Harvard Political Review - Trouble Down South

To the casual observer, Venezuela might appear to be in the midst of a revolution. Thunderous speeches, anti-American slogans, and mass demonstrations give the country an air of upheaval. Its leader, President Hugo Chávez, consults Castro, emulates Mao, and praises Ché. Yet the “Bolivarian” revolution is not a revolution like those of Latin America’s tumultuous past. Hugo Chávez is translating some of his leftist rhetoric into action, but it seems unlikely that he will abandon all aspects of the democratic free market system. However, an economic model profoundly different from much-maligned neoliberalism is more than probable—at least for the time being.
Chávez’s current audacity is due in part to the domestic foothold he has secured in Venezuela. In 1998 Chávez rode into office on a wave of populism as an ex-army colonel with a commoner’s upbringing and an uncouth manner. But Chávez still had to contend with a loose, yet spirited, opposition of business and middle class interests, who despised his rabble-rousing tactics. Chávez’s stunning victory over last year’s recall referendum signaled the end of the opposition’s influence. The recall performed miserably in the subsequent regional elections, and Chávez’s party gained an overwhelming majority.