Venezuela hails late president with new font

Ruling party declares Chavez its 'eternal leader' as nation marks his 60th birthday

Supporters of Venezuela's late president Hugo Chavez on Monday unveiled yet another novel way of keeping his memory alive - a font for typing in "El Comandante's" handwriting style.

The distinctive "ChavezPro" font was launched by a group of young people to coincide with nationwide commemorations of the 60th anniversary of his birth.

Chavez's bold scrawl became well known to Venezuelans as he used to spend hours on national TV writing and drawing on boards and papers to explain policies, develop ideas and sign deals.

His signature, in red for socialism, adorns T-shirts, baseball caps and the walls of buildings around the nation.

The new font can be downloaded for free from the "Creative Trench" group's website (www.trincheracreativa.com).

It used letters written by Chavez while he was in jail for a failed 1992 coup attempt to digitalize his handwriting.

"The best present!" enthused one 'Chavista' via Twitter. "The typography of the giant!"

Images of Chavez's eyes, face and clenched fist are stenciled and reproduced all over Venezuela.

Recordings of his voice also thunder out at government rallies, singing the national anthem or telling the people: "You are all Chavez!"

Fireworks at midnight marked the beginning of Monday's commemorations being led by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with some foreign leaders in tow prior to a summit of South American bloc Mercosur.

At the weekend, Venezuela's ruling United Socialist Party held its first congress without Chavez, naming him its "eternal leader" while also voting Maduro as new party president.

Later, Maduro led a ceremony in Chavez's rural hometown of Sabaneta in the Venezuelan plains where he was born.

Hailing him as a "prophet who came to change our history", Maduro said that activities during the day across the country served to ratify the huge commitment that millions have to Chavez.

Maduro said the legacy of Chavez's Bolivarian Revolution would continue to ensure peace, prosperity and welfare in Latin America.

The Bolivarian Revolution seeks to implement popular democracy, economic independence and an end to political corruption in Venezuela.

Maduro condemned the US government for its attempt to overthrow the Bolivarian revolutionary project.

"Nothing and nobody are going to blackmail us. Our conduct is in favor of our independence," said Maduro.

"We'll never forget the ideals Commander Chavez taught us. We are heirs of his struggle," he added.

Reuters-Xinhua

(China Daily 07/30/2014 page10)