Hugo Chavez’s hand-picked successor, former trade union boss Nicolás Maduro, appears to have defeated Governor Henrique Capriles by a narrow margin in a contentious and hard-fought special election on April 14. Venezuela is in such shambles after 14 years of seat-of-the-pants mismanagement that Maduro—assuming his victory is confirmed—may ultimately be forced to pursue…
It’s fine to ruminate a bit on the troubling times of Hugo Chavez’s presidency, but the real question is what meeting his maker might mean for the future of Venezuela, the United States and the region. While elections are required by the Venezuelan constitution within 30 days to replace the deceased leader, the end of “Chavismo” could mean a lot — much of it good, if it…
On Tuesday, cancer claimed the life of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, silencing one of Latin America’s most controversial leaders in the 21st century. Chavez’s death opens the way to an uncertain succession process, continued polarization, and potential instability in oil-rich Venezuela. Dealing with a post-Chavez Venezuela will require an ongoing U.S. commitment to…
Hugo Chávez is dead. The Venezuelan dictator’s battle with cancer that began with a secretive 2011 trip to Cuba ended yesterday, at 4:32 p.m., in a military hospital bed in Caracas. But though the man is gone, the myth remains. Chávez was a political game-changer. Throughout his 14 years as Venezuelan president, he demonstrated a passion for politics, an unequaled…
The United States Senate will soon begin the confirmation process for three key Administration positions: Senator John Kerry (D–MA) for Secretary of State, former Senator Chuck Hagel (R–NE) for Secretary of Defense, and White House Chief Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan for Director of the CIA. Each must defend his qualifications for higher office and present a…
Too often Latin America and the Caribbean fall off political radar screens in Washington. Nonetheless, geography, robust trade and investment ties, strong demographic links, and shared democratic and economic values connect Americans deeply with the region. In 2013 and beyond, the second Obama Administration and Washington policymakers of all stripes should work to…
Delivering Chavismo without Chávez will be a daunting challenge. Many predict it cannot be done. Politically, heir apparent, vice president and foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, must preserve unity within the United Socialist Party, fend off internal rivals and set an ideological path for the future. Chávez promised that between 2013 and 2018 he would make his…
While Americans focus on the increasingly heated presidential race here at home, they would be wise to keep an eye on another presidential election of consequence for the United States—the one in Venezuela. This Sunday, millions of Venezuelans will go to the polls in, perhaps, the most fateful presidential election in the country’s recent history—an election that…
While the murder of American diplomats and violent anti-American riots across the Islamic world dominate the news cycle, it is easy to overlook the slow burn of anti-Americanism closer to home. In the Western Hemisphere, Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela, the Castro brothers’ Cuba, and the other members of the Bolivarian ALBA movement continue to advance a hostile, if less violent,…
Abstract: On October 7, 2012, Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez will stand for re-election against opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. The Venezuelan presidential election matters to the U.S.: Venezuela is a major oil supplier to the U.S.; Chávez’s anti-American worldview has led to alliances with Iran, Syria, and Cuba; and Chávez offers safe havens to FARC and Hezbollah.…
When someone sticks his face in yours and shouts you're his biggest enemy, it's a good idea to take them at their word. Enter, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Recently, while hosting Syria's Bashar al-Assad, Chavez publicly committed to "saving the world from the imperialism and capitalist hegemony that threaten the human species." Topping the Chavez-Assad…
FYI: Heritage WebMemos are now called Issue Briefs. On February 12, nearly 3 million Venezuelans voted in the nation’s first genuine presidential primary. Voters selected a single candidate—Henrique Capriles Radonski—to face Venezuela’s authoritarian populist leader Hugo Chavez in a presidential contest on October 7. Chavez, the bellicose anti-American…
On January 8, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lands in Venezuela to start a brief but highly symbolic Latin American visit. The Iranian leader aims to bolster ties with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and some of the region’s most strident anti-American leaders. For the Obama Administration, the Iranian visit reflects a continuing erosion of U.S. influence in the region and…
On June 10, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez arrived in Havana for high-level meetings. Two days later, the press reported he underwent surgery to repair a pelvic abscess. Speculation regarding his health increased with each passing day. Possible diagnoses included acute peritonitis, prostate cancer, or liposuction gone wrong. Two weeks later, Foreign Minister…
President Obama undertakes his March 19–23 trip to Latin America at a time when the international scene is in enormous flux. In three stops—Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador—the President will send an upbeat message of equal partnership and offer broader U.S. engagement in Latin America. President Obama will meet with three leaders whose views count when it comes to…
On April 25, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro announced the arrest of American Timothy Hallet Tracy. “The gringo...…
There is good reason to believe that Nicolas Maduro is not the legitimate president of Venezuela. Nonetheless Maduro...…
On April 14, some 14.8 million Venezuelans went to the polls to select a new president to replace Hugo Chavez, who...…
Voters go to the polls on Sunday, April 14, to elect Venezuela’s next president. Snap elections followed the March 5...…
The situation encountered by Heritage analysts on the ground in Venezuela last week was of a country that has been...…
This morning, by a vote of 154 nations in favor (including the United States), 23 abstentions, and three against (Syria,...…
A group of populist Latin American states—led by Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela—hopes to reduce the role of an...…
In New York, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) conference is entering its final phase, and the ways in which the...…
Two weeks after the death of President Hugo Chavez from cancer, Venezuela’s interim chief and Chavista presidential...…
As some Venezuelans mourn the death of populist President Hugo Chávez, their northern neighbors in the Caribbean Basin...…
Senior Policy Analyst