Thursday, December 24, 2009

Former Venezuelan President Rafael Caldera has died

My thoughts and prayers go to President Caldera and his family. May he rest in peace!

Former President Rafael Caldera dead at 93
http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/12/24/en_pol_esp_former-president-raf_24A3228015.shtml

Former Ministry of the Secretary to the Presidency Andrés Caldera confirmed on Thursday that the two-time President Rafael Caldera has died in the city of Caracas. He said that the ex president passed away at 2 a.m. Thursday 24. Caldera had suffered from Parkinson's disease for several years. His son said the funeral will take place on Saturday, December 26.

Asked if he would accept any recognition from the government of President Hugo Chávez to pay tribute to the memory of his father, he said that the family will reject any offer from the current Venezuelan administration."My family already discussed the issue and we decided that we are not going to accept any homage from the government of President Hugo Chávez."

The information was provided by telephone to the private TV news channel Globovisión."I want to inform you (that he died) because he was the subject of so many rumors and you always called to ascertain whether he had passed away. I thought it was right that our family should inform the Venezuelan people about what has really happened," he said.The former lawmaker said that his father's body will lay in state at the headquarters of the International Training Center Arístides Calvani (Ifedec), located in Boleíta Norte neighborhood, in Caracas.

"We are still making the arrangements with the funeral home," he said.Rafael Antonio Caldera Rodríguez, was born in San Felipe, in the northwestern state of Yaracuy, on January 24th, 1916. He was a lawyer, sociologist, writer, speaker and politician. Caldera was president in 1969-74 and 1994-1999. He also served as Senator for life between 1974 and 1994 and in 1999. He was one of the founders of the Social-Christian Copei party in 1946.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas
Yolimer Obelmejías Valdez


Two-time Venezuelan president Caldera dies at 93
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122401475.html

Rafael Caldera dies; president led Venezuela to democracy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122402777.html

Maru Angarita
My blog is: http://maruangarita.blogspot.com/