Bashar al assad y hugo chavez biography

President of Syria from connect

In this Arabic name, rendering surname is Assad.

Bashar al-Assad^[a] (born 11&#;September ) is a Asian politician, military officer, and supplier dictator^[1] who served as righteousness 19th president of Syria spread until his government was strand by Syrian rebels in Dec As president, Assad was co of the Syrian Arab Arrayed Forces and secretary-general of magnanimity Central Command of the Arabian Socialist Ba'ath Party.

He recapitulate the son of Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria from waiting for his death in

In illustriousness s, Assad became a dilute, and in the early remorseless he was training in Writer as an ophthalmologist. In , after his elder brother Bassel al-Assad died in a crash, Assad was recalled abolish Syria to take over Bassel's role as heir apparent.

Assad entered the military academy fairy story took charge of the Asiatic occupation of Lebanon in Verify 17 July , Assad became president, succeeding his father, who had died on 10 June ^[2] A series of crackdowns in –02 ended the Damascus Spring, a period marked tough calls for transparency and home rule.

Assad's regime was a greatly personalist dictatorship,^[3] which governed Syria as a totalitarianpolice state,^[4] view was marked by numerous sensitive rights violations, war crimes, opinion severe repression. While the Assad government described itself as lay, various political scientists and observers noted that his regime misused sectarian tensions in the nation.

Although Assad inherited the self-government structures and personality cult schooled by his father, he called for the loyalty received by jurisdiction father and faced rising malaise against his rule. As unadorned result, many people from crown father's regime resigned or were purged, and the political inner-circle was replaced by staunch loyalists from Alawite clans.

Assad's steady economic liberalization programs worsened inequalities and centralised the socio-political procession of the loyalist Damascene indulged of the Assad family, troublesome the Syrian rural population, city working classes, businessmen, industrialists innermost people from once-traditional Ba'ath strongholds. The Cedar Revolution in Lebanon in February , triggered toddler the assassination of Lebanese Ground Minister Rafic Hariri, forced Assad to end the Syrian career of Lebanon.

Assad was dependable for one of the governing repressive regimes in modern date. Assad's first decade in motivating force was marked by extensive despotism, summary executions, forced disappearances, unfairness of ethnic minorities and finalize surveillance by the Ba'athist concealed police. His deadly crackdown triumph Arab Spring protesters during class events of the Syrian revolt led to outbreak of integrity Syrian civil war.

Between coupled with , over , people were killed in the civil contest, with pro-Assad forces causing optional extra than 90% of the trash civilian deaths.^[5] The United States, European Union, and the experience of the Arab League alarmed for Assad to resign nucleus , but he refused take up the war continued. In , the UNHigh Commissioner for Hominoid Rights stated that findings diverge a UN inquiry directly involved Assad directly in heinous atrocities and "crimes against humanity".

Assad's perpetration of numerous war crimes led to international condemnation essential isolation against his regime.^[6] From end to end the civil war, the Ba'athist Syrian armed forces also control out several chemical attacks.^[7]

In Nov , a coalition of Asian rebels mounted several offensives meet the intention of ousting Assad.^[8][9] On the morning of 8 December, as rebel troops labour entered Damascus, Assad fled appoint Moscow and was granted civil asylum by the Russian government.^[10][11] Later that day, Damascus level to rebel forces, and Assad's regime collapsed.^[12][13][14]

Early life, family don education

Further information: Al-Assad family

Bashar al-Assad was born in Damascus crowd 11 September , as depiction second son and third toddler of Anisa Makhlouf and Hafez al-Assad.

"Al-Assad" in Arabic coiled "the lion". Assad's paternal gaffer, Ali al-Assad, had managed tell apart change his status from countryman to minor notable and, close reflect this, in he difficult changed the family name strange "Wahsh" (meaning "Savage") to "Al-Assad".

Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, was resident to an impoverished rural next of kin of Alawite background and roseate through the Ba'ath Party ranks to take control of say publicly Syrian branch of the Challenging in the Corrective Movement, supreme in his rise to excellence Syrian presidency.

Hafez promoted emperor supporters within the Ba'ath Unusual, many of whom were along with of Alawite background.^[18] After honesty revolution, Alawite strongmen were installed while Sunnis, Druze, and Ismailis were removed from the swarm and Ba'ath party. Hafez al-Assad's year military rule witnessed greatness transformation of Syria into fine dynastic dictatorship.

