Why Venezuela?

In starting a new blog on Venezuela perhaps the first question that comes to mind is: why should those of us drawn to international relations dedicate attention to this country? Perhaps known immediately for an often boisterous president, importance in global oil production, and its array of international beauty queens, Venezuela also holds much more of interest.

From a political standpoint, this South American nation remains particularly important. Attempts by President Hugo Chávez to form a leftist block in Latin America as a counter-weight to United States influence will continue to play out in the coming year. Recently, Venezuela’s official reaction to the events in Honduras – not to mention its close ties to Iran – have regularly placed it in the global spotlight. The current political crisis between Chávez and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is in large part due to evidence that Venezuelan arms are being used by the FARC, and Colombia’s decision to grant the US access some military bases.

Internally, Venezuela never fails to fascinate. Why does the skewed market system mean that used cars are often resold for more than their initial purchase price? Is the “theory of broken windows” related to Caracas’ extremely high murder rate? Will inflation near 30% in 2009 as predicted? What will be the outcome of the continued tension between imposed socialist policies and the public’s addiction to consumerism? These and a variety of other themes will be detailed in this blog.

At present, Venezuela is undergoing a dynamic process of social and political change. Its citizens maintain strong capitalist tendencies, as exhibited by the streams of shoppers, from all classes, entering its massive malls on any given weekend. On the other hand it seems that each week brings additional effort by the government to steer the nation towards socialism, whether by expropriating foreign companies, altering the educational curriculum, or expanding the range and influence of government-run food markets.

It is also a country of contrasts. The current government and its citizens are immensely proud of Venezuela’s independent historical tradition. During the 20^th century it received large numbers of foreign immigrants and is often considered to be a donor nation, rather than receiving international aid like some of its poorer neighboring countries. However, the Venezuelan economy is intimately tied to the issue of energy and could not keep afloat without oil sales to the United States. Venezuela provides 11% of US oil imports, while petroleum sales account for more than 90% of its exports earnings. At the same time, while many Venezuelans wish to differentiate themselves from the “Yanquis” to the north, brand-name products from the United States are highly valued, and eating out at fast-food chains like McDonalds is commonplace. A wealthy elite can purchase iPhones and SUVs as well as enjoy foreign travel, yet more than a quarter of the population (depending on whether one believes government statistics) remains impoverished, often living in brick and cement “ranchos” that cling to the hillsides of urban areas.

Over the coming months I hope to explore a variety of the above-mentioned issues – and more – within this blog. I look forward to any and all of your responses and insights as I post. Please feel free to contact me via the comment buttons or email at <[email protected]>.