An unexpectedly close outcome in the Venezuela election has resulted in charges of “irregularities” and the demand for a recount from opposition leader Henrique Capriles. Can the “Chavismo” movement survive without Hugo Chavez? We spoke with Latin American Program Director Cynthia Arnson to gain perspective on this and other questions.
The death of Hugo Chavez left a gaping hole in Venezuelan politics. But even without the recently deceased charismatic leader, the movement and coalition he led was expected to maintain power with the election of his designated successor, Nicolas Maduro. But an unexpectedly close outcome has resulted in charges of election “irregularities” and the demand for a recount from opposition leader Henrique Capriles. Can the “Chavismo” movement survive without Hugo Chavez? We spoke with Latin American Program Director Cynthia Arnson to gain perspective on this and other questions.
The Wilson Center’s prestigious Latin America Program provides non-partisan expertise to a broad community of decision makers in the United States and Latin America on critical policy issues facing the Hemisphere. The Program provides insightful and actionable research for policymakers, private sector leaders, journalists, and public intellectuals in the United States and Latin America. To bridge the gap between scholarship and policy action, it fosters new inquiry, sponsors high-level public and private meetings among multiple stakeholders, and explores policy options to improve outcomes for citizens throughout the Americas. Drawing on the Wilson Center’s strength as the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum, the Program serves as a trusted source of analysis and a vital point of contact between the worlds of scholarship and action. Read more
