海角大神

The funeral in Caracas today of former Venezuelan President Carlos Andr茅s 笔茅谤别锄 鈥� nine months after his death 鈥� ends a bitter family dispute over where his burial should take place: the US, where he sought refuge from the presidency of Hugo Ch谩vez, or his homeland.

But it does not resolve his clouded legacy, after having survived two coup attempts, one led by President Ch谩vez himself.

Thousands of people gathered inside and outside Caracas鈥檚 Chiquinquira church this morning, watching on an erected video screen, where 笔茅谤别锄 is being remembered ahead of a motorcade to the cemetery where he will finally be laid to rest alongside other former presidents of this country.

During his first term between 1974 and 1979, 笔茅谤别锄, known as CAP, presided over a Venezuela then known as Venezuela Saudita (Saudi Venezuela) for its oil wealth. Venezuela experienced an economic boom as oil prices shot up from $2 a barrel to $35 a barrel, and 笔茅谤别锄 won favor by nationalizing the industry and using windfall profits to build new infrastructure and fund social programs (not unlike what his nemesis, Ch谩vez, is doing today with prices well above $100 a barrel).

He was elected again in 1988, as Venezuelans held out hope that another reign would mean another run of good times, after a decade of austerity. But his second term, which ended in 1993, is remembered with regret by many Venezuelans. 笔茅谤别锄 had won the second term on an anti-neoliberal platform, famously describing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a 鈥渘eutron bomb鈥� that 鈥渒illed people but left buildings standing.鈥�

Months later, 笔茅谤别锄 attempted to push through IMF proposals that would, among other things, push up fuel prices in a country used to paying next to nothing for them (see World鈥檚 cheapest fuel prices). This launched huge riots known as the Caracazo in 1989, during which hundreds died.

Bitter enemies

The funeral today is a big deal, but it is not a state affair. In fact, 笔茅谤别锄 and Chavez are bitter enemies. "One must regret the death of a human being who has died, and so much time passes before a burial," Chavez said on state television, though he criticized the former leader's economic policies.

Ironically, if it weren't for 笔茅谤别锄, Ch谩vez may not have come into Venezuela鈥檚 national consciousness. He led a failed coup against 笔茅谤别锄 in 1992. The then-president famously allowed Ch谩vez to speak on state television when it became clear his attempt at overthrowing the government was failing. 笔茅谤别锄 insisted that Ch谩vez command his rebels to stand down.

It was then that Ch谩vez uttered his now famous 鈥減or ahora鈥� (for now) speech, saying that he had only failed 鈥渇or now.鈥� That implied to an unhappy population that he would be back. Indeed, Ch谩vez did return to take power by legitimate means seven years later. 笔茅谤别锄 for his part left Venezuela in 2000, to avoid arrest after he was accused of corruption.

Ending the family dispute

笔茅谤别锄 remained in Miami for the rest of his life, and the dispute over where he should be entombed flared after his mistress Cecilia Matos insisted that 笔茅谤别锄 had vowed never to return to Venezuela while his nemesis remained in power. 笔茅谤别锄鈥檚 estranged wife Bianca Rodriguez de 笔茅谤别锄, however, battled for her former husband鈥檚 remains to be flown out of Florida and back to Venezuela. A secret agreement was finally reached in August.

笔茅谤别锄鈥檚 body flew into Caracas鈥� main international airport on Tuesday evening, where it was immediately driven to the headquarters of his former Acci贸n Democr谩tica (Democratic Action) party in El Para铆so, a suburb of the country鈥檚 capital.

Thousands of supporters crowded into a small auditorium on Wednesday to see his coffin draped in Venezuela鈥檚 national flag. Manuel Garc铆a Barreto was a state governor during 笔茅谤别锄鈥檚 first presidency. The 73-year-old jostled for position in the sweltering crowd and described 笔茅谤别锄 as the man that 鈥済uided Venezuela to liberty, democracy and progress.鈥