The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez is dead at the age of 58.  Chavez was born in 1954 and had been president of the South American nation since 1999.  He has seen implementation of a new constitution and nationalization of multiple industries. 

The frequent critic of U.S. policies, Chavez allied himself with the Communist government of Cuba and the Socialist governments of Bolivia , Ecuador and Nicaragua.  He had undergone at least four surgeries for cancer.  

Benetton returned to its controversial marketing roots with an ad campaign that featured President Obama and other world leaders engaging in a kiss.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez holds up the Spanish-edition of 'Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance (The American Empire Project)' by author Noam Chomsky as he speaks during a news conference while attending the United Nations General Assembly September 20, 2006 at the UN in New York City.The annual conference comes at a contentious time for the world body as sanctions are being considered for Iran, while separately; UN peacekeepers are taking part in 18 operations around the world. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) and Cuban President Fidel Castro (L) wave to the public 11 December 2001 in Pampatar, Venezuela. Castro is in Venezuela for the the two-day summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), which will focus on trade, transport, and sustainable tourism. The summit's final statement is to include an annex on the treatment small economies should receive in the planned Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), according to drafts of final documents drawn up by ACS ministers. ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/Getty Images