Chavismo

Chavismo is the political ideology and movement associated with Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013, and continued by his successor Nicolás Maduro. Supporters call it the Bolivarian Revolution, after the independence leader Simón Bolívar. It began as a nationalist movement against the established parties and later described itself as socialism of the twenty-first century. It used Venezuela's oil wealth to fund social programs, expanded state control of the economy, and gave the military a large role in government and public works. It is commonly classified as a form of left-wing populism.

As an army officer, Chávez founded a clandestine group inside the military in the early 1980s. In February 1992 he led a failed coup attempt and was jailed, then pardoned in 1994. Riding widespread anger at the traditional parties, he won the 1998 presidential election. A new constitution was approved by referendum in 1999 and renamed the country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In 2002 a short-lived coup removed him for about two days before he returned to power. After an oil industry strike, the government took tighter control of the state oil company PDVSA and used its revenues to fund social missions in health, education and food. From 2005 Chávez spoke of socialism, nationalized firms in oil, electricity, telecommunications and other sectors, and founded the United Socialist Party of Venezuela in 2007. In 2009 a referendum removed presidential term limits. Maduro took office after Chávez died in 2013.

Chavismo under Chávez benefited from high oil prices and charismatic leadership. Under Maduro the movement became more dependent on the military and faced deep economic decline. Some former allies formed dissident groups who claim to defend the original Chávez program. The movement inspired and allied with left governments in Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua during the Pink Tide.

Economists argue that price and currency controls, nationalizations and dependence on oil led to shortages, a collapse in output and hyperinflation after oil prices fell in 2014. Human rights organizations and United Nations investigators have reported political prisoners, repression of protests and restrictions on the press. Opposition groups and many foreign governments disputed the fairness of later elections, including the 2018 presidential vote. Supporters argue that early social programs reduced poverty and gave the poor a political voice, and that sanctions and opposition actions worsened the crisis.

During the 2000s poverty in Venezuela fell and access to health care and education expanded, funded by oil revenue. After 2014 the country entered a severe economic and humanitarian crisis, and the United Nations estimated that more than seven million Venezuelans had left the country by 2023. Chavismo has continued to hold the presidency, while its legitimacy is contested at home and abroad.