A short history of Venezuela to understand the present

News Mondays - Hélène Lavoyer

Here's a piece of news you're sure to have heard about this week: Nicolàs Maduro, successor to Hugo Chavez after his death in 2013, has been re-elected for another term as President of Venezuela. With nearly 70% of the vote, the president nevertheless finds himself more isolated and contested than ever; indeed, the economic and social situation is worsening, and the country remains one of the most dangerous in the world, not least because of its status as a «hub» for the drug trade.

Why do more than half the population abstain from voting in elections? What are the causes of the population's discontent? Taking into account the politics under Chavez gives us a better grasp of what's at stake today.

Social Progress Under Chávez

In 1998, Hugo Chávez was elected president of Venezuela. He then unveiled the «Bolivarian Revolution,» intended to revive the economy and address social inequalities while bringing the country onto the international stage. He succeeded in this endeavor, as between 1999 and 2010, the school enrollment rate rose from 48% to 72%, and the proportion of the population living in poverty fell by 21% during that same period.

However, several shortcomings call Chávez’s policies into question, particularly the issue of security, which continues to deteriorate. There are several reasons for this, including the presence of the FARC in Colombia, as well as the porous border between the two countries, which has reportedly benefited both the cocaine and arms markets. Even today, Venezuela is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

From Chávez to Maduro

In 2013, just after he had been re-elected, Hugo Chávez died, and Nicolás Maduro—also a member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela—took over as the country’s leader. A major problem during the Chávez years was that the government’s primary source of funding was the oil industry, as Venezuela is rich in this raw material—even more so than Saudi Arabia.

When oil prices fell—due to a lack of economic diversification and tensions with the United States (since Chávez had long fought against U.S. influence in Central America)—the economic crisis escalated into a social crisis, as public services depended on those funds. The new challenge was then to maintain the improved social conditions of the people; however, despite numerous measures aimed, for example, at raising the minimum wage, this effort failed.

Food and medicine shortages are becoming increasingly common, as the economy lacks diversity. The drop in oil prices goes hand in hand with rising poverty and fewer resources to import the 50% that Venezuelans consume as food.

But why is Maduro so controversial?

There are several reasons for the widespread hatred directed at the «Maduro government» today. Not only is there the scale of the economic and social crisis, but also the near-total lack of press freedom, as the media is heavily controlled and oppressed by the government. The political opposition and the people accuse Maduro of dictatorship.

In 2015, the opposition gained ground and secured a numerical majority in Parliament. This marked the beginning of a tense standoff with the Maduro government. The conflict escalated further in March 2017 when the Supreme Court (the country’s highest judicial authority), composed largely of Maduro supporters, announced its decision to dissolve Parliament, with its powers to be transferred to the Supreme Court.

By the time the institution reversed its decision, it was too late, and supporters of the opposition began staging numerous street protests, followed by clashes with the military, which was largely pro-Maduro. The clashes escalated, and both sides were the targets of violent attacks.

What now?

Today, Nicolás Maduro’s reelection is being strongly contested—both within Venezuela and beyond its borders. The United States threatened, the very day after the results were announced, to take swift economic and diplomatic action. The European Union and the member countries of the «Lima Group» have also rejected the outcome. In their statements, they have primarily cited the lack of respect for democracy and the suffering of the Venezuelan people. Other countries, such as Russia and El Salvador, have congratulated Maduro on his reelection.

The current challenges facing Maduro therefore lie in the conflicts with the opposition and the socioeconomic situation of the population, which has deteriorated since 2013. In addition, corruption and the drug trade will have to be part of the new president’s agenda. Nothing is certain, however, and it is not impossible that a new leader could take Maduro’s place as a result of coercive measures.

Write to the author : helene.lavoyer@leregardlibre.com