Tuesday, July 24th 2012 - 23:36 UTC

Chavez unveils 3D image of Simon Bolivar based on his exhumed body

Venezuela's Hugo Chávez unveiled a 3D image of South America's 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar on Tuesday, based on bones the president ordered exhumed two years ago to test his theory that Bolivar was murdered.

Bolivar liberated several South American countries from Spain

In a ceremony to mark the 229th anniversary of Bolivar's birth, senior government officials and military commanders clapped as Chávez and a group of school children unveiled the new image, which was based on scans of Bolivar's skull.

The populist leader reveres Bolivar - he renamed the country the “Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela” - and has wrapped his leftist “revolution” in the imagery and language of the region's battle to break free of colonial power Spain.

“He was a true giant of the human cause, the human battle ... this is his face,” Chávez said, sitting below two giant prints of a life-like depiction of a distinguished-looking Bolivar boasting a gold-braided uniform and prominent sideburns.

“Now we know with precision and receive with infinite intensity the luminous presence of this gaze, this living face.”

The president, who is seeking a new six-year term in an Oct. 7 election, also tweeted a link to the image from a mobile phone on his account.

Chávez, in his fight against the “Yankee imperialism” of the United States, repeatedly invokes Bolivar, who is second only to Jesus as a figure of reverence in parts of South America.

Chávez normally gives televised speeches in front of large paintings of Bolivar, a brilliant Venezuelan soldier and military tactician who freed much of South America from centuries of Spanish rule. Chavez ordered a striking new mausoleum built for Bolivar's remains, which will be finished soon.

On Tuesday, he also held aloft two ornate antique pistols for the cameras, saying they had belonged to his hero.
 

9 comments Feed

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1 Bongo (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 12:50 am Report abuse
Clever science, though I presume they got his hairstyle and eye colour from a portrait?

Was Bolivar murdered?
2 PirateLove (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 12:57 am Report abuse
Hes no hero, thats gino he runs our takeaway.
3 Yomp to victory (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 09:04 am Report abuse
“Bolivar, who is second only to Jesus as a figure of reverence in parts of South America”

The fact that these people even revere Jesus tells you all you need to know about their intellectual capacity. Talk about living in the dark ages.
4 cornishair (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 01:29 pm Report abuse
Bolivar was a conservative republican, why out earth the left-wing hero worship?.
5 Ozgood (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 04:17 pm Report abuse
If he was murdered, does this surprise anyone?

Remember it's quite likely that Napoleeon was murdered/poisoned by the Brits
6 Condorito (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 06:03 pm Report abuse
Chavez’s idolisation of Bolivar always makes me laugh.

Bolivar, backed by the Creole elite, British mercenaries and tacitly supported by the British government, delivered Venezuela to British and American capitalism.

Well, at least he might share his end...do die lonely, disillusioned and ill in a foreign land.
7 British_Kirchnerist (#) Jul 25th, 2012 - 11:30 pm Report abuse
#3 A lot of people still revere Jesus, all Christians and all Muslims making up the majority of humanity for a start, I think its you who is showing ignorance

#6 “Well, at least he might share his end...do die lonely, disillusioned and ill in a foreign land”

Keep dreaming
8 Truth_Telling_Troll (#) Jul 26th, 2012 - 04:27 am Report abuse
@3

What's your problem with US-Americans? AKA Jesusland?
9 Yomp to victory (#) Jul 26th, 2012 - 08:18 am Report abuse
@7 British_Kirchnerist

You are free to think what you like, but it is clear to anyone with an ounce of common-sense that is you who is demonstrating their pig-ignorance .. especially as Christians and Muslims demonstrably do NOT make up the majority of humanity.

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