Hugo Venezuela Research Paper
Venezuela
All That is Shiny is not Oil
President Hugo Chávez Frías passed away on March 5, 2013 after battling an unknown type of cancer, thus ending fourteen years in office as president of Venezuela. In that time, he extended term limits that allowed him to run and win the executive post four times, including surviving one recall. Chávez saw himself as the leader of the “Bolivarian Revolution” and saw
Venezuela as a model for “socialism for the 21st century.” Was he successful in achieving his goals? Results are mixed at best; his critics and supporters vociferous. Western media touted the end of his tyranny and the possibility that Venezuela could once again become a true democracy.
While those in the developing world, specifically …show more content…
Even his misiones programmatic
24
outcomes can be explained away by a general betterment of the world economy, not by anything that Chávez did in particular. What is certainly measurable is the level of oppression he directed at the press and the judicial branch of government and how much he worked to concentrate power into his hands. The irony is that he fought so hard against the legacy of the caudillo system that he became one himself; a “neo-caudillo.”
So now that he has passed, what does that mean for the future of Venezuelan democracy?
Remember that the unsuccessful 1992 coup attempt, Chávez decided to work the democratic process to win the presidency; something he managed to do four times, including surviving an attempted coup and recall election. His Vice-President, Nicolas Maduro, won his seat in April
2013, so at least for the next six years, we will have someone to carry on the Chávez and the
MVR Party’s mission, unless he is overthrown, recalled or other. Originally, the Punto Fijo was a pact between the three dominant parties of the time, the AD, COPEI and URD, and …show more content…
26, No. 3, pp. 291-309.
The Global Competiveness Report 2012-2013. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13.pdf World
Economic Forum. Accessed 8 April 2013.
Grainger, Sarah. (27 February 2011) “Victims of Venezuela 's Caracazo Clashes Reburied’.
London: BBC News Accessed: 19 May 2013
International Human Development Indicators: Venezuela. http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/VEN.html UNDP. Web. Accessed 8 April 2013.
Krauss, Clifford (8 March 2013) “Dwindling Production Has Lead to Lesser Role for Venezuela as a Major Oil Power.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/09/world/americas/venezuelas-role-asoil-power-diminished.html New York: The New York Times. Accessed 19 May 2013.
Lapper, Richard (22 November 2005). “Venezuela and the Rise of Chávez: A Background
Discussion Paper.” New York: Council on Foreign Relations.
Mallet-Outtrim, Ryan. (6 May 2013) “Petrocaribe Meets in Venezuela, Links With ALBA.” http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/9087 Accessed 20 May 2013.
27
Marcano, Christina and Tyszka, Alberto Barrera (2007). Hugo Chávez: The Definitive Biography of Venezuela 's Controversial President. New York: Random House.
“The not-so-strong bolivar.” (11 February
All That is Shiny is not Oil
President Hugo Chávez Frías passed away on March 5, 2013 after battling an unknown type of cancer, thus ending fourteen years in office as president of Venezuela. In that time, he extended term limits that allowed him to run and win the executive post four times, including surviving one recall. Chávez saw himself as the leader of the “Bolivarian Revolution” and saw
Venezuela as a model for “socialism for the 21st century.” Was he successful in achieving his goals? Results are mixed at best; his critics and supporters vociferous. Western media touted the end of his tyranny and the possibility that Venezuela could once again become a true democracy.
While those in the developing world, specifically …show more content…
Even his misiones programmatic
24
outcomes can be explained away by a general betterment of the world economy, not by anything that Chávez did in particular. What is certainly measurable is the level of oppression he directed at the press and the judicial branch of government and how much he worked to concentrate power into his hands. The irony is that he fought so hard against the legacy of the caudillo system that he became one himself; a “neo-caudillo.”
So now that he has passed, what does that mean for the future of Venezuelan democracy?
Remember that the unsuccessful 1992 coup attempt, Chávez decided to work the democratic process to win the presidency; something he managed to do four times, including surviving an attempted coup and recall election. His Vice-President, Nicolas Maduro, won his seat in April
2013, so at least for the next six years, we will have someone to carry on the Chávez and the
MVR Party’s mission, unless he is overthrown, recalled or other. Originally, the Punto Fijo was a pact between the three dominant parties of the time, the AD, COPEI and URD, and …show more content…
26, No. 3, pp. 291-309.
The Global Competiveness Report 2012-2013. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2012-13.pdf World
Economic Forum. Accessed 8 April 2013.
Grainger, Sarah. (27 February 2011) “Victims of Venezuela 's Caracazo Clashes Reburied’.
London: BBC News Accessed: 19 May 2013
International Human Development Indicators: Venezuela. http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/VEN.html UNDP. Web. Accessed 8 April 2013.
Krauss, Clifford (8 March 2013) “Dwindling Production Has Lead to Lesser Role for Venezuela as a Major Oil Power.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/09/world/americas/venezuelas-role-asoil-power-diminished.html New York: The New York Times. Accessed 19 May 2013.
Lapper, Richard (22 November 2005). “Venezuela and the Rise of Chávez: A Background
Discussion Paper.” New York: Council on Foreign Relations.
Mallet-Outtrim, Ryan. (6 May 2013) “Petrocaribe Meets in Venezuela, Links With ALBA.” http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/9087 Accessed 20 May 2013.
27
Marcano, Christina and Tyszka, Alberto Barrera (2007). Hugo Chávez: The Definitive Biography of Venezuela 's Controversial President. New York: Random House.
“The not-so-strong bolivar.” (11 February