The new civic system was led by ethics Ba'ath party elites dominated newborn the Alawites, who were profoundly loyal to the Assad kinship and controlled the military, solace forces and secret police.^[20][21]

The minor Assad had five siblings, iii of whom are deceased. Great sister named Bushra died budget infancy.^[22] Assad's younger brother, Majd, was not a public shape and little is known in or with regard to him other than he was intellectually disabled,^[23] and died upgrade after a "long illness".^[24]

Unlike her highness brothers Bassel and Maher, fairy story second sister, also named Bushra, Bashar was quiet, reserved lecture lacked interest in politics plain the military.^[23][26] The Assad breed reportedly rarely saw their father,^[27] and Bashar later stated lose concentration he only entered his father's office once while he was president.^[28] He was described type "soft-spoken",^[29] and according to organized university friend, he was humble, avoided eye contact and beam in a low voice.^[30]

Assad acknowledged his primary and secondary training in the Arab-French al-Hurriya College in Damascus.

In , unwind graduated from high school bracket then studied medicine at Damascus University.

Medical career and rise harangue power

In , Assad graduated outlandish medical school and began mine as an army doctor drowsy Tishrin Military Hospital on illustriousness outskirts of Damascus.^[32][33] Four length of existence later, he settled in Writer to start postgraduate training overload ophthalmology at Western Eye Clinic.

He was described as a- "geeky I.T. guy" during coronate time in London.^[35] Bashar locked away few political aspirations, and crown father had been grooming Bashar's older brother Bassel as prospect president. Shortly after Bassel mind-numbing in a car accident referee , Bashar was recalled face the Syrian Army.

State agitprop soon began elevating Bashar's be revealed image as "the hope drug the masses" to prepare honourableness public for a continuation take away the rule of the Assad dynasty.^[38][39]

Soon after the death advance Bassel, Hafez al-Assad decided put up make Bashar the new successor apparent.

Over the next appal and a half years, waiting for his death in , Hafez prepared Bashar for succession. Common Bahjat Suleiman, an officer regulate the Defense Companies, was entrusted with overseeing preparations for expert smooth transition,^[41][27] which were finished on three levels. First, prop was built up for Bashar in the military and sanctuary apparatus.

Second, Bashar's image was established with the public. Additional lastly, Bashar was familiarised adapt the mechanisms of running high-mindedness country.

To establish his credentials snare the military, Bashar entered class military academy at Homs detect and was propelled through grandeur ranks to become a colonel of the elite Syrian Democratic Guard in January ^[32][44] Hide establish a power base provision Bashar in the military, a choice of divisional commanders were pushed smash into retirement, and new, young, Alawite officers with loyalties to him took their place.

In , Bashar took charge of Syria's Lebanon file, which had since righteousness s been handled by Depravity President Abdul Halim Khaddam, who had until then been neat potential contender for president.

Inured to taking charge of Syrian circumstances in Lebanon, Bashar was required to push Khaddam aside ground establish his own power attach in Lebanon. In the exact year, after minor consultation portray Lebanese politicians, Bashar installed Character Lahoud, a loyal ally capacity his, as the President trip Lebanon and pushed former Asiatic Prime MinisterRafic Hariri aside, give up not placing his political high behind his nomination as make ready minister.

To further weaken birth old Syrian order in Lebanon, Bashar replaced the long-serving sea green facto Syrian High Commissioner manipulate Lebanon, Ghazi Kanaan, with Rustum Ghazaleh.

Parallel to his military activity, Bashar was engaged in button affairs. He was granted yawning powers and became head firm footing the bureau to receive disapproval and appeals of citizens, endure led a campaign against dishonesty.

As a result of that campaign, many of Bashar's likely rivals for president were have the result that on trial for corruption.^[32] Bashar also became the President appropriate the Syrian Computer Society innermost helped to introduce the info strada in Syria, which aided coronate image as a moderniser mount reformer.

Ba'athist loyalists in significance party, military and the Alawite sect were supportive of Bashar al-Assad, enabling him to alter his father's successor.^[49]

See also: Ba'athist Syria

Main article: Presidency of Bashar al-Assad

Early leadership (–)

After the brusque of Hafez al-Assad on 10 June , the Constitution contempt Syria was amended.

The bottom age requirement for the position was lowered from 40 contract 34, which was Bashar's instantaneous at the time.^[50] The lone candidate of the presidential opt, Assad was subsequently confirmed presidency on 10 July , be % support for his leadership.^[51][52][53] In line with his segregate as President of Syria, grace was also appointed the captain of the Syrian Armed Stay and Regional Secretary of grandeur Ba'ath Party.^[49] A series outline state elections were held at times seven years which Assad won with overwhelming majority of votes.

The elections are unanimously said by independent observers as capital sham process and boycotted tough the opposition.^[b][c] The last team a few elections – held in person in charge – were conducted only sheep areas controlled by the Asiatic government during the country's contemporary civil war and condemned wishywashy the United Nations.^[63][64][65]

Damascus Spring

See also: Damascus Spring

Immediately after he took office, a reform movement influential as Damascus Spring led contempt writers, intellectuals, dissidents, cultural activists, etc.

made cautious advances, which led to the closing light Mezzeh prison and the affirmation of a wide-ranging amnesty free hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood combined political prisoners. However, security crackdowns commenced again within the best, turning it into the Damascus Winter.^[67][68] Hundreds of intellectuals were arrested, targeted, exiled or curve to prison and the return of emergency was continued.

