Hugo Chavez Quotes & Sayings

If you get up at three in the morning to go to the bathroom, man, why you have to turn on that little light? Put the torch there on the nightstand. — Hugo Chavez

I shook Obama's hand and I said, 'I want to be your friend.' My hand is still outstretched. I am not Obama's enemy, but it's difficult not see imperialism in Washington. Those who don't see it don't want to see it, like the ostrich. — Hugo Chavez

The ones who close the path for peacefull revolution, at the same time open the path for violent revolution. — Hugo Chavez

What is the U.S. government looking for? And the elite governing this country? They're looking for oil. — Hugo Chavez

Venezuela has the biggest oil reserves in the world. And the biggest gas reserves in this hemisphere, the eighth in the world. Venezuela was a U.S. oil colony. All of our oil was going up to the north, and the gas was being used by the U.S. and not by us. Now we are diversifying. Our oil is helping the poor. — Hugo Chavez

I'm a reading addict. I can't live without it, like someone who is addicted to drugs. — Hugo Chavez

To paraphrase Karl Marx, the great Karl Marx, a specter is haunting the streets of Copenhagen ... Capitalism is the specter, almost nobody wants to mention it ... Socialism, the other specter Karl Marx spoke about, which walks here too, rather it is like a counter-specter. Socialism, this is the direction, this is the path to save the planet, I don't have the least doubt. Capitalism is the road to hell, to the destruction of the world. — Hugo Chavez

Racism is very characteristic of imperialism and capitalism. Hate against me has a lot to do with racism. Because of my big mouth and curly hair. And I'm so proud to have this mouth and this hair, because it is African. — Hugo Chavez

We must reduce the emissions 100 percent. In Venezuela, the emissions are currently insignificant compared to the emissions of the developed countries. — Hugo Chavez

I am convinced that the path to a new, better and possible world is not capitalism, the path is socialism. — Hugo Chavez

The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the U.S. president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W. Bush, — Hugo Chavez

Democracy is impossible in a capitalist system. Capitalism is the realm of injustice and a tyranny of the richest against the poorest. — Hugo Chavez

I love books. If they are good books, I love them even more. But even if they are bad books, I still love them. — Hugo Chavez

Our policy is to deepen the relations with all the countries in the world - monarchies, kingdoms, large powers - we want to respect all differences and have our relationships based on mutual respect. — Hugo Chavez

What would happen if we financed somebody in the U.S. to destabilize the government of George W. Bush? They would go to prison, certainly. — Hugo Chavez

Even socialist dictators have an interest in gorgeous supermodels. — Hugo Chavez

When imperialism feels weak, it resorts to brute force. — Hugo Chavez

It makes one sad to see the sell-out of President Fox, really it makes one sad. How sad that the president of a people like the Mexicans lets himself become the puppy dog of the empire. — Hugo Chavez

The grand destroyer of the world, and the greatest threat ... is represented by U.S. imperialism. — Hugo Chavez

We have to re-invent socialism. It can't be the kind of socialism that we saw in the Soviet Union, but it will emerge as we develop new systems that are built on cooperation, not competition, — Hugo Chavez

Most governments in the United States in a hundred years have not respected the peoples of Latin America. They have sponsored coup d'etats, assassinations. — Hugo Chavez

Knowing English is important, but for us Venezuelans I think it would also be important to know Portuguese . For that reason, we should evaluate the possibility of it being taught in our schools. — Hugo Chavez

I love Jesus Christ. I am a Christian ... I cry when I see injustice, children dying of hunger. — Hugo Chavez

I think the United States and the secretary of State should be concerned about the poverty in this country - people without health insurance. The United States should stop being the empire and be concerned about other countries. You've got to be more worried about your own people. — Hugo Chavez

Israel criticizes Hitler a lot, so do we, but they've done something very similar, even worse, than what the Nazis did. — Hugo Chavez

For a hundred years we have been one of the largest oil-producing countries in the world but with a 60 percent poverty rate and now we are canceling the historical debt. — Hugo Chavez

Down with the U.S. empire! It must be said, in the entire world: Down with the empire! — Hugo Chavez

Capitalism is the way of the devil and exploitation. If you really want to look at things through the eyes of Jesus Christ
who I think was the first socialist
only socialism can really create a genuine society. — Hugo Chavez

I wish Obama would focus on governing the United States and would forget his country's imperialist pretensions. — Hugo Chavez

Some people point to me as the cause of all society's problems, others as if I am the benefactor, responsible for everything good, but I am neither the former nor the latter. I am but a man in particular circumstances, and the most beautiful part is that an individual human life is capable of contributing to the growth, the awakening of the collective strength. That is what matters! — Hugo Chavez

