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| Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart. (FP) |
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart today extended condolences to the Government and people of Venezuela on the passing of President Hugo Rafael Ch??vez Fr??as.
In a letter to Executive Vice President, Nicolas Maduro Moros, the Prime Minister said: "The painful news of the death of President Ch??vez has touched us deeply in Barbados not only because of the nurturing of our long-standing friendly bilateral relations during the years of his presidency, but also because of the hope which he represented and his indefatigable dedication to the Venezuelan people.
His noble crusade as a regionalist and his commitment to integration initiatives such as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA), and South-South cooperation in general, is testimony to his pivotal role in the history of the region’s development and will secure a permanent place for him in the memory of the people of the region.
Through his allegiance to and celebration of the ideals of Venezuela’s national hero, The Liberator Simon Bolivar, President Ch??vez inspired many of us to be always mindful of the contributions made by our own national heroes and to understand the value of our dreams.
His legacy is assured in the assertion by the people of the region of their spirit of pride, confidence and self-determination, in the pursuit of our joint destiny.?? May he, having been the advocate that he was for his people, now rest in peace."