Hugo Chavez dead at 58: The contentious life of the Venezuelan President

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Chavez visited Cuba in the early stages of his cancer diagnosis for treatment. Here, Chavez and his daughters Rosa (l.) and Maria (r.) appear on the balcony of Miraflores Palace on July 4, 2011 after returning from surgery and cancer treatments in Cuba.

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Game on! Hugo Chavez swings a bat, given to him by Sammy Sosa, in Caracas on July 31, 2004. Chavez was quoted saying he wanted to hit a "home run" against his opponents ahead of the referendum vote.

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In his younger years, Hugo Chavez was just a growing boy. The Venezuelan leader is pictured here in March 1971.

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Chavez (l.) was jailed after the Venezuelan coup attempts of 1992. While a paratrooper in Venezuela's military, Chavez founded the Bolivian Revolution Army-200, and in 1992 launched a failed coup d’etat against the country’s government.

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Communist stronghold! Hugo Chavez holds hands with Cuba's Fidel Castro in 2006. Castro was recovering from surgery in Havana.

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Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez share a joke after Castro's arrival at Caracas' Maiquetia Airport on October 26, 2000.

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President George Bush shakes hands Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez after a courtesy meeting at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela on Feb 16, 2001.

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After being elected president on Dec. 6, 1998, Hugo Chavez is sworn in by Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly President Luis Miquilena on Aug. 11, 1999.

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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez lost his battle with cancer. Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced on March 5, 2013 that Hugo Chavez is dead. The controversial Latin American leader passed away at age 58 after a two-year battle with cancer. The firebrand socialist was a known antagonist of the United States, branding George W. Bush "the devil" and calling America "the grand destroyer of the world."

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Former Venezuelan Army officer Hugo Chavez Frias signs autographs for supporters on July 12, 1995.

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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his wife Marisabel wave to supporters from the balcony of the presidential palace on July 30, 2000. After being elected and sworn in back in 1999, Chavez had to be reelected under the new constitution. The first official results of the reelection rolled in on this day.

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Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez kisses the hand of British top model Naomi Campbell during a ceremony in which several Venezuelan women, considered "Heroes of the Revolution" were decorated on Oct. 31, 2007.

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Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and Cuba's acting President Raul Castro wave to the crowd upon their arrival to Santiago de Cuba on Dec. 22, 2007.

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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stands at attention with a rifle strapped to his shoulder during a military ceremony in March 16, 2000.