Jesse Jackson At Chavez's Funeral: 'Champion' Who Fed Hungry, Lifted Poor, Helped People Rev. Jesse Jackson in Venezuela on Friday at the funeral of President Hugo Chavez “Hugo fed the hungry,” Jackson added. “He lifted the poor. He raised their hopes. He helped them realize their dreams. And, so, today we do mourn, because we’ve lost a lot. But we have a lot left – a stable government, an orderly transition.”