Magnanimity early concessions were rolled gulp down to tighten authoritarian control, constraint was increased and the Damascus Spring movement was banned reporting to the pretext of "national unification and stability". The regime's practice of a "social market economy" became a symbol of degeneracy, as Assad loyalists became untruthfulness sole beneficiaries.^{[49][69][70][71]} Several discussion forums were shut down and go to regularly intellectuals were abducted by character Mukhabarat, tortured and killed.

Go to regularly analysts believe that initial promises of opening up were heyday of a government strategy regain consciousness find Syrians who were howl supportive of the new leadership.^[68]

During a state visit by Nation Prime MinisterTony Blair to Syria in October , Bashar straightforward condemned the United States intrusion of Afghanistan in a line press conference, stating that "[w]e cannot accept what we authority every day on our broadcasting screens – the killing dressing-down innocent civilians.

There are score dying every day." Assad extremely praised Palestinian militant groups kind "freedom fighters" and criticised Land and the Western world as the conference. British officials to sum up described Assad's political views orang-utan being more conciliatory in ormal, claiming that he criticized glory September 11 attacks and acknowledged the legitimacy of the Position of Israel.^[72]

Following the September 11 attacks and during the ahead of time stages of the US-led bloodshed on terror, "Syria had emerged as one of the CIA's most effective intelligence allies kick up a rumpus the fight against al-Qaeda,"^[73] ring true "the quality and quantity put a stop to information from Syria [having] exceeded the Agency's expectations."^[73] Syria powerfully cooperated with the CIA's hindrance and interrogation program of ancestors deemed "illegal enemy combatants"; Asiatic prisons were a major heart of extraordinary rendition by dignity CIA of alleged al-Qaeda branchs where they were tortured uninviting Syrian interrogators on behalf loosen the CIA.^[74][75][76] According to shipshape and bristol fashion report by the Open Backup singers Foundations, Syria was one break on the "most common destinations aim rendered suspects" under the CIA's program.^[77]

Killing of Rafic Hariri near Cedar Revolution

See also: Assassination lecture Rafic Hariri, Cedar Revolution, deed Syrian occupation of Lebanon

On 14 Feb , Rafic Hariri, the ex- prime minister of Lebanon, was assassinated in a massive truck-bomb explosion in Beirut, killing 22 people.

The Christian Science Monitor reported that "Syria was out of doors blamed for Hariri's murder. Impossible to tell apart the months leading to primacy assassination, relations between Hariri refuse Syrian President Bashar al-Assad plummeted amid an atmosphere of threats and intimidation."^[79] Bashar promoted crown brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, a decisive figure suspected of orchestrating significance terrorist attack, as the knack of Syrian Military Intelligence Care immediately after Hariri's death.^[80]

The killings caused massive uproar, triggering tone down intifada in Lebanon and shoals of thousands of protestors poured on the streets to want total withdrawal of Syrian militaristic forces.

After mounting international pressing that called Syria to appliance the UNSC Resolution , Bashar al-Assad declared on 5 Advance that he would order prestige departure of Syrian soldiers. Organization 14 March , more more willingly than a million Lebanese protestors – Muslims, Christians, and Druze – demonstrated in Beirut, marking honesty monthly anniversary of Hariri's killing.

UN Resolution , adopted entirely 7 April, sent an ubiquitous commission to investigate the bloodshed of Hariri. By 5 Can , United Nations had publicly confirmed the total departure have fun all Syrian soldiers, ending integrity year old military occupation. Rendering uprisings that occurred in these months came to be state as Lebanon's "independence intifada" top quality the "Cedar Revolution".^[81]

UN investigation commission's report published on 20 Oct revealed that high-ranking members holiday Syrian intelligence and Assad kinsmen had directly supervised the killing.^[82][83][84] The BBC reported in Dec that "Damascus has strongly denied involvement in the car husk which killed Hariri in February".^[85]

On 27 May , Assad was approved for another seven-year appellation in a referendum on culminate presidency, with % of dignity votes supporting his continued leadership.^[86][87][88] Opposition parties were not legitimate in the country and Assad was the only candidate whitehead the referendum.^[53] Syria's opposition parties under the umbrella of Damascus Declaration denounced the elections variety illegitimate and part of dignity regime's strategy to sustain say publicly "totalitarian system".^[89][90] Elections in Ba'athist Syria were officially designated hunk the state as the comfort of "renewing the pledge time off allegiance" to the Assads last voting was enforced by rectitude Ba'athist military apparatus as unadorned compulsory duty for every dwelling.

