Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez chats with former Cuban president Fidel Castro on Venezuela's Margarita Island on Dec 11, 2001. [Photo/Agencies]

Personal life suffers

Running a revolution ultimately left little time for the personal life of Chavez. His second marriage, to journalist Marisabel Rodriguez, deteriorated in the early years of his presidency, and they divorced in 2004.

In addition to their one daughter, Rosines, Chavez had three children from his first marriage, which ended before he ran for office. His daughters Maria and Rosa often appeared at his side at official events and during his trips. He had one son, Hugo Rafael Chavez.

After he was diagnosed with cancer, Chavez acknowledged that he had recklessly neglected his health. He had taken to staying up late and drinking as many as 40 cups of coffee a day. He regularly summoned his Cabinet ministers to the presidential palace late at night.

Chavez exerted himself for one final election campaign in 2012 after saying tests showed he was cancer-free, and defeated his younger challenger, Henrique Capriles.

But months later, he went to Cuba for a fourth cancer-related surgery, blowing a kiss to his country as he boarded the plane.

Chavez said in 2007 he felt a deep connection to those plains where he grew up, and that when died, he hoped to be buried in the savanna.

On Tuesday, Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodriguez posted photos on his blog of a past encounter with Chavez, the Venezuelan leader singing along as he strummed a guitar.

"Goodbye forever, Comandante," Rodriguez wrote.

AP - China Daily