Venezuela History and Politics

This month, Bloomsbury Collections features a reading list of titles to learn more about the history and politics of Venezuela. Check out the introduction of each book below to learn more about what that book has to offer to put the current political situation in Venezuela in context.

The United States and Venezuela during the First World War: Cordial Relations of Suspicious Cooperation

This book details the diplomatic relations between the United States and Venezuela during a pivotal time in world history. Through archival materials and newspaper accounts, the author highlights the words of the major participants to demonstrate how the two nations worked together. The relations between the two nations during this time helped establish the foundation for the petroleum bonanza that United States companies would enjoy in the following years.

Read the introduction here

Autocracy Rising: How Venezuela Transitioned to Authoritarianism

In Autocracy Rising, veteran scholar of Latin American politics Javier Corrales explores how and why Venezuela, which once enjoyed periods of democratically elected governments in the latter half of the twentieth century, has descended into autocratic rule, coupled with economic collapse.

Read the introduction here

Communes and the Venezuelan State: The Struggle for Participatory Democracy in a Time of Crisis

Since 2006, Venezuela has witnessed an explosion of different forms of popular power and participatory democracy. Over 47,000 grassroots neighborhood-based communal councils and 3,000 communes have been constructed. In Communes and the Venezuelan State: The Struggle for Participatory Democracy in a Time of Crisis, Anderson Bean offers a critical analysis of these experiments in popular and workers' power and their potential for societal transformation within and beyond Venezuela.

Read the introduction here

Confrontational ‘Us and Them’ Dynamics of Polarised Politics in Venezuela: A Post-Structuralist Examination

This book takes a deep dive into the political polarisation in Venezuela, a country with almost two decades of conflict between Chavismo and the Opposition disputing the meaning of democracy, and with the most critical crisis in the Americas as a result of polarisation. With close attention paid to the logics or rationalities of power to explain what lies behind definitions of democracy. It explores hegemonic logics (myths, fantasies of threats and promises) used by both political groups to create a political identity.

Read the introduction here

Addressing the Venezuelan Migrant Crisis: Lessons for the Caribbean

This book delves into the general dynamics, causes, and impact of Venezuelan migration in the Caribbean, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon. Migration also poses challenges such as brain drain and strains on resources in both sending and receiving countries. Understanding and addressing the complex causes and impacts of migration remains a critical task for countries, policymakers, academics, and communities alike. This exploration allows for greater insights and understanding of the responses and possible recommendations for tacking and addressing the Venezuelan migrant crisis.

Read the introduction here