Today marks the one-year anniversary of the death of the late socialist leader and political trailblazer Hugo Chávez, who died of cancer at age 58.

In the aftermath of Chávez's reign and amid this tumultuous time of political unrest in Venezuela, many are reflecting on the past, praying for peace and economic stability and mourning the loss of 18 anti-government protesters. This has left the country in a deflated state of bewilderment, sadness and anxiousness as to what the next chapter will bring. 

Say what you will, but the former Venezuelan president was a passionate force to be reckoned with and a prominent figure in history who has left his mark not only on his native Venezuela, but the rest of South America, Cuba, and the rest of the world. Many are still reeling from his loss and believe that life was "better" during his presidency compared to the country's current state.

Chávez was loved most by the "Chavistas," the poor citizens in Venezuela, who he made it his mission to rally for, and he sought advice and mentorship with his longtime confidant, former Cuban President Fidel Castro. (This morning, Fidel's brother and successor, Raúl Castro visited Venezuela to pay his respects.)

"Chavez enjoyed high popularity throughout his 14-year rule, winning a dozen national elections thanks to his charisma, humble roots that appealed to the poor, and liberal use of the OPEC nation's oil revenues to finance slum welfare programs," Reuters reports.

Chávez even left an impression on Hollywood -- his pals and supporters were actors Sean Penn, who sad he was "one of the most important forces we've has on the planet," as well as Danny Glover and director Oliver Stone. 

There have also been pro-government marches, BBC News adds, during which thousands of people have expressed their support for Maduro, whom they describe as Chávez's "son" and "heir."

According to his obit, "Chavez increased government spending on education and agriculture and instituted policies to increase literacy, access to healthcare and food and reduce poverty. He organized massive cooperatives that aimed to be self-sufficient communities.

"He granted rights to indigenous peoples and Afro-Venezuelans and bolstered women's rights, but independent human rights organizations accused him of persecuting political opponents.

"On the international stage, Chavez was known as a bombastic speaker, and he was lauded, particularly in the developing world, for standing up to the economic and military powerhouse of the United States. He flatly opposed the capitalist foundations of Western economic policy, a feat made possible by Venezuela's vast oil reserves, the largest in the world."

Not everyone was a fan of Chávez, many despised him as well. Many considered him "dictatorial" and accused him of "championing the poor at the expense of Venezuela's middle class." With that said, the lives of the poor did improve during his presidency, but the middle class indeed suffered alarmingly high inflation rates and huge increases in crime, particularly in urban areas.

Since Chávez's death, the passing of the torch went onto his protégé, President Nicolás Maduro, 51, who narrowly won the election in 2013, and also broke the news that Chávez had succumb to cancer to "a shell-shocked nation" on March 5 last year." Maduro has made preserving Chávez's controversial legacy the guiding force of his presidency despite opposition from about half of Venezuelans, Reuters adds.

Despite the political upheaval, Maduro encouraged his people to enjoy Carnival, and he presided over a military parade in Caracas on Wednesday, followed by a ceremony at the military headquarters where the former leader was buried. Also expected in attendance is Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, and Bolivia's Evo Morales.

"Maduro tries to sell himself as the heir to Chavez, but he is just a bad copy," opposition leader Henrique Capriles said in an interview. "What we see now are the desperate kicks of the drowning man, who's trying to appeal constantly to sentiment over Chavez to justify the failure of his own government."

Students who are at the forefront of the movement have been especially affected as the Internet was blacked out and apps were censored.

"The principal reason is that we, the students, are tired," explains Albany Alvarado, a student at the Universidad Santa Maria in Caracas, to Latin Post. "We are tired of the government trampling and repressing our own future. There is a shortage of products like flour, chicken, milk, and sugar. Even today the supermarket remains empty." 

Many claim life was "better" under Chávez's presidency, but the younger generations have grown increasingly hardened. Some were reportedly carrying better-quality gas masks, flinging stones, preparing gasoline bombs and stringing wires across the main avenue to block police motorbikes -- and as a result, officers had to spray teargas.

"They're celebrating the anniversary of a tyrant. We have to resist!" said Aquiles Aldazo, 18, spraying the word "Resistance" on a wall.

Chris Arsenault, a journalist for Al Jazeera English, who is currently reporting from Caracas, Venezuela held a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) to further delve into the current state of Venezuela.

"With the world's largest proven oil reserves, there are billions of dollars at stake in Venezuela's ongoing turmoil. Supporters of President Nicolas Maduro's government say their lives have improved since the socialists won their first election in 1998 -- but opponents of the government have been demonstrating since February over violent crime, massive inflation, corruption and what they consider to be government repression," he summed up.

Food Shortages:

Many are shocked as to why there would be food shortages in a wealthy country like Venezuela.

"It is indeed a bizarre situation. I did an investigation of this a few days ago and fundamentally, the main issue relates to the currency. Venezuela depends on imports for 95 percent of what people consume. Importers can't access US dollars easily, as the supply of currency is controlled by the state," Arsenault explained.

"For basic products produced in Venezuela, including Harina P.A.N. (Arena Pan -- corn flour used in Arepas, the national dish) the government has price controls. This has led to companies producing less -- especially when they have trouble accessing machine parts or raw materials because of currency problems. The controls have led to a thriving black market, where traders are selling basic goods at prices far higher than the controlled rate.

"Hoarding, as the government constantly reminds the population, is indeed an issue. But you don't see hoarding in Brazil or Colombia. Fundamentally, the government has tried to impose its will on the laws of supply and demand and failed quite miserably."

Corruption:

How present is corruption in the Venezuelan society as opposed to other Latin American countries?

"Corruption here is major -- far worse than Brazil or Chile for example," he explained. "My own view is that oil producing countries are often particularly vulnerable to corruption and anecdotally I believe it has gotten worse during the socialist period. The mix of high oil prices and government regulation and most of all the currency controls has led to an explosion in the black market. Living on the official exchange rate (11.3 Bolivars to the US dollar) this is probably the most expensive place I have ever worked. On the black market rate 80 bolivars to the dollar, it's very cheap. Currency controls are essentially a license to print money for senior government officials.

"Doing basic transactions in huge wads of cash isn't something I have seen anywhere else in Latin America in the normal economy (the drug trade notwithstanding of course). This sort of economic climate breeds corruption."

Mood Since Chavez's Leadership:

From Arsenault's take, how has the mood of the country changed since the change in leadership from Chávez?

"It's very hard to get too excited about Nicolas Maduro's leadership. And the feeling of things getting worse is more pervasive, especially given the economic situation. For all of his faults, Chavez was a larger than life figure, someone who radiated charisma and had a real connection to the poor.

"Within the socialist party, Maduro was seen as a "yes man". He is not viewed as a particularly tactile politician. Supporters of the socialists will say "Maduro is the son of Chavez so we support him" but it doesn't seem like there is a lot of passion about his leadership or where he has taken the country. The mood has certainly worsened. On the streets, there is a feeling of stagnation and decay in many (though certainly not all) neighborhoods."

Click here for a full obit on Chávez.