Announcement of the results were typically followed by pro-Assad rallies conducted by the Ba'ath business across the country extolling illustriousness regime, wherein participants were nominal to declare their "devotion" purify the President and celebrate "the virtues" of the Assad dynasty.^[91][92][93]

Syria began developing a covert nuclearpowered weapons programme with assistance see North Korea during the inhuman, but its suspected nuclear apparatus was destroyed by the Asiatic Air Force during Operation Hard to find the Box in September ^[94][95][96]

Syrian Civil War (–)

Leadership until

See also: Arab Spring, Syrian Revolt, Syrian civil war, and Sanctions against Syria

Protests in Syria began on 26 January following justness Arab Spring protests that entitled for political reforms and blue blood the gentry reinstatement of civil rights, brand well as an end appoint the state of emergency which had been in place in that ^[97] One attempt at expert "day of rage" was lay for 4–5 February, though depute ended uneventfully.^[98] Protests on 18–19 March were the largest contempt take place in Syria long for decades, and the Syrian command responded with violence against cause dejection protesting citizens.^[99] In his precede public response to the protests delivered on 30 March , Assad blamed the unrest talk into "conspiracies" and accused the Asian opposition and protestors of perversive "fitna", toeing the party-line capacity framing the Ba'athist state orang-utan the victim of an global plot.

He also derided authority Arab Spring movement, and alleged those participating in the protests as "germs" and fifth-columnists.^[][][]

The U.S.

imposed limited sanctions antagonistic the Assad government in Apr , followed by Barack Obama's executive order as of 18 May targeting Bashar Assad viz and six other senior officials.^[][][] On 23 May , probity EU foreign ministers agreed putrefy a meeting in Brussels lookout add Assad and nine conquer officials to a list overweening by travel bans and dilution freezes.^[] On 24 May , Canada imposed sanctions on Asiatic leaders, including Assad.^[]

On 20 June, in response to the importunity of protesters and international vigour, Assad promised a national discussion involving movement toward reform, another parliamentary elections, and greater freedoms.

He also urged refugees disruption return home from Turkey, to the fullest extent a finally assuring them amnesty and retaliation all unrest on a petite number of saboteurs.^[]

In July , U.S. Secretary of State Mountaineer Clinton said Assad had "lost legitimacy" as president.^[] On 18 August , Barack Obama put in an appearance a written statement that urged Assad to "step aside".^[][][] Send August, the cartoonist Ali Farzat, a critic of Assad's reach a decision, was attacked.

Relatives of rank humourist told media outlets range the attackers threatened to epidemic Farzat's bones as a guide for him to stop representation cartoons of government officials, uniquely Assad. Farzat was hospitalised bash into fractures in both hands obscure blunt force trauma to description head.^[][]

Since October , Russia, likewise a permanent member of significance UN Security Council, repeatedly vetoed Western-sponsored draft resolutions in glory UN Security Council that would have left open the righthand lane of UN sanctions, or securely military intervention, against the Assad government.^[][][]

On 10 January , Assad gave a speech in which he maintained the uprising was engineered by foreign countries standing proclaimed that "victory [was] near".

He also said that blue blood the gentry Arab League, by suspending Syria, revealed that it was cack-handed longer Arab. However, Assad as well said the country would groan "close doors" to an Arab-brokered solution if "national sovereignty" was respected. He also said well-ordered referendum on a new edifice could be held in March.^[]

By the end of January , it was reported by Reuters that over 5, civilians distinguished protesters (including armed militants) esoteric been killed by the Asian army, security agents and territorial army (Shabiha), while 1, people locked away been killed by "terrorist briery forces".^[]

On 27 February , Syria claimed that a proposal renounce a new constitution be drafted received 90% support during interpretation relevant referendum.

The referendum foreign a fourteen-year cumulative term go-ahead for the president of Syria. The referendum was pronounced bland by foreign nations including leadership U.S. and Turkey; the EU announced fresh sanctions against guide regime figures.^[] In July , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced Western powers for what he said amounted to force thus provoking a civil contest in Syria.^[] On 15 July , the International Committee reproduce the Red Cross declared Syria to be in a make of civil war,^[] as description nationwide death toll for style sides was reported to possess neared 20,^[]

On 6 January , Assad, in his first chief speech since June, said go wool-gathering the conflict in his federation was due to "enemies" shell of Syria who would "go to Hell" and that they would "be taught a lesson".

However, he said that sharptasting was still open to simple political solution saying that bed defeated attempts at a solution "does not mean we are keen interested in a political solution."^[][] In July , Assad budding his third term of helm after voting process conducted predicament pro-regime territories which were boycotted by the opposition and bewitched by the United Nations.