Every factory must be a school to educate, like Che Guevara said, to produce not only briquettes, steel, and aluminum, but also, above all, the new man and woman, the new society, the socialist society. — Hugo Chavez

Venezuela has changed forever. — Hugo Chavez

No part of the human community can live entirely on its own planet, with its own laws of motion and cut off from the rest of humanity. — Hugo Chavez

The descendants of those who crucified Christ ... have taken ownership of the riches of the world, a minority has taken ownership of the gold of the world, the silver, the minerals, water, the good lands, petrol, well, the riches, and they have concentrated the riches in a small number of hands. — Hugo Chavez

The left is back, and it's the only path we have to get out of the spot to which the right has sunken us. Socialism builds and capitalism destroys. — Hugo Chavez

I have said it already, I am convinced that the way to build a new and better world is not capitalism. Capitalism leads us straight to hell. — Hugo Chavez

Everyday I become more convinced, there is no doubt in my mind, as many intellectuals have said, that it is necessary to transcend capitalism. But capitalism can not be transcended through capitalism itself; it must be done through socialism, true socialism, with equality and justice. I'm also convinced that it is possible to do it under democracy, but not in the type of democracy being imposed by Washington. — Hugo Chavez

Latin Americans have gotten tired of the Washington consensus - a neoliberalism that has aggravated misery and poverty. — Hugo Chavez

They do not walk in ... the path of Christ. — Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan interests are to be defended by Venezuela. The U.S. should defend the interests of the U.S. Where are the U.S. people, where are the intellectuals, who could put limits on their government? — Hugo Chavez

The revolution will survive. It does not rely solely on oil for its survival. There is a national will, there is a national idea, a national project. — Hugo Chavez

Don't let yourselves be poisoned by those wandering Jews. — Hugo Chavez

Uruguay is one of the biggest producers of software. We are breaking with the neoliberal model. We do not believe in free trade. — Hugo Chavez

I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet, — Hugo Chavez

That man, the king of vacations ... the king of vacations in his ranch said nothing but: "You have to flee." and didn't say how ... that cowboy, the cowboy mentality. — Hugo Chavez

What you want is one thing, and what you cannot really obtain is another. — Hugo Chavez

Oil is a very valuable resource for life - electric heaters. We must have to transition ourselves to a post-oil era. And that's what we must discuss: searching and developing new sources of energy. And that requires scientific research. That requires investment. And the developed countries must be the ones to assume this responsibility first. — Hugo Chavez

What they have implanted here, which is really a 'gringo' custom, is terrorism. They disguise children as witches and wizards, that is contrary to our culture. — Hugo Chavez

It's a lie! I am not an anti-Semite. The World Jewish Congress supported me and said that I am not anti-Semitic. — Hugo Chavez

It doesn't smell of sulphur any more. No, it smells of something else. It smells of hope, and you have to have hope in your heart. — Hugo Chavez

For us Catholics, John Paul II will be remembered as a traveling Pope ... and we should also remember he preached world peace. When the United States invaded Iraq, for example, John Paul II said it was an illegal and immoral act. — Hugo Chavez

The world needs a true leader, an Obama that promotes peace and understanding in the world. — Hugo Chavez

I concern myself with Venezuela. However, some rightwing movements are transforming me into a pawn in the domestic politics of their countries, by making statements that are groundless. — Hugo Chavez

Mr. Bush is an illegitimate President. In Florida, his brother Jeb deleted many black voters from the electoral registers. So this President is the result of a fraud. — Hugo Chavez

I became a soldier, not because I had a military vocation initially, but because it was the only way that that young, poor-class child from the provinces could go to the center of the country: through baseball, which was my dream. — Hugo Chavez

I remember. How many minutes do I have left President? About one, one minute. — Hugo Chavez

But Cuba doesn't have a dictatorship it's a revolutionary democracy. — Hugo Chavez

This has been a great victory for the Venezuelan people. — Hugo Chavez

Privatization is a neoliberal and imperialist plan. Health can't be privatized because it is a fundamental human right, nor can education, water, electricity and other public services. They can't be surrendered to private capital that denies the people from their rights. — Hugo Chavez

Let's save the human race, let's finish off the U.S. empire, — Hugo Chavez

I'm not loved by Hillary Clinton ... and I don't love her either. — Hugo Chavez

I do wish that the IMF and the World Bank would disappear soon. — Hugo Chavez

I was a farm kid from the plains of South Venezuela, from a very poor family. I grew up in a palm tree house with an earthen floor. — Hugo Chavez

There is no turning back. — Hugo Chavez

Peoples of the Americas are rising once again, saying no to imperialism, saying no to fascism, saying no to intervention - and saying no to death. — Hugo Chavez

