Front Burner

Episode: Chavismo, Maduro, and the Making of Venezuela
Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Jayme Poisson (CBC)
Guest: Alejandro Velasco, Associate Professor of Latin American History, NYU

Episode Overview

This episode explores the political history of Venezuela through the lenses of Chavismo, Hugo Chávez, and his successor Nicolás Maduro. Host Jayme Poisson is joined by historian Alejandro Velasco to break down the origins of the Bolivarian Revolution, the philosophies and impacts of Chávez's rule, the transition to Maduro, and the contemporary crisis in Venezuela, culminating in the recent U.S. military intervention. The conversation provides context for understanding complex contradictions within Venezuela's revolution and its divergent perceptions inside and outside the country.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chavez’s Revolutionary Roots and Bolivarian Inspiration

• Chavez at the UN (2006): A fiery critic of the US, Chávez's “devil” speech framed his opposition to American hegemony.
  "[Chavez] says, yesterday, the devil came here. Right here, right here. And it smells of sulfur." (01:03)

• Origins of the Bolivarian Revolution:

  • Not strictly about socialism at first; initially a coalition of disenfranchised Venezuelans from all classes disillusioned by the corrupt Punto Fijo system and the volatility of oil revenues.
  • The 1980s oil crash led to poverty and protests, creating fertile ground for political upheaval.
  • Chávez, a military officer, attempted a coup in 1992, which failed but enhanced his alternate status in the public’s imagination.
  • Upon release from prison in 1994, Chávez tapped into the mythology of Símon Bolívar as both a symbol of independence and a unifying national/hemispheric figure.

    "The Bolivarian revolution in the 90s was more of a patchwork... various sectors of Disenchanted Venezuelans... had felt increasingly left out of the promises of what had been at the time at least, seen as a very stable democratic two party system." – Alejandro Velasco (03:48)
    "This message of pride of Bolivarian identity, coupled with a discourse course about transforming the Venezuelan state to be more participatory, became the hallmarks of this Bolivarian movement." (05:07)

2. The Myth and Politics of Símon Bolívar

• Bolívar’s legacy is contested; invoked by both left and right for conflicting purposes. Chávez’s genius (and political aim) was in uniting those narratives under a banner of national pride and anti-imperialism.

  “There’s something about what... historian Herman Carrera Damas called the cult to Bolivar that seemed to stand above ideology…” – Alejandro Velasco (07:39)
  "...part of the project of Hugo Chavez and reclaiming Bolivar for his particular vision was simultaneously to bring many different visions of Bolivar into one." (08:39)

3. Chavez, Socialism, and his Political Evolution (08:54–14:12)

• Chávez's Political Ideology: Initially focused on ending corruption and building a participatory democracy, not explicitly socialism.

• Evolution to Socialism:

  • Later, particularly post-2004, he openly embraced “socialism of the 21st century,” centering redistribution of oil wealth, state-led social programs, and resistance to US-driven neoliberalism.

  “Socialism was later in coming in Chavez’s worldview... It's not until later... that Chavez begins to speak much more openly, not only about socialism, but what he called socialism of the 21st century." – Alejandro Velasco (10:18–12:34)

• Notable Quote
  “This nation belongs to everyone. It is everyone's property, and that property must be distributed equally in harmony.” – (Chavez, paraphrased; 12:25)

4. Venezuela–US Relations: From Pragmatism to Hostility

• Initially Warm: Chávez had friendly relations with Bill Clinton, loved baseball, and sought pragmatic oil cooperation.
  • "He had a kind of soft spot for the United States... So to suggest that he was always kind of stridently anti American would be a tremendous exaggeration." (14:24–15:37)
• Turning Point: Relations soured after the 2002 coup attempt (supported by the US); sanctions began under Bush in 2005.
  • Following the Iraq War, Chávez aligned with a multipolar, anti-US bloc (Iran, Russia) and sharpened his rhetoric.

  "Chavez begins to build on that basis what he calls a multipolar vision of the world... Chavez cultivated a resistance front, getting closer to leaders like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and buying advanced weaponry from Russia." (17:46)

5. The Contradictions of Chavismo: Social Change and Autocracy

• Achievements: Halved unemployment and poverty, improved education and health.
• Authoritarian Critiques: Concentration of power, expropriation, direct executive control.

