It's true that Chavez did some good, but he also did a lot of bad, but if the people of Venezuela vote and plant him in a position of power and continued to put him in power, then the Venezuelan people shouldn't complain about the problems that will later occur. And I can't say much I am an American and it worries me that we picked Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as the two candidates in which one of them will become our next president.
However, I know the United States will never, not even close, have the problems that Venezuela has because I do have faith in our Congress and Judicial Branch to hold a balance of power, something that was tremendously lacked in Venezuela during Chavez's reign. I recommend this book to anyone that has any interest in understanding why the economy in Venezuela has crumbled.
It is well informative, well-written, and hard to put down. Jun 03, Louise rated it really liked it Shelves: This book is a once over lightly sketch of the administration of Venezuela by its late flamboyant President, Hugo Chavez. This book is a quick light read and will suffice until a more thorough work is, inevitably, available. Rory Carroll recounts moments in the president's career such as his failed coup, successful elections, mercurial changes in policy and his unsuccessful attempt to change the constitution.
Opposing political parties long ago marginalized themselves by overplaying their hands, This book is a once over lightly sketch of the administration of Venezuela by its late flamboyant President, Hugo Chavez. Opposing political parties long ago marginalized themselves by overplaying their hands, which resulted in giving Chavez a free hand. His administration was a revolving door of ministers, some of whom he fired on TV shows. He had an enemies list, compiled by a supporter and used to deny people jobs and access.
Ironically, the list bears the supporter's name, who like many other one-time supporters, wound up on this list too. Carroll describes how decisions were made by circumstance, whim, and expedience and for no reason whatsoever. While enemies were not tortured, they were publically humiliated and they and their families were financially ruined. Fortunately for Chavez, the petrodollars that fueled the economy satisfied his supporters and further silenced his opposition.
Interesting women are part of the Chavez saga. Eva Golinger, a "volunteer" gadfly from the US, researched and exposed things like the US involvement in opposition groups; Lina Ron lead a motorcycle militia in support of her Comandante. Maria Lourdes Afiuni, a judge, remains in jail for giving due process to a Chavez opponent.
There are curious men as well: Jorge Giordani, "the monk", serves as something like a national banker who devised a scheme that kept and may still keep hard currency in the hands of supporters. Raul Baduel "lifelong friend" of the Comandante, served as his personal secretary and served as Minister of Defense, now serves time in prison for his refusal to politicize the military. Most curious, is Rafael Castellanos, a scholar who served as a librarian and fact checker for Chavez who was prone to including literary and philosophical ideas in planned and ad libbed speeches.
Rory Carroll sees a country in decay. The Commandant's TV directors had to carefully plan camera shots to avoid the crumbling infrastructure and out of order signs. Carroll drives to the airport in traffic similar to any US city, but in Caracas, he worries about bandits and at the airport, expects to pay a bribe. The book will help you to understand the phenomena that was Chavez.
Undoubtedly, more works on him will follow. Oct 02, Julian Douglass rated it it was amazing Shelves: Very detailed account of Chavez's Venezuela. Carroll does a great job in detailing the consequences of the state that Mr. Chavez created and a cautionary tale of being a leader who's main policy platform is that everything he does is right. I love the detailed accounts and stories of Mr. Carroll's adventures in the country and what life is like in a country that has been viewed by America as a hostile state and have heard very little reports out of.
It is a great tale to see the decline of o Very detailed account of Chavez's Venezuela. It is a great tale to see the decline of one of Latin America's strongest states into a almost failed state. I think their should be a follow-up or an updated version to see what a bang-up job Mr. Maduro has done to the country since Chavez's death. Nov 12, Adrian added it.
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The subtitle of the book I read was 'the life and legacy of Hugo Chavez' presumably the British title. Carroll, a Guardian correspondent, covered Chavez' Venezuela for six years and provides an in depth look at Chavez the leader. There isn't much in here about his private life. Chavez' key to electoral success was class warfare. He set the poor off against both the middle classes and the rich. Since there are more poor in Venezuela he was pretty much bullet-proof at the polls. He governed by whi The subtitle of the book I read was 'the life and legacy of Hugo Chavez' presumably the British title.
He governed by whim. Policies and plans tumbled out one upon the other but seldom was there any follow up as he lost interest and moved on to something else. Carroll contends that he had a magnetic personality which he exploited on television programs that often ran around the clock. I have to assume a lot is lost in translation as he comes across in English as a desperate salesman.