We want to be brothers and sisters. We want respect and equality. Simon Bolivar, our father, said a balanced world - a universe - a balanced universe in order to have peace and development. — Hugo Chavez

I'm a man with many defects. I love. I sing. I dream. I was born in the poor countryside. I was raised in the countryside, planting corn and selling sweets made by my grandmother. My children, my two daughters are with me and I want a better world for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren. — Hugo Chavez

Let the dogs of the empire bark, that's their job; ours is to battle to achieve the true liberation of our people. — Hugo Chavez

Venezuela is a free country, and we will not be blackmailed by anyone. We will not accept being told what to do over Iran; we will not accept being anyone's colony. — Hugo Chavez

The U.S. people have a major role to play to solve, to save this planet. — Hugo Chavez

The world should forget about cheap oil. [The price] will keep going up and some day arrive at US$100 per barrel. — Hugo Chavez

The Devil is right at home. The Devil, the Devil himself, is right in the house. And the Devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the Devil came here. Right here. And it smells of sulphur still today. Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the Devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world. — Hugo Chavez

I am a President held prisoner, that I haven't resigned and I will not resign. — Hugo Chavez

Long live the Unity of Latin America. — Hugo Chavez

I nationalize strategic companies and get criticized, but when Bush does it, it's OK ... Bush is turning socialist. How are you, comrade Bush? — Hugo Chavez

I haven't any thirst for revenge. — Hugo Chavez

I would like to invite the citizens of Great Britain and the citizens of the U.S. and the citizens of the world to come here and walk freely through the streets of Venezuela, to talk to anyone they want, to watch television, to read the papers. We are building a true democracy, with human rights for everyone, social rights, education, health care, pensions, social security, and jobs. — Hugo Chavez

I painted. I wanted to be a painter. I sang. — Hugo Chavez

I hereby accuse the North American empire of being the biggest menace to our planet. — Hugo Chavez

We must reduce all the emissions that are destroying the planet. However, that requires a change in lifestyle, a change in the economic model: We must go from capitalism to socialism. — Hugo Chavez

I don't want to die. Please don't let me die. — Hugo Chavez

If the United States was mad enough to attack Iran or aggress Venezuela again the price of a barrel of oil could reach $150 or even $200. — Hugo Chavez

What hurts me most is poverty, and that's what led me to become a rebel. — Hugo Chavez

I think developed countries - so-called developed countries - should reflect upon the way of living and the waste of energy. — Hugo Chavez

Fascists are not human. A snake is more human. — Hugo Chavez

In the United States, the government is bailing out banks, intervening in the economy, yet in Latin America, the Right continues to talk about 'free markets.' It's totally outdated; they don't have arguments; they don't have any sense. — Hugo Chavez

We must confront the privileged elite who have destroyed a large part of the world. — Hugo Chavez

We're not perfect, but we do have democracy. — Hugo Chavez

An infernal machine that produces every minute an impressive amount of poor, 26 million poor in 10 years are 2.6 million per year of new poor, this is the road, well, the road to hell. — Hugo Chavez

The problem is not the oil, but what they do with the oil. The United States is the biggest spender of oil and of all the planet resources. — Hugo Chavez

I'm a Christian. I want the world of justice and equality. This is the only way to achieve peace. — Hugo Chavez

Convinced as I am and as I am from my government that the world needs a new moral architecture over all I believe that this should be the first topic to debate in our world of today, ethics, moral. — Hugo Chavez

Mutual respect! That's what it takes to be friends. — Hugo Chavez

The only way to save the world is through socialism, but a socialism that exists within a democracy; there's no dictatorship here. — Hugo Chavez

We shall remember Gaddafi our whole lives as a great fighter, a revolutionary and a martyr. — Hugo Chavez

Israel has gone mad. It's attacking, doing the same thing to the Palestinian and Lebanese people that they have criticised - and with reason - the Holocaust . But this is a new Holocaust. — Hugo Chavez

We also exchange oil for software technology. Uruguay is one of the biggest producers of software. We are breaking with the neoliberal model. We do not believe in free trade. We believe in fair trade and exchange, not competition but cooperation. I'm not giving away oil for free. Just using oil, first to benefit our people, to relieve poverty. — Hugo Chavez

The United States is like Count Dracula who at six o'clock in the morning has not sucked [any necks]. — Hugo Chavez

If the climate were a bank, they would already have saved it. — Hugo Chavez

I was an altar boy. My mother wanted me to be a priest. I am very Christian and Catholic ... I'm very faithful. I believe in God, in Jesus Christ. — Hugo Chavez