Leaders around the world who saw a friend and ally in Mr. Ch谩vez mourned his passing and expressed 鈥淏olivarian solidarity鈥� with Venezuela. The outpouring was especially strong in Latin America, where Ch谩vez had sought to create closer regional ties.
Argentina鈥檚 Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who is seen by some as the ideological heiress to Ch谩vez in Latin America, declared three days of mourning and was expected to leave Wednesday for Venezuela to attend the late president鈥檚 wake. A funeral is scheduled for Friday.
Venezuela鈥檚 closest ally, Cuba, also declared three days of mourning to honor a man seen by that government as embodying the spirit of the Cuban Revolution. The Granma, the official newspaper of the Cuban communist party, called Ch谩vez "."
He felt deeply our difficulties and problems and did all he could, with extraordinary generosity.... He accompanied Fidel [Castro] like a true son and his friendship with Ra煤l [Castro] was close.
His death marks the birth of the "true Chavismo," wrote Enrique Berruga Filloy, president of the Mexican Committee of International Affairs, in an editorial in the Mexico City daily El Universal.
鈥�From now on, his name, his legacy, his thinking will be used as a reference point and orientation over how Venezuela should be run. The next government may ask itself, 'What would comandante Ch谩vez do?' " .
In Peru, Ollanta Humala offered 鈥渙ur Bolivarian, South American, Latin American solidarity鈥� to the Venezuelan people. The president urged unity, calm, and reflection in Venezuela, and that 鈥渢hings can be carried out in a peaceful manner, within the democratic course.鈥� Mr. Humala鈥檚 once-warm relationship with Ch谩vez cooled as he shifted away from the populist style characteristic of his counterpart.
鈥淐havez will continue to be an inspiration for all peoples who fight for their liberation,鈥� said Bolivian President Evo Morales in a tearful televised speech.
News, comments, condolences, and hopes for the future lit up Twitter following word of Ch谩vez's death, while in Spanish the hashtag #MuereCh谩vez, or 鈥淐havez Dies鈥� rose near the top of the world's most tweeted on the social network.
One tweet read in Spanish, "#MuereCh谩vez but his struggle and his love for the people and the nation will remain forever tattooed in the hearts of his followers."
"Chavismo," said the editors of El Salvador's El Faro online newspaper, "will have to reinvent itself or die."