Though Chavez was no dictator he did win fair elections he certainly ruled like one by the end nothing was done without his say so and his rule was as much a personality cult as the worst dictators of modern times. Venezuela will be dealing with the Chavez legacy for years. May 13, Thanakorn rated it really liked it. An interesting insight to Miraflores when el commandante was in power.
Reality clearly beats fiction, fascinating and quite sad as well. Nov 04, Peter Corrigan rated it really liked it. This was fascinating account and highly readable account. Like you are witness to a slow-motion train wreck. You can almost feel that the author wants to love and extol Hugo and his 'Bolivarian' revolution but some semblance of journalistic he is reporter for the left-wing Guardian UK paper responsibility apparently compels him to report somewhat objectively on the utter ruination of Venezuela under Chavez and worsening under Maduro.
He is a good story-teller Mr. Carroll, and the anecdotes a This was fascinating account and highly readable account. Carroll, and the anecdotes are nothing short of amazing at times. The book lacks any real economic insight into exactly why the Chavez regime was such a complete disaster other than the absurd premise of trying to run a fully centralized and nationalized planned economy in this modern world basically at the direction of one man. Still he is loathe to condemn or even blame heroic Hugo too much and doesn't even want to call him a dictator even though he literally took over the entire media of the country and turned it into a full-time propaganda tool.
He describes Hugo's absurd 'Hello, President' sessions which were broadcast nationally for sometimes hours at a time. Imagine Trump taking over every station in the U. For years on end. And then pretending you 'won' an election.
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The charade of left-wing media support in the U. This is what the world gets for tolerating encouraging? Not a perfect place to be sure but far, far from the basket case of today. And if you read about much of the rhetoric from the Chavistas in this book, quite a bit of sounds like it was taken straight from the Democratic party of the U. Be very careful what you wish for people. E todas bateram no detalhe.
Jul 25, Charles rated it really liked it. In the United States, most of us glimpse Venezuela in flashes. We know that Hugo Chavez is dead, and we know that his socialism has run Venezuela into the ground. As of this writing, in August , it is a crime-ridden hellhole that has reached the stage of military confiscation of foodstuffs from farmers for redistribution, and is declining fast to Zimbabwe levels. The author lived in Venezuela as a reporter for a UK newspaper for all the relevant time period, and he seems to be very well acquainted with all the complexities involved.
He thinks Chavez a pernicious failure who took the gifts given to Venezuela and destroyed the country, and he demonstrates that with verve. Hardly a shocking conclusion, but given that most of us have no real idea of what happened in Venezuela, it is a compelling, as well as very useful, story. Carroll draws them very well, from all walks of life. And Venezuela is a useful case study because it shows a possible future for the United States both in terms of our social comity and in the rule of law. American conservatives frequently prophesy doom from following our current course, conjuring apocalypses like Communism or the French Revolution.
But Venezuela, a purgatory rather than an apocalypse, is a more likely future. As to comity, we are more polarized in the US than we used to be, thanks mostly to the deliberately divisive Alinskyite tactics of Obama and his sycophants in the ruling class, but we have nothing on Venezuela. Millions of others, however, stayed loyal. Their ardor for Chavez burned with greater intensity. But the viciousness in Venezuela is nothing like the US has in its modern political culture. Twitter mobs are not the same thing.
As to the rule of law, while it was largely destroyed in Venezuela, Chavez ran no gulags or torture chambers, and few political killings have occurred. Not many people were even jailed. On the other hand, opponents of Chavez faced and face real costs and dangers. The careers and livelihoods of anyone who opposed the regime were and presumably still are deliberately attacked and destroyed, using centralized lists of opponents, wiretapping, vicious abuse on television, and other devices short of violence.
We in the US are nowhere near the state that Venezuela is in—but we have arguably started down the road. We see Gibson Guitars, whose owner made the mistake of donating to Republicans, shut down by heavily armed federal agents for a fantasy violation of a foreign law, while his Democratic-contributing competitors are never touched. We see Obama continuously unilaterally and illegally decide to change the law, whether in rewriting Obamacare to say the opposite of what it says, or in admitting millions of illegal immigrants by fiat.
