FEBRUARY 1992 The son of schoolteachers and a former army paratrooper, Chavez leads a failed coup against President Perez. His group takes over a local TV station, from which he broadcasts the fall of the government. He is arrested and released after two years in prison. Scores are injured and 18 people are killed in the failed coup.

DECEMBER 1998 Elected president in a landslide victory after touting himself as a populist reformer committed to social justice who will fight corruption. He easily wins re-election for a six year term in July 2000.

AUGUST 2000 Becomes first head of state to visit Iraq after the first Gulf War, despite objections from Washington.

OCTOBER 2000 Visits Fidel Castro in Cuba and sings a popular ballad on Venezuelan radio in a duet with the longtime dictator.

APRIL 2002: Resigns amid a crippling general strike that plagues the whole country, only to return to power two days later after the interim government collapses. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2003 First petition signed by 3 million is submitted requesting a referendum on Chavez’s rule.

FEBRUARY 2004: Lashes out at President Bush, accusing him of engineering the recall effort against him. “We’re going to make a bet to see who lasts longer, Mr. George Bush-you in the White House or Hugo Chavez,” he says. Also calls national security adviser Condoleezza Rice “illiterate.”

AUGUST 2004 Survives a recall election, winning 58% of the vote, guaranteeing him at least another two and a half years in office.