Venezuela: A Threat To Regional Stability?

Time: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 

By Alexander Shams

Political Analyst Carlos Alberto Montaner began the panel discussion by linking the current situation in Venezuela to that of the USSR in the Cold War and accusing Chávez, along with Cuba’s Castro, of planning on conquering the world. “They are against the West, the capitalism,” he warned, accusing both leaders of “repeating the message of the former USSR.” Montaner then outlined how Chávez had repeatedly used petrodollars to win elections and then used that new power to create constitutions overriding the principles of republic in other states, creating a wide-reaching, anti-Western coalition. Referencing Cuba and the Soviet Missile Crisis, he stressed the possibility of a crisis in the long-term, and concluded by underlining the danger of leaving undisturbed countries attempting to “subvert the world democratic order”.

Jose de Jesus Noguera, Venezuelan professor currently teaching at the University of New Hampshire, then proceeded to examine the historical reasons behind Chávez’s rise to power, reflecting on Venezuela’s history of corrupt politicians and “misleading and wrong” policies in the decades before him. He then pointed out how Chávez was leading Venezuela back down this road towards failure and stressed that Chávez’s major threat was to his own citizens. As disregard for the rule of law has become more common in Venezuela, the situation is becoming dangerous. He concluded by asking the world to closely watch the situation in Venezuela.

Canadian lawyer Robert Amsterdam then examined Hugo Chávez’s links to Russia and the similarities between the two countries—how both were petro states with a strong sense of the near abroad and how Chávez was attempting to disaggregate Latin America with energy politics just as the Russians were doing in Europe. He then pointed out how Chávez was strengthening his relationship with Russia, especially in the context of arms sales, as a way of projecting regional power and ended by philosophizing on Chávez: “If he worships Fidel Castro, he studies Vladimir Putin.”

Leopoldo López, Mayor of the Municipality of Chacao of Caracas, then discussed how it was important to discuss and understand Chávez’s initial popularity within Venezuela, and, how in developing an alternative in Venezuela, we must recognize this support. However, López then made clear that while the government originally had a democratic right, it “has gone away from the workings of democracy”. He then looked at the alliances, one American-led and one Venezuelan-led dividing up the continent, and deplored this, demanding a new perspective based on respect for human rights above all. He concluded by saying that the world must rally around an alliance for this respect and that it must understand that while Chavez mobilizes people using fear, alternative solutions to him within Venezuela and Latin America must mobilize people utilizing hope.