Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013), commonly known as Hugo Chavez, was a  Venezuelan politician who was President of Venezuela from 1999 to 2013. He was also leader of the Fifth Republic Movement from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when it merged with several other parties to form the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), which he led until 2012.