The death of Hugo Chávez ended 14 years of his presidency and triggered a constitutional succession process in Venezuela.
Key Facts
- Date of death
- 5 March 2013 at 16:25 VET
- Age at death
- 58 years
- Cause of death
- Cancer
- Years as president
- 1999–2013
- Number of election wins
- 4 (1998, 2000, 2006, 2012)
- Successor
- Nicolás Maduro
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Hugo Chávez, first elected president of Venezuela in 1998 and re-elected three more times, was diagnosed with cancer. His illness prevented him from being sworn in for a fourth term following his 2012 electoral victory, and his condition deteriorated critically in early 2013.
Venezuelan government officials announced that Hugo Chávez died on 5 March 2013 at 16:25 local time in Caracas, Venezuela, from cancer at the age of 58. A state funeral followed his death. The date of 8 March 2013 is associated with the period of official mourning and funeral proceedings.
Under the Venezuelan constitution, Chávez's death triggered an early presidential election. His vice president, Nicolás Maduro, stood as the government's candidate and won, succeeding Chávez and continuing the political movement Chávez had led for over a decade.