Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Dies

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died Tuesday at the age of 58, after a years-long battle with lung cancer.

CNN notes Chavez was a constant foe of the United States, but a polarizing figure among those who supported his leftist values. Chavez came to power in 1999 as the democratically elected president after attempting to overthrow the government years before. He quickly turned Venezuela into a socialist country, and used massive oil profits to fund social programs for the poor.

He was a constant critic of American policy. Chavez had in recent years undergone various forms of cancer treatment, including a surgery in December of 2012.