  “Chavismo always held two competing and contradictory strands within its heart. The first is an authoritarian strand... but it also... held a very participatory strand, much more democratic...” – Alejandro Velasco (18:53) “...he was both things and many more at the same time...” (20:55)

• Oil's Role: Enabled both expansive social policies and autocratic measures when prices were high, but destabilized the system during downturns.

6. From Chávez to Maduro: Diminishing Legitimacy and Increasing Repression (21:31–28:04)

• Succession: Chávez handpicked Maduro, who started from a position of weakness after barely winning the post-Chávez election with a 1.5% margin.

• Economic Crisis: Oil price collapse and harsh US sanctions starved the public sector, forcing Maduro to rely increasingly on the military and state repression.

• Human Rights Abuses: Elections manipulation, repression of opposition, rising unpopularity.

  “...the Madurista government really became Primarily concerned with only staying in power as its final aim. Further and further, leaving aside any kind of ideology that had really figured in the Chavista government.” – Alejandro Velasco (25:30)

• Vicious Cycle

  "The more you rely on repression, the more unpopular you are, which means you have to rely more on repression in order to stay in power." (27:32)

7. Elsie Rodriguez: The Pragmatist Firebrand (28:04–30:02)

• Background: Leftist, with deep anti-imperialist credentials; her career spans student activism to power under both Chávez and Maduro.
• Pragmatism: Led the dollarization of Venezuela’s economy and maintained critical economic and oil ties with foreign companies, tempering ideology with realpolitik to weather the crisis.

  “She's a power player with the public Persona of a firebrand. But Increasingly the policy perspective of a pragmatist.” – Alejandro Velasco (29:40)

8. Diaspora vs. Domestic Venezuelans: One Country, Two Narratives (30:02–34:16)

• Diaspora Dynamics: Pressure for US intervention and regime change is loudest among Venezuelan emigrants, often clashing with domestic opposition strategies favoring gradual, peaceful change.

  "The center of gravity of opposition politics in Venezuela shifted from the domestic opposition to an expatriate opposition around 2018." – Alejandro Velasco (31:06) "To see Venezuelans abroad celebrating openly not only the capture of Maduro but the armed intervention by the US has further split the opposition..." (32:56)

• Nationalist Strain: In-country opposition is often more wary of foreign intervention, revealing sharp rifts exacerbated by US actions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chávez at the UN:

  “Yesterday, the devil came here. Right here, right here. And it smells of sulfur.” (01:03, Hugo Chávez)

• On Chávez's Contradictions:

  "He was both things and many more at the same time." (20:55, Alejandro Velasco)

• On Maduro’s Rule:

  "The Madurista government really became Primarily concerned with only staying in power as its final aim. Further and further, leaving aside any kind of ideology that had really figured in the Chavista government." (25:30)

• On Domestic vs. Expatriate Opposition:

  "The center of gravity of opposition politics in Venezuela shifted from the domestic opposition to an expatriate opposition around 2018." (31:06)

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:03–02:53 | Chávez’s “devil” speech; introduction to Chavismo | | 03:28–06:22 | Bolivarian Revolution roots, opposition to Punto Fijo | | 06:22–08:54 | Símon Bolívar’s place in politics, myth versus reality | | 08:54–14:12 | Chávez’s political ideology, evolution to 21st century socialism | | 14:12–18:05 | Venezuela–US relationship, the 2002 coup and aftermath | | 18:53–21:31 | Competing narratives: social uplift vs. authoritarianism | | 21:31–23:33 | Succession to Maduro, early challenges and economic crisis | | 23:33–27:32 | Maduro’s turn to military, repression, cycles of unpopularity | | 28:04–30:02 | Elsie Rodriguez – revolutionary roots and pragmatic crisis management | | 30:02–34:16 | Diaspora vs. domestic opposition, reactions to US intervention |

Tone & Style

The episode features a thoughtful, analytical tone with frequent context-setting and historical references. Jayme Poisson’s style is journalistic but deeply curious, prompting Alejandro Velasco to deliver accessible yet nuanced historical analysis, peppered with anecdotes and a willingness to acknowledge Venezuela’s political complexities.

Summary

This Front Burner episode unpacks the complex legacies of Hugo Chávez, Nicolás Maduro, and Chavismo’s enduring influence on Venezuela. It moves beyond binary portrayals of heroes and villains, stressing the significance of oil, political mythology, and shifting international alliances. The discussion articulates how inside/outside perspectives shape Venezuelan attitudes, especially at moments of crisis and potential regime change. Insightful and balanced, the episode is essential listening for understanding one of Latin America’s most turbulent contemporary stories.