Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad mourned the passing of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, who died Tuesday after a long and mysterious battle with cancer.
However, Ahmadinejad did not mourn for long, stating Wednesday, “I have no doubt that he will return, along with the righteous Jesus and the perfect human.” The perfect human, according to the Hurriyet Daily News , is a reference to Shiite Islam’s 12th imam , who is believed to return with Christ.
Ahmadinejad added that Chávez, Jesus, and Imam Mahdi, will come back to earth on resurrection day to help “establish peace, justice, and kindness” in the world. He declared Wednesday a day of mourning for Chávez, and said he believed something suspicious caused his cancer.
According to The Guardian , the claim is one that is held by Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who said that C havez died of a “suspect illness. ” Maduro, however, believed that Chávez’s death was similar to that of Yassir Arafat , the chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, whom many believe was poisoned by Israel.
Chávez made 13 visits to Iran between 1999 and his death. Ahmadinejad made six visits to Venezuela since 2005, according to Algemeiner.
Many heralded Hugo Chávez as a hero and martyr following his death. Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador and a close ally to Chávez, said, “We have lost a revolutionary, but millions of us remain inspired.”
Similarly, Bolivian president Evo Morales said, “Chávez is more alive than ever … Chávez will continue to be an inspiration for all peoples who fight for their liberation.”
In Cuba, Raúl Castro’s government declared two days of national mourning and order the flag to fly at half-mast. In Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner declared three days of mourning.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Hugo Chávez’s health had been declining since 2011 , when cancer was first detected in his pelvic region. Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said prior to Chávez’s death that there was a “worsening of his respiratory function” which caused a “new, severe infection.”
Chávez traveled to Havana in November for a form of cancer treatment called “hyperbaric oxygenation.” The treatment involves breathing pure oxygen while remaining in a sealed, pressurized chamber. The treatment is believed to aid in healing wounds and repairing bone and tissue damage caused by radiation treatments. It is also thought to treat carbon monoxide poisoning and burns. The American Cancer Society, however, said there was no evidence that the treatment could cure cancer.
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