Chávez Undefeated: “A Song to Bolivar”

Published at: 17/12/2025 09:08 PM

During the ceremony commemorating the 177 anniversary of the death of the Liberator Simon Bolivar, held in the National Pantheon, Commander Hugo Chávez read the poem A Song to Bolivar, by Pablo Neruda, as part of the official activity dedicated to paying homage to the figure of the Father of the Fatherland.

The leader explained that he had known the poem for years, but decided to read it to avoid inaccuracies and highlight the historical force captured by Neruda. He emphasized that the Chilean poet managed to condense in these verses the living presence of Bolivar in the memory of the Peoples and in the struggles that marked the continent.

“Neruda, the great poet, collected this song from the history and soul of the Peoples as many other poets picked it up, have collected it, like many other minstrels and singers, because the imprint of Bolivar lives, Bolívar is alive, became a people; whoever wants to see his mark, look out and see well; whoever wants to hear his gallop, let himself go”, he said on December 17, 2007.

Chávez stressed that Neruda's work reflects the persistent imprint of the Liberator, whom he described as a figure who “became a people” and whose presence remains in the collective consciousness. He recalled that the poem was part of Che Guevara's personal anthology, who kept it with him until his death in combat.

During the reading, the Commander highlighted the passages in which Neruda relates the Bolivarian heritage to the resistance, freedom and historical continuity of the Peoples of America. He also mentioned the image of the Liberator as a guide in times of adversity and as a symbol of continental unity.

Mazo News Team