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Venezuela, 2/1/07
Key Lecture Points:
• In December 2006, controversial Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was elected to a third term by a margin of 23%. In the short time since his re-election, Chavez has already gone forward with plans to expand what he calls “democratic socialism”. He has begun the process of creating a single party (his) in the legislature, as well as nationalizing media outlets and electricity providers. Meanwhile, in January 2007, the Venezuelan legislature (with Chavez’ party in control) granted him the right to rule by decree.
• In recent years, Chavez has become the center of a growing leftist and anti-American leadership in Central and South America (along with, of course, Fidel Castro of Cuba, as well as Evo Morales of Bolivia, Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and others). Chavez’ rhetoric has focused on President Bush, most notoriously when he referred to Bush as “the devil” when addressing the UN General Assembly in autumn 2006.
• Chavez’ international policies focus on opposition to globalization, including free trade policies championed by the US. Instead, Chavez has attempted to forge alliances with other nations in the Americas to stand against what he refers to as “American Imperialism”. In short, Chavez has taken on the mantel of the champion of the Americas against the perceived threat of the United States, replacing the ailing Fidel Castro as the face of anti-Americanism in the hemisphere. In this regard, Chavez has adopted the symbolism of his Venezuelan predecessor Simon Bolivar, the “Liberator” of much of South America from Spanish Colonial power in the early 19th Century.
• US officials of both parties respond that Chavez has restricted the civil rights in his country, while manipulating the legislature and ballot box to consolidate his power. They argue further that Chavez’ leftist policies of nationalization threaten the economic stability of the region. "We should all be concerned about the direction President Chávez is taking his country," said Democratic Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, "Any leader who tries to tighten his grip on power by destroying the institutions of democracy, curtailing press freedom and using his office to intimidate pro-democracy opponents is setting in motion a dangerous process with potentially ominous consequences."
• At the same time, the US and Venezuela also find themselves increasingly reliant upon one another. Venezuela’s economy is heavily reliant upon its oil production (90% of its export revenue/30% of its GDP), and the US depends upon Venezuela for a ready supply of energy (the US gets 15% of its oil from Venezuela).
For More Information:
• CIA Factbook on Venezuela: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ve.html
• BBC Coverage of Venezuela under Chavez: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/americas/2006/venezuela/default.stm
Books For Further Reading:
• Gott, Richard. Hugo Chavez: The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela. Verso Books, 2005. 192 Pages.
Description: Veteran correspondent Richard Gott places the country's controversial and charismatic president in historical perspective, and examines his plans and programs.
Click here to order.
• Hardy, Charles, Russell, James W. Cowboy in Caracas: A North American’s Memoir of Venezuela’s Democratic Revolution. Curbstone Press, 2007.
Description: Hardy, a former Catholic priest who has lived in Venezuela for the past twenty years and spent eight of those years in a cardboard-and-tin shack in one of Caracas' barrios gives the reader insight into the Venezuelan reality, using an anecdotal presentation drawn from the writer's personal experiences.
Click here to order.
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