Despite being embroiled in one of biggest political crises in the last decade, Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken time out of his busy schedule waging war on small countries and minority groups to remember Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. The Russian President (or is it Prime Minister? or President? or Tsar? It's hard to keep up) sent a letter to the Venezuelan government in which he called Chávez' death "nefarious" and remembered his "personal charm."
Vladimir Putin and Hugo Chávez had a lot in common: both leaders managed to convince people of the legitimacy of their corrupt governments, oppressed all dissidence and ran their overly resource-reliant countries into the ground. It is thus fitting that Mr. Putin should remember a tyrant of equal standing so fondly. "Remembering this exceptional man, I cannot help but admire his strength of will, his courage, his indefatigable energy and his personal charm," wrote the Russian leader.
"A fervent defender of his country, loyal to the ideals of the great Liberator Simón Bolívar, in the few years of life that he had, he understood how to obtain many achievements for the development of Venezuela and the wellbeing of his city," Putin continued. "I draw satisfaction only from the fact that by through our joint efforts we are realizing the ideas of the Comandante, making strong bilateral links that are mutually beneficial." It would seem that Mr. Putin is appealing to one of the few allies he has left. Perhaps it is getting lonely in the Kremlin after all.
Hugo Chavez passed away on March 5th, 2013 following a long battle with cancer.
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