Red Pepper's Venezuela Blog

Colombia's War and Venezuela's Foreign Policy

[Znet's Justin Podur on the context of the recent release of the Colombian FARC hostages Clara Rojas and Consuelo Gonzalez and what Chavez was, and is, probably trying to achieve with his involvement in the negotiations.]

Venezuelans See Economy and Democracy More Positively Than Other Latin Americans

[Pascual Serrano reports on the NGO Latinobarómetro's annual poll surveying the development of democracies, economies, and societies in Latin America, which shows that Venezuelans view their economy and democracy more positively than other Latin Americans. For a Spanish version of this article click here.]

BBC Correspondent James Ingham's Reporting on Chavez's Call For Latin American Military Alliance

[The following post on the Media Lens message  board takes issue with the BBC's Venezuela correspondent James Ingham's reporting on last week's proposal by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega that Latin American countries form a joint military force to defend against outside intervention. For the post's author, the BBC "again refers to Chavez with the now obligatory prefix, the 'vehemently anti-US leader'. The effect is to caricature him and predispose people against taking him seriously." The post also argues that "you'd never hear Bush described as a 'vehemently anti-Venezuelan leader', even though the description is far more appropriate in his case." To read James Ingham's BBC article click here.]  

Grass-roots Chávismo Awakes

[Letting the grassroots lead is the only way forward from referendum defeat, says Reinaldo Iturriza Lopez. For a Spanish version of this article click here. This article is one of two included in the February/March 2008 issue of Red Pepper magazine that analyses the prospects for the Bolivarian process following the narrow defeat of President Hugo Chávez’s constitutional reform proposals in December’s referendum.]

Venezuela, Nicaragua Propose Joint Military Force for Latin America

[Venezuelanalysis.com's Chris Carlson reports on last week's proposal by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega that Latin American countries form a joint military force to defend against outside intervention.]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega during the inauguration of a corn processing plant on Sunday. Credit: LA PRENSA

Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative (ALBA) Concludes in Venezuela

[Venezuelanalysis.com's Kiraz Janicke reports on the 6th Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America (ALBA), held last week in Venezuela. The summit concluded with the founding of a new Bank of ALBA and the signing of a series of economic and social agreements between the member nations. Dominica also became the latest country to join the regional fair trade bloc.]

Conclusion of the ALBA Summit in Caracas. Credit: Telesur

Chávez's U-turn on socialism

[Writing in the New Statesman, Venezuela-based economic advisor and analyst, Stephanie Blankenburg, argues that unless pro-Chávez candidates win the regional and municipal elections scheduled for November 2008, Venezuela might well have a new president before the year is out.]

Venezuelan Grassroots Groups Push For A United Movement

[Venezuelanalysis.com's Michael Fox reports an unprecedented 2-day long grassroots assembly held last weekend in the Southern Caracas barrio of El Valle. At the assembly hundreds of representatives of Venezuela's grassroots social movements hashed out plans for the formation of the Revolutionary Grassroots Front of the South - a new united movement through which they hope to combat the growing bureaucracy within the Chavez government, and to push their own grassroots agenda.]

Grassroots leaders meet in El Valle to discuss a unitary platform. Credit: Michael Fox

Chavez Attacks Latest U.S. “Media Offensive” Against Venezuela

[Venezuelanalysis.com's Kiraz Janicke reports on statements made by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday in which he compared his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe to a Mafia boss and accused him of being a "sad pawn of US imperialism". Chavez's statements followed what he called a "Colombian media offensive" and the recent visit of top US authorities to Colombia.]

President Pothole

[The Oil Wars blog argues that a video showing recent moves by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to pay close attention to his supporters' complaints show the best and worst of Chavez. The blog argues that after watching the videos it is easy to understand why Chavez is loved by millions, but also to see why Chavez's entire project is likely to end in failure.]