Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic)
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Venezuelan elections and the Chávez cult
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Fifteen years ago, elections in Venezuela were not very democratic affairs, confined to nasty battles between two factions within the country's elite, and largely excluding any representation of the interests of the majority poor, except to temporarily garner their votes. Sound vaguely familiar? After Chávez, all of that changed. Winning is now a genuine battle for the…
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Meet Venezuela’s new political boss
There’s a new political boss in Venezuela. So far, he’s acting just like the old boss. Hugo Chávez was purportedly still in his death throes last week when his designated political heir, eager to snatch the reins of power before anyone could stop him, signaled that he was just as capable of playing the anti-American card as the dying president…
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Venezuela: Panel Will Investigate Roots of Cancer That Killed Chávez
(New York Times) Venezuela will create a scientific panel to investigate the illness of Hugo Chávez, after an accusation by the interim president last week that the former president’s cancer was mysteriously caused by his enemies. “We have this intuition that our Commander Chávez was poisoned by dark forces that wanted to get rid of him to destroy the Bolivarian…
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CARICOM and Latin America after Chávez
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Much comment has been made, following the recent death of President Hugo Chávez, emphasizing forebodings about the fate of the PetroCaribe initiative and other forms of assistance, including the creation of the Alba; and the effects of any disappearance of these initiatives on the economic welfare of the Caricom countries, among other countries of the hemisphere. A…
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U.S. Expels 2 Venezuela Envoys
CARACAS, Venezuela — The United States said Monday that it had expelled two Venezuelan diplomats in response to the ouster last week of two American military attachés by Venezuela. “Around the world, when our people are thrown out unjustly, we’re going to take reciprocal action,” Victoria Nuland, the State Department spokeswoman, said at a news conference. “And we need to…
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Legacy of Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez will be hard to erase
What does Hugo Chávez leave to the Venezuelan people? Three legacies, all of which are poisoned: a harebrained way to govern, the mindless 21st-Century socialism, and a neopopulist model based on welfare-patronage. • First, he leaves them the memory of a colorful character who was very funny. He governed badly but was amusing and monopolized the newscasts. Fourteen years of…
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n Venezuela, some have mixed views on Hugo Chávez’s final resting site
CARACAS — On a hilltop, high above the Venezuelan capital, rises a 113-year-old structure called Cuartel de la Montaña or Mountain Barracks. On top of the old red and white building that resembles a castle stands a giant sign showing the number 4 next to the letter F. The reference is to February 4, the date in 1992 when then…
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Chávez Heir Faces Challenge in Ties With Armed Forces
CARACAS, Venezuela — The multitudes in red shirts, clenched fists thrusting in the air — a dominant image of the political movement that President Hugo Chávez left behind — convey a sense of followers united and loyal to the father of their revolution and his designated heir, Nicolás Maduro. But beneath the surface, the array of factions Mr. Maduro must…
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Venezuela candidate Henrique Capriles: Government exploiting Chávez death
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles on Sunday launched what many consider a doomed candidacy to replace Hugo Chavez with a no-holds-barred attack against a government he accused of coldly betraying Venezuelans' trust. Chavez's political heirs have toyed with Venezuelans' hopes, lying to them about his deteriorating health by suggesting he could recover and even producing decrees he…
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Venezuela to elect new president April 14
CARACAS — Just months after losing his race for the presidency, Miranda Gov. Henrique Capriles, may get a second shot at the top-spot and take on the anointed successor of the late Hugo Chávez. The country will hold new presidential elections April 14, the National Election Council said Saturday. Minutes later, the coalition of opposition forces, known as the MUD,…
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