportunities. In September 2015, President Nicolas Maduro visited Vietnam to re-promote projects between the two countries. The two sides have signed 46 bilateral agreements, including agreements on cooperation in oil and gas, industry, electricity, agriculture, education, and information. The spirit of solidarity between the two countries has always been strengthened through the people's struggle for independence and the building of socialism, guided by the banner of justice and social equality.
Hugo Chavez presented General Vo Nguyen Giap with a replica of the sword of the hero Simon Bolivar during his visit on August 1, 2006.
The presentation received attentive listening and positive feedback from the audience. On behalf of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Tran Viet Nghia expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Jorge Rondon Uzcategui in particular and the Venezuelan Embassy in Vietnam in general, and hoped that in the future, the two sides would continue to organize practical and beneficial exchanges of knowledge. The University also hoped that the Venezuelan Embassy would always be a strong bridge between the two sides and between Vietnam and Venezuela in general.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Viet Nghia (Head of Cooperation and Development Department) presents a commemorative gift to Ambassador Rondon Uzcategui.
| Hugo Chávez Frias (July 28, 1954 – March 5, 2013), born in Barinas State, was a head of state, a strategist with a global vision, and a love for peace. He pursued a military career, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel when he commanded the 1992 military uprising. He was first elected president in 1998 and re-elected in 2000. In 2002, the opposition staged a coup to overthrow him, but less than 48 hours later, Chavez returned to power with the support of the military and the people. Hugo Chavez became one of the longest-lasting and most prominent leaders in the modern history of Latin America. His most notable work is the Green Book, a document outlining his ideas for a government project and the socio-economic structure of a new model of state, presented in the form of a three-rooted ideological tree: Bolivarian, Robinson, and Zamora. |
Author:Tran Minh
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