With the passing of Hugo Chavez, it is important to understand the place of Chavez in the political history of Venezuela and of all Latin America. We should not think that socialist movements in Latin America will die simply because Chavez has died. He often pointed to Simon Bolivar, Venezuela’s early visionary and leader (1783-1830), as the model for his political philosophy: Latin America must achieve a united independence from foreign powers. For Chavez, this meant not only political independence but also economic independence. It meant nationalization of foreign-owned corporations and distancing Venezuela from the USA, which in the past had often been involved in the internal politics of Latin American nations. It also meant assisting other Latin American nations financially with the wealth from Venezuela’s oil exports. Dramatically, it meant reaching out to nations around the world and establishing new economic relationships, especially with socialist leaders in Cuba and China.
Hugo Chavez Was No Outlier
Socialist movements in Latin America won’t die simply because Chavez has died.
March 07, 2013
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