The book Hugo Chávez, Mi Primera Vida (Hugo Chávez, My First Life), by writer and journalist, Ignacio Ramonet, was launched by the author in Havana’s José Martí Memorial.

The presentation took place on the occasion of Cuba’s homage to the late Venezuelan leader’s 60th birthday. Who was Hugo Chávez before becoming a universally known figure? How were his childhood and formative years? How did he begin in politics? What and who were his first readings and influences? What was his geopolitical vision? Those are some of the questions that the volume answers.

In 700 pages, the book tells the story of Hugo Chávez Frías since he was born until he won the country’s elections and became Venezuela’s President in 1998. It took the author three years and nearly 200 hours of conversation with the leader to write the volume, which features an extremely human Chávez, the same person who during 14 years in the presidency not only changed his country’s history but that of Latin America.