Hugo Chavez’s Mixed Legacy in the Middle East
The late president of Venezuela won the support of large numbers of Arabs for his anti-Israeli positions, but his stock dropped after the Arab Spring and his continued backing of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, writes Ali Hashem.
"Our brother Hugo passed away." These could be the very words the Arab world used to circulate news of the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
For many Arabs, Chavez's death means almost as much to them as it does to his loyalists in Caracas. For those who loved him, the news had the impact of shock and awe even though they knew it was coming. The sorrow surrounding his death is not, however, comparable to the level of uncertainty palpable from the first days of his illness. In some quarters, there were fears that the death of Chavez would mean the end of the anti-imperialist alliance that stretches from the Middle East to Venezuela.
Chavez was to many an inspirer — a staunch defender of Arab causes who took hostile stances toward Israel and the United States. In this, some saw Chavez as more Arab than most Arab leaders. Just a few months ago, Palestinian worshippers at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity held special prayers for his health. This hints at how deeply some in the Middle East will feel this particular man's departure.
Chavez worked his way into the hearts and minds of the grassroots in the Arab world not only with his positions on the issues, but also with his modest lifestyle and his reputation for being close to and championing the poor. One of the reasons for this impression was his decision to expel the Israeli ambassador to Venezuela amid Israel's assault on Gaza in January 2009. Only Mauritania took a similar position; the several Arab states with ties to Israel did not. Chavez capped his decision by referring to Israel as the "murder arm" of the United States. At the time, he was hailed by Arabs as one of their superheroes. They hoisted his picture at many an anti-Israeli, anti-US demonstration. Roads and restaurants and children were named after him.
