(CNN) -- A few hours before he announced the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Vice President Nicolas Maduro repeated the claim that Chavez's fatal illness was caused by outsiders, and he labeled the opposition the "enemy of the nation." With that, he gave voice to one of the principal legacies of the Chavez era, one of divisiveness and scapegoating. The Chavez legacy, however, includes much more than animosity between rich and poor, between left and right. Chavez played a pivotal role in bringing the plight of Latin America's impoverished people to the top of the political agenda. It was as if the former paratrooper grabbed a continent by the lapels and shouted "You must fight against poverty!" And the continent listened.
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Frida Ghitis: Hugo Chavez played key role in focusing attention on the poor
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She says in the process of helping the poor, he undermined his nation's democracy
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Chavez hurt his cause with his cartoonish attacks on the U.S., she says
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Ghitis: Human Rights Watch documented erosion of freedoms in Venezuela
Other Latin American presidents have imitated @placeholder populist undemocratic style, intimidating opponents, restricting the media and subverting the judiciary.