Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution
The authoritative first-hand account of contemporary Venezuela, Hugo Chávez places the country’s controversial and charismatic president in historical perspective, and examines his plans and programs. Welcomed in 1999 by the inhabitants of the teeming shanty towns of Caracas as their potential savior, and greeted by Washington with considerable alarm, this former golpista-turned-democrat took up the aims and ambitions of Venezuela’s liberator, Simón Bolívar. Now in office for over a decade, President Chávez has undertaken the most wide-ranging transformation of oil-rich Venezuela for half a century, and dramatically affected the political debate throughout Latin America.
In this updated edition, Richard Gott reflects on the achievements of the Bolivarian revolution, and the challenges that lie ahead.
Paperback, 368 pages
ISBN: 9781844677115
July 2011
$19.95 / £10.99 / $25.00CAN
- Purchase
Other Editions
-
Paperback, 315 pages
-
ISBN: 9781844675333
August 2005
$18.00 / £9.99
Reviews
-
A colourful and readable account of Chávez’s background and beliefs.
-
Gott is always an interesting, well-informed, and engaging writer.
-
Chávez, as Richard Gott’s readable profile makes clear, is no ordinary caudillo.
-
Gott is, if nothing else, a true believer of the revolutionary process in Latin America and brings his own sense of moral indignation every time he mentions the United States. It is worth reading a text that is so ideological yet effectively explains how many people in the upper ranks of the Chávez government perceive the world around them.
Blog
Richard Gott debates the British empire with Kwasi Kwarteng on BBC Radio 4's Today
Richard Gott was on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday to discuss his forthcoming book, Britain's Empire: Resistance, Repression and Revolt with Kwasi Kwarteng, Conservative MP and author of Ghosts of Empire.
Kwarteng's book argues that the operation of the British empire was not systematic or centrally run, but haphazard, random and guided much more by local conditions and individual administrators idiosyncrasies than by Whitehall.
Chávez returns to Venezuela in time for 200th anniversary of independence
Hugo Chávez has returned to Venezuela in time for the 200th anniversary of Venezuelan independence today. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer in Cuba.
Also, last week it was revealed through Wikileaks that the Catholic church was involved in the 2002 US-backed attempt to topple Chávez by military coup.
Among the latest revelations to emerge from WikiLeaks is that, in 2002, as plotters in Venezuela's capital Caracas were liaising with the US authorities about the conspiracy to topple President Hugo Chávez, the leaders of the Catholic church in that country were defying the instruction of Pope John Paul II to desist from having anything to do with the coup d'état. Instead they threw their lot in with Pedro Carmona, the extremist rightwing businessman, who took office for less than 48 hours during a brief military coup in April 2002.
Discussions
Begin a discussionOther books by Richard Gott
-
Britain's Empire
Magisterial history of the foundation of the British empire, and the forgotten story of resistance to its formation.by Richard Gott