 Today marks the 7th anniversary of the passing of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president from 1999 to 2013, a leader who left an indelible mark not just on Venezuela, but on the entire world. But Chavez was much more than a president. He was a teacher, a philosopher, a person who was always on the side of the oppressed. He had an amazing capacity for empathy and an unquenchable thirst for learning. He wasn't born with his positions against empire, against capitalism, against patriarchy, against racism, and in favor of campesinax the indigenous, the poor and other social struggles. He developed these positions by listening to the oppressed and affected communities and then he turned around and explained what he had learned to a nation of millions. Those of us in Venezuela who actually listened to Chavez learned from him and became better people as a result. Chavez started an irreversible revolutionary transformation, but to many Venezuelans he was even more than that. He was a father, a friend, who made the poor visible, who dignified the elderly, people with disabilities and children. Do you know that he declared himself a feminist president? Since the beginning of his monumental political work, Chavez gave women a center role in the transformation of Venezuela. And we can see this today in times of great complexity and sacrifice, where Venezuelan women continue to their role as a historic vanguard in the unconditional defense of Venezuelan sovereignty and independence. The world is also a better place thanks to Chavez. He was a strong advocate for social justice and was the voice of the poor around the world. He wasn't afraid to speak truths to power. In fact, he was a key spoke person against the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, claiming that you cannot fight terrorism with more terror. Despite constant attacks from Washington, Chavez displayed a sense of solidarity to US citizens who could not afford heating oil in the winter or rely on the support of their own government or corporate social responsibility. He dreamed and encouraged us to believe in world peace and built it. He promoted a multi-polar world and exchanges among peoples based on cooperation and solidarity. People around the world are still inspired by Chavez's leadership. We are. I am. Martin Luther King is my leader. You know, he said once, he said, I have a dream. His dream. Martin Luther King's dream. It's your dream. It's our dream. It's my dream.