Wishful thinking is very powerful. But those complaints are silly—you can tell that book is objective about Chavez by noticing where Carroll is not objective, because he is clearly a man of the Left. Not only was his purpose in living in Venezuela to work for the left-wing Guardian newspaper, but he fairly spits venom any time any conservative is mentioned, inside or outside Venezuela, and he reserves negative adjectives solely for conservatives. Tiresome, but at least it should insulate Carroll from any charge that his criticisms of Chavez result from support for his opponents.
Mar 15, Nicole Lima rated it it was amazing. This book is really good because it teaches you about the what Hugo Chavez plans were and what he was able accomplish before getting cancer and leave the now President of Venezuela Maduro.
Hugo Chávez
I decide to read this book to learn more about the country that my family is from and where I myself was born in. But because I had to leave at a young age due to the food and medicine shortages I was never really given the opportunity to learn about Venezuela's History. Apr 07, Jim Keough rated it really liked it. Fair overview of Chavez and his reign over Venezuela. He committed to help the forgotten poor and revise the tradition of Bolivar, yet through ego, mismanagement, socialist failures and inattentiveness to the rising crime rate, Chavez failed miserably and left his country in ruins and the population far worse then before his reign.
I enjoyed this book This book was very informative. Both sides are presented surrounding Chavez. Very interesting to hear voices from different backgrounds. It really helps put into perspective why Venezuela is going through what it is today. It approaches topics instead of listing a lengthy timeline. Oct 08, Samantha rated it really liked it. Learned quite a bit about Venezuela during the Chavez years.
I can completely understand the messy current state of affairs in Venezuela after reading this book. Jul 18, Hidayatullah Ibrahim rated it really liked it. The book is so brilliant thinking but little dictator president in my opinion. Oct 06, Javier rated it really liked it. Brisk, interesting biography of the 21st century revolutionary. Mar 07, Mary-Esther Lee rated it it was ok Shelves: Sep 01, Gregory rated it really liked it Shelves: I read Rory Carroll's Comandante: Carroll is a well-known journalist who reported from Venezuela for the Guardian from , and disliked by the left.
Basically, if you think Venezuela is a thriving laboratory of revolution, you will hate the book. If you follow Venezuelan politics, it won't be new but you get a little deeper. The book consists of vignettes with his interviews, which then serve to frame his larger point of a well-meaning revolution ripped apart by personalization of power, palace intrigue, and old fashioned cronyism.
Even the coup mongers screwed up. As one person who supported the coup put it, describing Pedro Carmona: But then we made a terrible mistake. We picked that fucking dwarf" p.
Venezuela bans Hugo Chavez TV series, El Comandante | tv | Hindustan Times
Lots of talking, no walking. He needed to win so badly that substance faded out while crime, insecurity, shortages, etc. Those issues become the backdrop to judging the long-term success of the revolution. Hugo Chavez, Revolutionary, Presidente, Comandante. After a failed military coup in , Hugo Chavez managed to democratically come to power in Venezuela in This book from the Guardian's chief South America correspondent, Irishman Rory Carroll, based in Venezuela, explores the intricacies of the Miraflores palace.
Inside the opulent walls lies a mystery of intrigue and uniqueness. Chavez lived an exalted life of a philosopher king and his self-styled approach to government made him a twen Hugo Chavez, Revolutionary, Presidente, Comandante. Chavez lived an exalted life of a philosopher king and his self-styled approach to government made him a twenty-first century caudillo, leading a socialist revolution and upturning the status quo in Venezuela and becoming a major player on the international stage.
The Revolution, financed on the whole by incredible oil wealth, upturned Venezuela. Initial progress eventually tumbled into relative chaos although I feel thatChavez on the whole was a success for the people, and turned their lives around, especially the poor. Chavez had a rigorous propaganda campaign,, using 21st century technology in innovative ways that captivated a largely captive audience. I loved the tales of his flagship TV show, Hello Presidente, and hearing of the devotion of Miraflores to the twittersphere was exciting.
Ultimately many of the grandiose ideas that kept turning electoral victory after electoral victory for Chavez, proved to be neglected and unrealised goals. There was economic atrophy, unbridled crime, huge corruption and nepotism and unnecessary crackdowns on political opponents. However, the Revolution succeeded in wooing luminaries such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Noam Chomsky and had an incredible friend and supporter in Fidel Castro. This book reads fast and furiously and is entertaining if often unbelievable as it unfurls its ever imaginative hero's escapades. Dec 26, Alejandro V.
