Hugo Chávez

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Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (born July 28, 1954) is the 61st and current President of Venezuela. A member of the governing MVR, Chávez is best known for his leftist and democratic socialist governance, his promotion of Latin American integration together with Third World independence from foreign interference, and his vocal opposition to both neoliberal globalization and American foreign policy.

Related Topics:
July 28 - 1954 - President of Venezuela - MVR - Leftist - Democratic socialist - Latin American integration - Third World - Independence - Neoliberal - American

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During his presidency, Chávez?s policies have significantly altered Venezuela?s sociopolitical landscape. Domestically, the Chávez administration has promulgated the newly written 1999 Bolivarian constitution, constructed thousands of free medical clinics for the poor, instituted literacy and education campaigns reaching millions of Venezuelans, and enacted deep food and housing subsidies. Chávez has also overseen the granting of thousands of free land titles to formerly landless poor and indigenous communities; in contrast, hundreds of large landed estates and factories have been — or are in the process of being — expropriated.

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Chávez has refocused Venezuelan foreign policy on Latin American economic and social integration by enacting bilateral trade and reciprocal aid agreements, including his so-called ?oil diplomacy?. Chávez regularly portrays his movement's objectives as being in intractable conflict with ?neocolonialism? and neoliberalism. As a result of his anti-capitalist and redistributive domestic policies, Chávez has overseen a marked deterioration in relations between the Venezuelan and U.S. governments.

Related Topics:
Foreign policy - Latin American - Neocolonialism - Neoliberalism - Anti-capitalist - Redistributive - Venezuelan - U.S.

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Chávez?s formal political career began when he founded the Movement for the Fifth Republic (MVR) in 1994, immediately after he was pardoned for his lead role in an abortive 1992 coup d'état. He was first elected to the presidency in the independently verified{{ref|carter1}} 1998 presidential election on promises of helping Venezuela?s poor. Chávez?s influence in Venezuela has only grown since. Chávez led the MVR to sweeping victories in the independently validated 2000 presidential election{{ref|carter2}}, the 2004 recall referendum{{ref|carter3}}{{ref|carter5}}, and the 2005 parliamentary elections. As a result, Chávez's MVR and its political allies have come to fill the vast majority of elected municipal, state, and national posts, as well as obtaining the power to create firm majorities in the supreme court, the national electoral council (CNE), and the National Constituent Assembly. This is all compounded by Chávez?s gradual expansion and consolidation of the powers exercised by the Venezuelan executive. Chávez faces re-election in 2006; a recent poll reports that, as of September 2005, Chávez has an approval rating of about 47 percent{{ref|poll1}}, down from 70 percent just a year earlier.

Related Topics:
Movement for the Fifth Republic - 1994 - 1992 coup d'état - 1998 presidential election - 2000 presidential election - 2004 recall referendum - 2005 parliamentary elections - CNE - National Constituent Assembly - Executive - 2006 - September 2005

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The Chávez administration has faced vigorous opposition from the more affluent and established sectors of Venezuelan society; notable among these are the Venezuelan national chamber of commerce (Fedecámaras) and Venezuela?s largest trade union federation, the Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela. Their consistent opposition to the Chávez administration's socialist policies eventually resulted in a coup d'état, general strike/lockout, and the recall referendum, all of which ultimately failed to remove Chávez from the presidency. The opposition has reported that the referendum has been marred by extensive electoral fraud, while international observers stated that the official CNE results matched their counts at the polling sites they sampled. {{ref|carter4}}

Related Topics:
Chamber of commerce - Fedecámaras - Trade union - Confederación de Trabajadores de Venezuela - Coup d'état - Strike - Lockout - Recall referendum

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Whether seen as a socialist liberator or a fascist demagogue, Chávez remains one of the most complex, controversial, and high-profile figures in the history of Latin America and the 21st century.

Related Topics:
History of Latin America - 21st century

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