Latin America & Caribbean / Comment
Hugo Chávez' "Revolution": a leftist project or historic populism?
01/03/2007 By Susanne Gratius
What is taking place in Venezuela is not a Bolivarian revolution, but a transition to 21st century populism. The eight years that Hugo Chávez has been in power have transformed the country. All of the state’s democratic institutions are under his control, along with the petroleum resources and the principal sectors of the economy.
By excluding itself from the political system, the opposition gave the president free reign to impose, through special powers, his project of "21st century socialism".
On 10 January 2006, when he began his new mandate, Chávez proclaimed "country, socialism or death". Although this declaration was intended as a tribute to his ailing mentor, Fidel Castro, it is highly improbable that Venezuela will follow the Cuban model.
Adapting to the realities of the current world, Chavismo has more in common with the historic populism of Juan Domingo Perón who, like the Venezuelan president, governed by decree and with the support of the military.
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Keywords
Democracy Failed states Hybrid Regimes Latin America & Caribbean Populism VenezuelaRelated publications
Bio author: Susanne Gratius
PhD in Political Science by the University of Hamburg. Prior to joining FRIDE, Susanne Gratius worked as a Researcher at the Department of the Americas at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin and at the Iberoamerican Studies Institute (IIK) in Hamburg. Until 1999, she was Coordinator at the European-Latin American Relations Institute (IRELA) in Madrid.