Betancourt rated it it was amazing. Highly recommended both to Venezuelans, who might have been to busy embroiled in the day to day of the revolution as it unfolded, and to foreigners who might be completely new to Chavez' work and legacy. Rory Carroll does an outstanding job at methodically presenting an objective analysis that spans across time to include - the historical, political, social and economic context that preceded most of the key events and policies; the governments and opposition arguments for and against the events Highly recommended both to Venezuelans, who might have been to busy embroiled in the day to day of the revolution as it unfolded, and to foreigners who might be completely new to Chavez' work and legacy.
The result is an unbelievable journey, non-fiction at it's finest, that debunks most of the lies both government supporters and opposition members have been telling themselves for years. It is an honest exposition of a country riddled with problems and corruption. A lesson for those who would like to learn the lesson and start working towards new policies and a new future.
A stinging rebuke to those who pretend to ignore the ibvious and stay in power, forever. Earlier works on Chavez, such as Bart Joes 'Hugo! The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution' were published in his early days - - when the revolution still enjoyed vast influx of petrodollars and popularity and before the consequences of the many failed policies materialised. There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Books by Rory Carroll. No trivia or quizzes yet. They thought they were Venezuela. They could not see how their hysterics repelled and radicalised less-privileged compatriots. Thus they kept lunging and, in election after election, would keep losing. Over the years he wrote dozens of reports on multiple topics—energy, industry, transport, finance, housing. The International Labour Organization of the United Nations had also expressed concern over voters being pressured to join the party.
He said Venezuela should boycott the OAS, which he felt is dominated by the United States; a spokesperson said, "We don't recognize the commission as an impartial institution". He disclaimed any power to influence the judiciary. Gaer , noted that in "only 12 public officials have been convicted of human rights violations in the last decade when in the same period have been more than 5, complaints".
Chavez's opposition to Zionism and close relations with Iran led to accusations of antisemitism [] [] Such claims were made by the Venezuelan Jewish community at a World Jewish Congress Plenary Assembly in Jerusalem. He used state-run bodies to silence the media and to disseminate Bolivarian propaganda.
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Other actions included pressuring media organizations to sell to those related to his government or to face closure. He also befriended pariah states such as Belarus and Iran. He intended at one time to become a priest. He saw his socialist policies as having roots in the teachings of Jesus Christ liberation theology , [] and he publicly used the slogan of "Christ is with the Revolution! In he expressed his skepticism of an afterlife , saying that such an idea was false. Please don't let me die. S State Department dismissed the claim as "absurd". His death triggered a constitutional requirement that a presidential election be called within 30 days.
Chavez's Vice President, Maduro, was elected president on 14 April From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This name uses Spanish naming customs: History of socialism Socialist calculation debate Socialist economics. Decentralized planning Participatory economics. Market socialism Lange model Mutualism. Socialist market economy Socialist-oriented market.
First International International Workingmen's Association. World Federation of Democratic Youth. International Union of Socialist Youth. International Committee of the Fourth International. I think that from the time I left the academy I was oriented toward a revolutionary movement Four years later, a second-lieutenant came out who had taken the revolutionary path.
Someone who didn't have obligations to anyone, who didn't belong to any movement, who was not enrolled in any party, but who knew very well where I was headed. Venezuelan presidential election, History of Venezuela —present.
Democracy is impossible in a capitalist system. Capitalism is the realm of injustice and a tyranny of the richest against the poorest. Rousseau said, 'Between the powerful and the weak all freedom is oppressed. Only the rule of law sets you free. Bolivarianism and Bolivarian Circles. This section may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Please consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding or removing subheadings. Every factory must be a school to educate, like Che Guevara said, to produce not only briquettes, steel, and aluminum, but also, above all, the new man and woman, the new society, the socialist society.
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Archived from the original on 28 August James, Ian 28 August Bowman, Michael 24 August Retrieved 28 August Romero, Simon 22 August Retrieved 6 January Retrieved 22 February Retrieved 20 April Why Chavez "won " ". Transparency International's global corruption index". Retrieved 5 December Gallup Poll News Service. Retrieved 21 December Accessed 15 February Archived from the original on 2 April Archived copy as title link Inter Press Service. Accessed 2 February Accessed 26 January Colombian rebels were willing to kill for Venezuela's Chavez".
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