Venezuela Flashcards
Columbia vs Venezuela from
1900 - 1957
1958 - 1974
1975 - 1989
1990 - 2024
Democracy, stability, economy, Intl Rel (US)
2017 Political & Economis Crisis
Shortages of mood, medicine, hygiene products.
Hyperinflation at 800%
History with democracy
civil wars, collapse of aristocracy hindered development of central state. dictatorship/heavy-handed rule (1908-1935).
Between 1830 & 1920, Vez commercial bureaucratic outpost, trading agricultural commodities (ranching & plantations)
in exchange for finished goods produced abroad
1910s
Exploitation of petroleum,, population shifted from one that lived & worked land & mainly illiterate, to one moved to cities & attended school
Oil revenue (early 1900s)
- Fiscal & administrative (which helped to consolidate the state machinery)
- Demographic & social
- Economic
Weak state before with few resources, Gomez and his successors could use this wealth to
pay off their benefactors to remain in office
Development of infrastructure (roads, bridges, public health improvemnts as caused by enrichment of state (machine politics: Daley in Chicago; Peron in Argentina
Demography: many left poor rural areas for more prosperous cities (literacy/education)
Internal war
a response to hard economic times prior to development of oil discovery, reduced considerably following oil boom
Gomez passes in 1935, prior to his deathm groups had already begun to form in opposition to Gomez
Democracy fell on deaf ears
Precursors for organizaing protext movements and for democratic reform
General Isaias Medina succeeded Lopez five years (1940)
Seeking a base of support independent from Lopez
Trienio
3-year period introduced mass politics
-Barrriers to participation were lowered; suffrage universal & extended to all citizens over 18, with no restrictions by education, gender, or property
Electorate expanded from 5%of the pop. (pre-1945) to 36% after Trienio
Free, direct elections instituted at all levels
New parties also formed in addition to AD; competitors included Christian Democratic Party (COPEI)
Breakdown of democracy
AD total control of most popular orgs (eg unions) & popular ors
Economic & social elites: no guarantees of power and privilege
In past, popular orgs seemed needless to elites (rewarded personal influence more than capacity to move masses)
AD expanded participation sparked a series of bitter conflicts
Opposition to AD
Oppositions reinforced by elite fears that AD would erase existing social order
Military rule in Venezuela, 1948 - 1957
1948: conservative opposition forced AD leaders into exile
Opposition also disbanded all labor and peasant organizations and rolled back democracy
Return to Democracy in Venezuela
1957: convergence of events produce long-lasting democracy
Economic downturn in combination with charges of corruption
Opposition from Church made groups begin to question dictatorship
General Perez Jimenez
held plebiscite (one candidate for each office), served to unite opposition against him: failed coup
Professionalized military
Wooing officer corps and building new generations of professional officers, while purging elements of recently deposed military regime
Coalitions formed between political parties and between business and professional associations
No one wanted a return to military rule
Political leaders took a step by step approach to rebuilding democracy
Basic premise: compromise and power sharing among parties (Pact of Punto Fijo - conciliation, caution, and compromise
Agrarian reform, government promotion of industrialization (ISI), and greater national control over oil remained objectives (especially of AD) but…
New government relied on pacts and coalitions, inter-elite consensus, moderation in its policies, and exclusion of the revolutionary left
1960: coalition came apart with URD abandoning it that year and Christian Democrats leaving it in 1963
Still, democracy and holding of regular elections went on schedule.
Splits developed within the AD party, resulted in COPEI winning in 1968
Peaceful transition
What allowed democracy to coninue
Economy expanded same time as political development has occurred
Politcal leaders such as AD President Carlos Andres Perez in the 1970s, assumed oil prices would rise; took out loans for large public-works projects
What the price of oil fell flat in 1977, Venezuela had no way to repay loans
February 1989
Perez (AD returns): bloody and traumatic urban riots
Perez’s annoucement of structural adjustment program (tariff reductions, privatizations, and stabilization policies)
Resentment between senior officers who received benefits while junior officers no longer could afford cars or decent housing
Result, in 1992, a military faction led by Hugo Chavez attempted a few coups
Coups revealed deep divisions in armed forces - younger offucer committed to radical change and ranks of colonel or above who remained loyal to the system
Feb 4 coup was engineered by a group of young officers that only narrowly missed succeeding; second unsuccessful coup was mounted in November
Opposition to Bolivarian Revolution
Chavez’s opponents divided
Solutions used by Chavez/Maduro
Redistribute monies to poor/military/cronies
Pack the courts
Military promotions based on loyalty to president
1940s and 1950s in Columbia and Venezuela
Similarities
Both responding to the military govt’s poor performance
Military incursions occured at the same time as violent events
In both cases military regimes seen as failures
Both put in place a govt that would be more accommodation
Both National Front and Pact of Punto Fijo arose after military rule
Both have similar exports
1940s and 1950s in Columbia and Venezuela
Differences
Stringency of the pacts
Political instability in Columbia; politically calm in Venezuela (not 80s yet)
Diversification of exports
1980s & 1998 in Columbia and Venezuela
Similarities
Political instability
–volatile prices of oil
Political violence
Democracy continues but criticism of two-party
1980s & 1998 in Columbia and Venezuela
Differences
US opposition
Drug trafficking
2000s in Columbia and Venezuela
Similarities
New political parties
Drug shipments come from both countries
Protests in both countries
Leftist leaders rule both countries
2000s in Columbia and Venezuela
Differences
Instability in Venezuela
Threat to current president
Role of the US (or lack thereof)
