Photos: Hugo Chávez, from military commander to the people’s president

Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan president who had battled with cancer for almost two years, died on Tuesday at age 58. Information released in the past few days had revealed the severity of Chávez’s condition, which led to thousands of Venezuelans praying for their president’s health.

These photos capture Chávez as he became Venezuela’s president overnight in 1999. Seven years before, Chávez had tried to overthrow the Venezuelan government—and failed. Until the end, Chávez remained positive with “trust” in Jesus and his people.